Lindsey Riley is a freshman magazine journalism major and writes ‘Rock Review' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Lindsey at lnriley@bsu.edu.
There is a saying in society that goes "third time's a charm." That statement couldn't hold more true for me. After two unsuccessful years, I finally got to see my favorite band, Motley Crue, on tour with Poison and New York Dolls.
The three bands began their tour in early June and are scheduled to hit about 40 cities in the United States. I attended the show on July 1 at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Ill.
Those who know me are very aware of my love for Motley Crue. I love every song of theirs that I hear. At the concert, I never stopped rocking out to their music, and I paid the price for that days later with a stiff neck and sore shoulders.
First on stage was the New York Dolls. Prior to the show, I had never really heard of the New York Dolls or of their music. When they came onto the stage and started their set, I gradually became impressed. Their songs "Lookin' For A Kiss" and "Personality Crisis" were my favorites. For some reason, those songs and the band itself made me think of The Ramones with their overall attitude and sound. The band was actually pretty good and totally worth checking out. Their set was simple with no pyrotechnics, so I was able to pay attention to their sound and become a fan. Unfortunately, some people were too busy loading up on beer that they didn't listen to this part of the show. In my opinion, it was their loss because the New York Dolls were really impressive.
Poison was second on the stage, but their set was not as mind blowing as I hoped it would be. They played the classics and my favorites, "Talk Dirty To Me," "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," and "Nothin' But A Good Time." They even played "Fallen Angel," another personal favorite. However, I think they could have done without the incredibly long drum and guitar solos. Solos are fine to listen to and they are enjoyable for a little bit, but I felt like there was some solo between each song.
Also, I felt like this group lacked some of the crowd interaction the others had. Yes, they had the crowd sing along, clap their hands and such. But when they decided to talk with fans, giving updates on Bret's health and a new album, it was just not as personal as the other groups got with the fans. I did, however, enjoy listening to the music and seeing the band perform. And despite my opinion and what I found to be flaws, I am still a Poison fan and would love to see them again.
And then came Motley Crue, my personal highlight of the evening. They opened their set with a bang playing "Wild Side." Out of all the performances, the crowd seemed to sing along and react more to the Crue, especially during their hit "Home Sweet Home." The music was so loud, but the fans sure belted that tune out for the band to hear. My favorite part of their set that night was when they performed "Too Young To Fall In Love." Their sound was so rich, and I just could not contain my excitement to hear that particular tune.
Throughout their show, Motley Crue went crazy with pyrotechnics and had a great stage set up, which included a rollercoaster. Tommy Lee's drumset was placed on a circular rollercoaster track that moved during his drum solo. He also took a lucky fan for a ride on the drumset, and that fan was unfortunately not me.
At the concert, I saw some really interesting characters… especially off the stage. Sometimes, it was just pure chaos, especially when it was dark outside. During the Motley Crue set, one lady was really getting into the music (can't blame her). She was actually standing on her chair, holding onto her husband's shoulders, and just rocking out. She ended up falling down and hitting her head on the chair behind her. Then she got up and picked up where she left off, as if the accident didn't happen. When I realized she was okay, I said to my friend she must be really drunk or simply tough.
One thing that the bands had in common was their feelings about the crowd. They said that Chicago was one of their favorite stops on the tour and that the crowd was one of the best thus far. I agree; the crowd was really involved with each set and even in-between. A local rock radio station, The Loop, was present at the concert and their station was playing music in-between each band. People were singing to each song, but when AC/DC hit "Highway To Hell" came one, everyone stood up and belted it out. It sort of reminded me of a church and its congregation during worship music. The only difference is there was alcohol and light effects at the concert, things I don't think a church would have.
Overall, I had the greatest evening of my life. The concert, as a whole, was great, but the Motley Crue set alone was worth every penny spent on my ticket. I encourage every fan of these bands, heavy metal music, and those who want to have some summer fun to see this show when it comes to town. It is nothing but a good time!
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