“Poison” a knock out at the Prairie Capitol Convention Center

September 03, 2008
By Nicole Calcagno
A&E Writer

www.livemusicindiana.com

Hair metal enthusiasts filled the Prairie Capital Convention Center on August 19 to see Poison, one of the most popular and long lasting eighties hair metal bands Around since 1986, Poison has an extensive library of music with 9 studio albums. The latest release from Poison is the DVD they are promoting on tour, which is “The Live, Raw, & Uncut Summer Tour 2008.” They have included heavy metal band Dokken on the bill to promote their first new album in four years called “Lightning Strikes Again.” Also on the bill is Sebastian Bach, originally the lead singer of eighties hair band Skid Row, who also has a new album out called “Angel Down.”

I was unsure what to expect when I went to this show, having been fairly young when all of these artists were in their heyday, but I figured I would know some of the music. There was a really good mix of people of all ages in the crowd and it seemed like everyone was a genuine fan.

Sebastian Bach took the stage first. This man had a ton of energy. He was all over the stage and really knew how to work the crowd. He did a lot of his new songs, but thankfully, he did sing the biggest hits that Skid Row had. “18 And Life,” and “I Remember You” both made the crowd light up and sing along. He had a little trouble hitting the high notes, but was enjoyable overall.

Dokken took the stage next. I was not terribly impressed with them. The lead singer was the only original member of the band left. Not only that, but they failed to do more than stand around and sing or play their instruments. There was not that much crowd interaction, and it was a bit to slow for me. The quality of the music was good, but it was just not my cup of tea.

Poison taking the stage is when the show really began. They came out to a hug display of pyrotechnics, singing “Look What The Cat Dragged In.” The crowd went insane when band members took the stage, but especially for front man Bret Michaels. Michaels is truly a rock star. He had all the moves, attitude, and charisma that a top performer would have. Their stage show was very involved with screens, lights, fire, and explosions, all of which everyone seemed to love. C.C. Deville, the lead guitarist, showed off his talents ith a guitar solo. Drummer Rikki Rocket had his moment in the spotlight with a drum solo that included coming to the front of the stage and playing bongos. They played all of their hits like “Nothin’ But A Good Time,” “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn,” “I Want Action,” “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” “Talk Dirty To Me,” and “Unskinny Bop,” the last being one of my personal favorites. They dedicated their song “Something To Believe In” to all the troops overseas which made many tear up a little, including Michaels himself. It showed a different side of them, a human side, which the crowd appreciated. Overall, this was a great show. It was a true night of rock and roll.