Tag: Night Ranger
1 M3 Rock Festival – Saturday Review – Part 2
I knew when I saw the announcement for the lineup at M3 in 2014, it was going to be an awesome show. As Friday night, and the first half of Saturday had already proved at M3, this was the Festival show to be at this year.
One of the acts that I was most anxious to see at M3 was Red Dragon Cartel. This return of Jake E. Lee to the big stage is something that I could not miss, and judging from the capacity crowd at the second stage, Jake E. Lee’s fans were in full force. Red Dragon Cartel did a great selection of tunes including music from Ozzy Osbourne, Badlands and of course Red Dragon Cartel. Darren Lewis did a fine job on vocals, and Jake E. Lee was freakin’ amazing, just as I had expected. As great as Red Dragon Cartel was, the evening was only going to get better from there.
Next up on the main stage was Queensryche. This was Queensryche with Todd La Torre on vocals in case you were wondering which version. I have not seen Todd LaTorre with Queensryche before, but I recall Queensryche’s last appearance at M3. It was obvious there was tension in the band at the time, and it ended up being one of the band’s last shows with their former singer Geoff Tate. With that being said, this was a different Queensryche than the one I saw previously, and I gotta say, I was impressed as hell. Queensryche was on fire at M3. They came out with all guns blazing, and Mr. LaTorre was absolutely incredible. As soon as I heard the opening riffs of “Nightrider” I was hooked. I haven’t heard Queensryche do this song in years. I was also super excited to hear “Queen of the Reich”. Man…oh Man, Queensryche practically stole the show, and I am pretty sure Todd LaTorre made about 10,000 new believers at the M3 Rock Festival. They were fantastic! A couple of days after M3, it was announced that Geoff Tate will and Queensryche have come to an agreement, and that Tate will no longer use the Queensryche name. This is good news, and I look forward to supporting both Queensryche and Geoff Tate in the future.
Our day was super packed, and I am sad to say that I missed Autograph. This was due to a conflicting schedule for an interview that we had lined up with Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy from Night Ranger. (coming to HRH soon).
Next band up was Sebastian Bach and his solo band. As much as I love Sebastian, his performance at M3 this year was not my favorite. He kept going on and on about how his new album was # 1 on iTunes, and while I think that is great, and a hell of a hard accomplishment for any hard rock / musician from the 80’s, it came across kind of douchey. Sebastian seemed upset that folks still want to hear Skid Row songs, and while he did them and sound great, it kind of set the mood for his show. He was good, but he could have been so much better. He was amazing at the 2012 M3.
L.A. Guns was up next on the second stage. Aside from Kix, L.A. Guns has probably played more M3 Rock Festival’s than any other band, and always enjoy their shows. This year the band has a new guitarist, former Endeverafter frontman and guitarist Michael Grant. I have been fortunate enough to see Michael play with his former band, and I already knew that he is one bad ass dude. Grant does a great job as the band’s latest Axe slinger, and of course Phil Lewis and company were great. I can’t understand why they were on the second stage, but I digress.
I am embarrassed to say that the first time I saw Night Ranger live was at the 2012 M3 Rock Festival. Since then, I have made up for lost time and have seen them play live several times. The reason why I have gone, and will continue to go to Night Ranger concerts is that the band puts on an incredible live show. Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra really tear it up on stage, and are a blast to watch play. Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy still deliver some of the best rock vocals on the planet. Night Ranger’s set was far too short, but their condensed set was damn impressive, and I thought they were easily the best band of the day. The joy of music always comes out on the faces of Night Ranger. They always seem to enjoy playing as much as I do hearing and seeing them. Night Ranger also debuted their new song “High Road”, and I gotta say the new song is pretty good. I look forward to hearing the rest of the new album soon.
I didn’t make it over the hill again for Slaughter as the sky had opened up and turned what was an awesome weather day, into a rather soggy evening. I chose to protect my gear from the rain, and hung near the main stage for Tesla.
Tesla has been one of my favorite bands for a long time, and it has been a couple of years since I have seen them play (ironically Night Ranger opened up for them then too!) Night Ranger is always a tough act to follow in my opinion, but Tesla lived up to the challenge. Not only did Tesla debut a new song “MP3” off of their soon to be released album Simplicity, they also played killer set of tunes that covered the majority of their discography. I was a little disappointed that I didn’t hear “Song and Emotion” (one of my personal favorites) or Cumin’ Atcha Live, but it was still a great show. The Merriweather Post Pavilion was jam packed to one of the biggest crowds that I have ever seen for M3, and Tesla kept them all standing. This was a true testament to one great band.
Of all of the M3 Rock Festival’s I have been to, this one was by far my favorite. It was a great time with my good friend Ryo Vie, packed with awesome music and memories that I will never forget. I am already counting the days until M3 Rock Festival # 7 in 2015. I don’t know how they will top this lineup next year, but I have a feeling the next M3 Rock Festival is going to be even better!
0 New Video – Night Ranger – High Road
Night Ranger fans can check out the band’s brand new video “High Road” below.
The rocking, feel-good new track/video is the first single from the forthcoming album of the same name. HIGH ROAD is due out on June 10th in North America via label home Frontiers Records. Produced by the band itself, HIGH ROAD will be available in two formats – a standard CD version and a deluxe version which includes one bonus track and a DVD featuring a background look at the making of the album along with video clips. HIGH ROAD can be pre-ordered now at Amazon as the standard version here, and as the deluxe version here. “High Road” is also available as an instant grat track for fans who pre-oder the album now via iTunes here.
Night Ranger‘s legendary hits “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” are songs that have each significantly impacted popular culture and expanded their ever-growing fanbase since the band’s inception thirty years ago. Over the years, the band’s music has made notable contributions to and been featured in many different areas of media and popular culture. Night Ranger‘s songs can be heard in the Rock Band and Guitar Hero video games; Rock of Ages hit Broadway musical and film; the Oscar-nominated film Boogie Nights; FOX’s hit TV Show American Dad; JBL’s “Hear The Truth” campaign; and many more! To date, Night Ranger has sold 17 million units worldwide and boasts several platinum- and gold-certified albums. Night Ranger is Jack Blades (bass guitar, vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals), Brad Gillis (lead & rhythm guitars), Joel Hoekstra (lead & rhythm guitars) and Eric Levy (keyboards).
For more information please visit:
0 M3 Week – Three For Thursday Videos – Night Ranger
Night Ranger’s second appearance at the M3 Rock Festival will take place this Saturday Night. Night Ranger often doesn’t get the credit they deserve for their live shows. Far too many fans only know this band for their biggest hit “Sister Christian”. While this is a great song, and a staple in the Night Ranger set, this song pales in comparison to the hard rockin’ numbers that Night Ranger plays live. Night Ranger is a tremendous live band, and one that should not be missed!
Check out the Night Ranger clips “Touch of Madness” (Unofficiatl video),
Night Ranger – Touch of Madness
Night Ranger – Growin’ Up In California
Night Ranger – Sing Me Away
Tickets are STILL available for the M3 rock festival. Please visit this link for tickets!
1 Night Ranger – Florence, Ky Review & Photo Gallery
DV8, John Waite, and Night Ranger rocked the University of Cincinnati Medical Center Stadium in Florence, KY Saturday Night. Cincinnati’s favorite rockers DV8 opened the show on the main concourse stage, and provide an excellent set of classic tunes including Aerosmith, Boston, Shooting Star, Styx, and more recent songs from Kid Rock, Evanescence, Shinedown & many more. DV8 did a great job warming up the growing crowd at UCMC Stadium.
John Waite took the stage around 7:30 P.M. and dished out a great set of songs from his outstanding career with The Baby’s, Bad English and more.It was great to hear so many of Waite’s songs that I never got to hear live. John Waite’s voice is in fine shape. His voice hasn’t changed at all over the years. The great surprise of the night was seeing Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper, Pretty Boy Floyd) playing guitar for Waite’s band. Kelli got a chance to shine with a killer guitar solo, and really added a heavy & rocking flair to John Waite’s songs. John Waite’s set list included the songs, “Change”, “Missing You”, “Back On My Feet Again”, and “Best of What I Got”. John’s encore feature an A cappella version of “When I See You Smile”, and a rocking cover of “Whole Lotta Love”.
Over the last couple of years, the one band that has become a must see act for me is Night Ranger. Each and every time I see Night Ranger live, the band delivers an energetic set of outstanding tunes. Saturday night was no different. From the first moment Night Ranger took the stage, they owned the night. Brad Gillis, Joel Hoekstra and Jack Blades impressed me with their guitar acrobatics. Gillis and Hoekstra were absolutely killing it Saturday Night. They might just be one of the best guitar tandems in rock and roll today.
Of course I can’t talk about Night Ranger, without mentioning Jack Blades & Kelly Keagy. Both Jack & Kelly are such tremendous vocal talents. It is rare that a band has not one, but two exceptional singers. Night Ranger plays up to those strengths in all of their songs.
Night Ranger’s set included the songs “Lay It On Me”, “Sing Me Away”, “Four In The Morning”, “Coming of Age” (Damn Yankees), “Crazy Train” (Ozzy Osbourne), “Growing Up In California”, “Rumours In The Air”, “Secret of My Success”, “Sentimental Street”, an extremely rocking version of “Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight”, “High Enough” (Damn Yankees), “Boys of Summer” (Don Henley), “When You Close Your Eyes”, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” and an encore of “Sister Christian” and “(You Can Still) Rock In America”.
Night Ranger’s show was an absolute blast, and my only disappointment is I will have to wait several months to see them play again. Don’t miss Night Ranger if they come to your town. You can check out Night Ranger’s 2013 tour dates here!
0 NIGHT RANGER TO RELEASE LIVE CD/DVD PACKAGE: “24 STRINGS & A DRUMMER – LIVE & ACOUSTIC” DUE OUT IN OCTOBER VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS
As a celebration of the 30th anniversary of their debut album, DAWN PATROL, and hot on the heels of their 10th studio album, SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA, Night Ranger will release a very special newly-recorded live “greatest hits” CD/DVD package: 24 STRINGS & A DRUMMER – LIVE & ACOUSTIC is due out on October 19th in Europe and October 22nd in North America via Frontiers Records.
The album and DVD were recorded live in an intimate, all-acoustic setting with a select number of fans at TRI Studios in San Rafael, CA in May, 2012 and features some of their greatest hits such as “(You Can Still) Rock In America” and “Sister Christian” with refreshing new acoustic arrangements. The result is a testament to Night Ranger’s stellar live show and the strength of their songwriting abilities.
Night Ranger’s profile has been particularly high of late, with the band recently appearing on an episode of ABC’s “Bachelor Pad” during the final challenge and Night Ranger frontman Jack Blades performing live during the Republican National Convention. Night Ranger’s legendary hits “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” are songs that have each significantly impacted popular culture and expanded their ever-growing fanbase since the band’s inception thirty years ago. Over the years, the band’s music has made notable contributions to and been featured in many different areas of media and popular culture. Night Ranger’s songs can be heard in the Rock Band and Guitar Hero video games; Rock of Ages hit Broadway musical and film; the Oscar-nominated film Boogie Nights; FOX’s hit TV Show American Dad; JBL’s “Hear The Truth” campaign; and many more! To date, Night Ranger has sold 17 million units worldwide and boasts several platinum- and gold-certified albums.
Night Ranger is Jack Blades (bass guitar, vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums, vocals), Brad Gillis (lead & rhythm guitars), Joel Hoekstra (lead & rhythm guitars) and Eric Levy (keyboards).
24 STRINGS & A DRUMMER – LIVE & ACOUSTIC CD track listing:
- This Boy Needs To Rock
- When You Close Your Eyes
- Sing Me Away
- Growin’ Up In California
- The Secret Of My Success
- Sentimental Street
- Four In The Morning
- Let Him Run/Goodbye
- Forever All Over Again
- Don’t Tell Me You Love Me
- Sister Christian
- (You Can Still) Rock In America
- Boys Of Summer – bonus track
2 Vie’s Verses – Reflections on M3 2012 – Part Three: The Pleasant Surprises
The Pleasant Surprises
Every year when I attend the M3 music festival, there is always one or two unexpected surprises, and this year was no exception. Last year the biggest and best surprise to me was the performance given by Pretty Boy Floyd. It turned me into a huge fan of the band and has me seeking them out in concert whenever I can. The 2012 incarnation of M3 came with its own pleasant surprises that made me a very happy metal head.
NIGHT RANGER
As part of the Friday night KIX-off party, M3 recruited the likes of Night Ranger to take the stage just before Kix would headline the show. I had never seen Night Ranger perform live before, so I was curious. I also didn’t expect much from them. Their new album wasn’t the greatest and while I loved their early material, I hadn’t listened to much Night Ranger since 1992. I figured they would put on a decent set and I would sing along to some nostalgic songs from my yesteryears.
Holy heck was I wrong! Night Ranger gave one of the best performances of the entire festival. The only band that I think edged them out was Stryper. Night Ranger came out onstage filled with a ton of energy. Jack Blades was running around like a mad-man trading jabs with Kelly Keagy and having the time of his life. Keagy’s drums were set in a unique fashion as well. They were arranged to sit stage left, facing the band as opposed to facing the audience. Where the drums would normally be centered was a ramp that the guitarists used to their advantage, running around and having fun.
Night Ranger was flat out awesome in concert. In addition to playing their best known hits such as Sentimental Street, Don’t Tell Me You Love Me, You Can Still Rock In America, and Sister Christian, Night Ranger also gave a terrific performance of the Damn Yankees classic, High Enough. Jack Blades mentioned how Night Ranger had taken that song and really made it their own. It showed in their performance, because Night Ranger’s version of High Enough was even better than the Damn Yankees version that I recall.
This exceptional M3 surprise left me wanting even more Night Ranger. I can guarantee that if Night Ranger goes on tour and stops anywhere near my town, I will definitely be attending that show.
LOUDNESS
I will be totally honest here. Prior to last Saturday, I knew almost nothing about Loudness. I knew that they were a Japanese glam metal band. I think I may have heard one of their songs back in the day. Other than that, I knew nothing. So, it was a great surprise to see them give such an amazing performance on the second stage. And while I did not know any of the songs that they performed, it didn’t matter. The band’s stage presence and professionalism, combined with the crowd reaction, was enough to make seeing Loudness live a tremendous experience.
Lead vocalist Minoru Niihara has an incredible voice and sings in perfect English. Guitarist Akira Takasaki is a true showman, playing blistering guitar solos and really cutting loose during his performance. Takasaki was so much fun to watch that it wouldn’t have mattered if his guitar playing was subpar. However, his playing was as amazing as his stage presence. Loudness was definitely one of the highlights of the day for me.
And I have to give props and credit to Hard Rock Hideout’s esteemed owner/editor Rob Rockitt. He told me that Loudness was going to put on one hell of a show. He was right.
LYNCH MOB
Yes, I definitely had high expectations for Lynch Mob. Their last album (Smoke & Mirrors) was fantastic and with Oni Logan fronting the band, Lynch Mob was one of the acts that I could not miss during this year’s M3. I actually left Warrant’s set early to get as close to the second stage as I could for Lynch Mob. It was certainly one of the best decisions that I made.
George Lynch was in fantastic form and his guitar playing sounded better than ever. Add in the fact that this was my first time seeing Lynch Mob live and it’s easy to guess that I was a really happy metal head. Oni Logan’s voice was in fine shape, still hitting the notes just right and putting the perfect amount of inflections where needed.
The Lynch Mob performance consisted mostly of songs from their debut album, Wicked Sensation, with one song form Smoke & Mirrors thrown in. George Lynch also got a solo spotlight, giving a rousing rendition of Mr. Scary. It sounded as good as it does on the album, and it was a real treat to see him perform it live. Overall, the Lynch Mob set made me yearn to see the band at a full length concert. I can only hope that they have plans to hit New Jersey as a headliner sometime in the near future.
CHEESE STEAKS
All right, this isn’t really a surprise. Every year I eat the cheese steaks at the Merriweather Post Pavilion and every year they taste better than the year before. This year’s cheese steak was the best yet.
Ahhh, another year of M3 has come and gone. I am already starting to save for next year, which I hope will be even bigger and better than ever.
Follow RyoVie on Twitter at Twitter.com/RyoVie
12 Night Ranger at the M3 Rock Festival
To my ears, and eyes, Night Ranger was the greatest surprise out of all of the bands at the M3 Rock Festival. From the opening moments of Night Ranger’s set where Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra stood ready for attack over the the band’s stack of EVH Amps, I knew that this was going to be a rockin’ show. I had no idea that Night Ranger would be this good! I don’t know if being televised on HDNET had anything to do with it or not, but Night Ranger definitely brought their “A” game to the M3 Rock Festival.
Night Ranger’s set was awesome, and to me, they were easily one of the best bands on either day of the M3 Rock Festival. By the time Night Ranger finished their set which included the songs “Lay It On Me”, “Sing Me Away”, “Rumors in the Air”, Growin’ Up in California”, “Secret of My Success”, “Touch of Madness”, “Sentimental Street”, “Eddie’s Coming Out Tonight”, “High Enough”(Damn Yankees), “Four in the Morning”, “When You Close Your Eyes”, “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”, and after a brief intermission, an encore with the songs “Sister Christian” and “(You Can Still) Rock in America”. I haven’t listened to Midnight Madness for a while, so getting to hear “Touch of Madness” live was a real treat!
Brad Gillis was an absolute monster on guitar. He is a tremendously under rated player that deserves more respect. I love how Kelly Keagy came off of the drum kit to sing a couple of songs. Jack Blades is a fantastic front man with great energy, and a voice that is absolutely perfect! Kelly Keagy still sounds great too. Joel Hoekstra is a lot of fun to watch. He looked like he was having a great time!
At the end of the set, I found myself upset and embarrassed that I had never seen Night Ranger live before. After their M3 performance, I will gladly drive out of my way to see Night Ranger play. I hope they get a chance to return to M3. They easily could have been the headliner Friday night. They put on an excellent show, and I won’t ever forget it!
0 Rhinobucket, Night Ranger and More Added to the Monsters of Rock Cruise!
The Monsters of Rock Cruise made their final artist announcement today, and it is a good one!
Rhinobucket, Night Ranger, Helix, Odin, DC4, Flametal, and Luc Carl were added to the final bill which already has, Tesla, Cinderella, Kix, Stryper, Y&T, Lynch Mob, Firehouse, Faster Pussycat, Eric Martin from Mr. Big, John Corabi, Black n Blue, Keel, Bang Tango, and XYZ.
Please visit the Monsters of Rock website for ticket info!
0 Rewind 94.9 in Cincinnati Broadcasting Journey Concert Live Tonight!
The concert event of the summer is coming this Wednesday, Aug. 3! Journey and Foreigner will be in concert at Riverbend Music Center with Night Ranger.
And Rewind 94.9 will be broadcasting the Journey and Foreigner concert live as it happens!
Listen beginning at 3 p.m. as Jay Kruz brings you the backstage happenings live at Riverbend.
It all leads up to the big show that night… JOURNEY & FOREIGNER Live in Concert on Rewind 94.9!
0 Free Download From Night Ranger
Night Ranger’s new song, “Growin’ Up in California” is available as a free download at Amazon.com TODAY only!! Get it here!!
0 Night Ranger – Somewhere In California (2011)
I must admit that after hearing the opening track, “Growin’ Up In California,” from the latest Night Ranger disc, I was a little disappointed. It appears that Night Ranger was listening to Motley Crue’s Saints Of Los Angeles a little too much before hitting the studio to record Somewhere In California. Their history of Hollywood and playing the early clubs is a clear rip off of the Crue’s “Down At The Whiskey”. It’s unfortunate, because the rest of Somewhere In California is classic Night Ranger and a boatload of fun.
The overall sound on Somewhere In California is vintage, mid-80s Night Ranger. The band was able to travel to their best known period of work and conjure up the golden sound from back in the day. With themes of women, good times, and rock and roll Somewhere In California harkens back to the carefree, easy days of the 80s that most people may have forgotten.
At the heart of the vocals on Somewhere In California is Jack Blades, still singing his ass off after all these years. And while Blades’ voice may sound a little older, it doesn’t take away from what Night Ranger set out to accomplish. Older doesn’t mean worse; it just means aged, like a fine wine. Blades’ voice is in exceptional form, it just lacks the power that was there 20 years ago, and that should be expected.
Guitarist Brad Gillis can still play guitar at a very high level and the solos on songs like “Growing Up In California” and “Say It With Love” prove that. Gillis and guitarist Joel Hoekstra play off each other well, and the addition of Eric Levy’s keyboards acting as a third guitar at times, blends the music together beautifully. Not many bands know how to integrate the keyboard sound into their rock songs, but Night Ranger pulls it off effortlessly and effectively.
If you were a fan of Seven Wishes or Big Life, you are going to fall in love with Somewhere In California. This is classic Night Ranger the way we remember them and the way they were meant to sound. The high flying fun stands out throughout the album and while there is the expected (and almost required) ballad of the album, for the most part, Night Ranger has decided that it is better to rock out. And since they do it so well, who are we to argue? If you’re searching for that 80s sound that will have you reaching for your Aqua Net and acid washed jeans, get yourself a copy of Somewhere In California.
Notable Tracks: Bye, Bye Baby (Not Tonight), Follow Your Heart, Say It With Love
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Growin’ Up In California
- Lay It On Me
- Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight)
- Follow Your Heart
- Time Of Our Lives
- No Time To Lose Ya
- Live For Today
- It’s Not Over
- End Of The Day
- Rock N Roll Tonite
- Say It With Love
Night Ranger Is:
Jack Blades – Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar
Kelly Keagy – Drums, Vocals
Brad Gillis – Guitars
Joel Hoekstra – Guitars
Eric Levy – Keyboards
0 New Video – Night Ranger – Growin’ Up in California
Night Ranger is BACK, and sounding better than ever!! Check out their new video clip “Growin’ Up in California” below!!!
0 NIGHT RANGER’S “SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA” CONFIRMED FOR RELEASE VIA FRONTIERS RECORDS; NEW VIDEO & EPK
VIDEO FOR FIRST SINGLE AND TRACK LISTING REVEALED; SUMMER TOUR SUPPORTING JOURNEY AND FOREIGNER WITH DATES IN EUROPE AND US
Night Ranger’s brand new album SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA has just been confirmed for release on June 17th in Europe and June 21st in North America on Frontiers Records. The offering is the culmination of the band’s work to date and celebrates the 30th anniversary of Night Ranger. SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA finds Night Ranger returning to their classic sound with updated production. Frontman/bassist Jack Blades commented, “Night Ranger is back with a vengeance! We are so proud of our new album…classic NR in every sense…can’t wait to see all the fans on tour this summer. Rock n’ roll!”
The first single, “Growin’ Up In California,” will soon impact at radio. The sun-drenched new video has just been released and can be viewed below.
An EPK for the album can be viewed here.
Please see below for a complete track listing for SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA. Night Ranger will hit the road this summer on a massive tour in Europe and USA as special guests supporting Journey and Foreigner. Please see below for confirmed tour dates.
Night Ranger’s legendary hits “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock in America,” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me” are songs that have each significantly impacted popular culture and expanded their ever-growing fanbase since the band’s inception thirty years ago. Night Ranger’s contributions are featured in multiple entertainment realms, including the hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages and the wildly successful videogame series “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero”. The band has also been recognized in such significant films and television shows as Boogie Nights and “American Dad” to name a few. To date, Night Ranger has sold 17 million units worldwide and boasts several platinum- and gold-certified albums. Night Ranger is Jack Blades (bass & lead vocals), Kelly Keagy (drums & lead vocals), Brad Gillis (guitar & backing vocals), Joel Hoekstra (guitar & backing vocals) and Eric Levy (keyboards).
Night Ranger SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA track listing:
Growin’ Up In California
Lay It On Me
Bye Bye Baby (Not Tonight)
Follow Your Heart
Time Of Our Lives
No Time To Lose Ya
Live For Today
It’s Not Over
End Of The Day
Rock N’ Roll Tonite
Say It With Love
Coming of Age (featuring Ted Nugent) – Bonus track for AmazonMP3
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – Bonus track for iTunes
Night Ranger on tour supporting Journey and Foreigner:
JUNE
17 Hannover, GER Parkbuehne
18 Esslingen (Stuttgart), GER Richard-Hirschmann Eisstadion
19 Winterthur,SWI Eishalle Deutweg
21 Milan, ITL Fiera Arena
22 Augsburg (Nuremburg, GER) Schwabenhalle
23 London, UK o2 Academy Islington (headlining show)
25 St. Goarshausen, GER Loreley Freilchtbuhne
JULY
21 Salt Lake City, UT Rio Tinto Stadium
23 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
24 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavilion
27 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
30 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
31 Clarkston, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre
AUGUST
2 Cuyahoga Falls, OH Blossom Music Center
3 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
5 Columbus, OH Crew Stadium/Ohio State Fair
6 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
10 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
13 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center
16 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre
17 Wantagh, NY Nikon At Jones Beach Theater
19 Virginia Beach, VA Virginia Beach Amphitheater
20 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion At Walnut Creek
21 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte
24 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
27 Burgettstown, PA First Niagara Pavilion
30 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
31 Allentown, PA The Great Allentown Fair
SEPTEMBER
2 Saratoga Springs, NY Saratoga Performing Arts Center
10 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena
16 Atlanta, GA Aaron’s Ampitheatre At Lakewood
17 Tampa, FL 1-800-Ask Gary Amphitheatre
18 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre
24 Dallas, TX Gexa Energy Pavilion
25 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
28 Kansas City, MO Starlight Theatre
OCTOBER
1 Englewood, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre
7 Chula Vista, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre
14 Wheatland, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
15 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
19 Portland, OR Rose Garden Arena
21 Seattle, WA KeyArena
For more information please visit:
0 More Rocklahoma Videos
More Videos have turned up on Youtube today. Check out the new videos of Warrior, Night Ranger and Skid Row performing live at Rocklahoma.
Warrior – Fighting For the Earth
Night Ranger – Sister Christian
Skid Row – Big Guns
1 New Night Ranger Hole in the Sun Widget
Night Ranger’s Hole In The Sun in stores now and we now have a new Night Ranger widget to help celebrate this release! The widget contains the entire Hole In The Sun album. This is Night Ranger’s first studio album in a decade and commemorates their 25th anniversary as a band.
Night Ranger “Hole In The Sun” widget
You can listen to the first single, “You’re Gonna Hear From Me” here.
Streaming link to the first single “You’re Gonna Hear From Me”:
2 Night Ranger – Hole In The Sun (Release Year – 2008)
Hole in the Sun is the first new album from Night Ranger in nine years. On Hole in the Sun, the band has returned to their hard rocking roots.
The lineup of Night Ranger has changed since this album was released. Michael Lardie has returned to Great White, and was replaced by Christian Matthew Cullen. Jeff Watson was replaced with Joel Hoekstra.
I must admit that I had low expectations for this disc. I like Night Ranger, but the last couple of releases were just on the o.k. side for me. Hole In the Sun is easily the best record they have done in a long time.
Jack Blades and Kelly Keagy trade off on the lead vocals on this disc. Both singers do a pretty fine job, especially Jack Blades who sings backup to Keagy’s tracks.
Before this disc was released, Jeff Watson was fire by Night Ranger. I do not know the reasons why, other than some squabling over the direction of this album. Judging from the sounds on Hole In the Sun, it couldn’t have been due to his playing ability. The guitar work of Watson and Gillis is superb on this disc.
Some of the songs on Hole in the Sun are of the hard rock variety, and some fall more into the melodic rock/aor vein. The mix of songs on Hole In the Sun is pretty good, which gives the album a very balanced feel to it. Their really isn’t a bad song on this disc.
The first three tracks are amongst the heavier cuts on the album. You’re Gonna Hear From Me is one seriously rocking tune, and quite possibly one of Night Ranger’s best songs ever.
My favorite cuts are Tell Your Vision, You’re Gonna Hear From Me, What Happened, and Wrap It Up.
Europe has had their hands on this disc since 2007 (although it has a different cover). I am not sure why it took so long for Night Ranger to secure a U.S. deal, but I am glad they did. If you have ever considered yourself a Night Ranger fan, you need to check out Hole in the Sun. This may not be their best record, but it is a very solid effort, and worth checking out.
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
1. Tell Your Vision 
2. Drama Queen
3. You’re Gonna Hear From Me
4. Whatever Happened
5. There Is Life
6. Rockstar
7. Hole In The Sun
8. Fool In Me
9. White Knuckle Ride
10. Revelation 4AM
11. Wrap It Up
12. Being
13. Don’t Tell Me You Love Me [Acoustic Version]
14. Sister Christian [Acoustic Version]
Night Ranger is:
Jack Blades – Bass and LeadVocals
Brad Gillis – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Jeff Watson – Guitars and Backing Vocals
Kelly Keagy – Drums and Lead Vocals
Michael Lardie – Keyboards and Backing Vocals
0 Night Ranger’s Rockin’ Shibuya 2007 Due in Sept.
Frontiers Records is pleased to announce the European release of 
NIGHT RANGER latest double live album “Rockin’ Shibuya 2007” on September 19th 2008.
Night Ranger is a band that left an indelible mark with a string of best-selling albums that sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The band’s popularity was fuelled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including “Sister Christian”, “(You Can Still) Rock In America”, “When You Close Your Eyes”, “Sentimental Street”, “Goodbye” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me”. Harnessing the frenetic drive of heavy metal to hook-laden rock songs, throwing in a stunning twin lead guitar team and melodic radio-friendly power ballads, Night Ranger inspired new descriptive phrases such as “melodic metal” and “metal power pop”.
Following a seven-year absence, Night Ranger reunited in 1996 for a tour of Japan and a summer US tour. Fans proved that they still loved the music and the band. Also that year, the band released “Neverland”, and the following year, “Seven”, studio albums that set the standard for the 80s rock revival. Nearly every summer since, Night Ranger has toured across the country, sharing stages with such acts as REO Speedwagon, Styx, Journey, Bad Company, Pat Benatar, Loverboy, Poison, Cinderella, Boston, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick and Kansas.
2007 proved to be another busy year for Night Ranger with a successful new 
studio album, “Hole In The Sun” released in Europe in April 2007. The band also embarked on a new Japan tour with Reb Beach filling in for long-time member Jeff Watson on guitar. The result is this exciting brand new Live album release which includes audio from the band’s June 2007 show at the C.C. Lemon Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo on two CDs. The tracklisting includes all the classic hits from the band plus a handful of songs taken from the newest album “Hole In The Sun” and a driving rendition of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” incorporated in the concert opener “This Boy Needs To Rock”.
Full tracklisting includes:
Cd1: This Boy Needs To Rock / Highway Star; Tell Your Vision; Sing Me Away; Touch Of Madness; Drama Queen; Rumours In The Air; Seven Wishes; The Secret of My Success; There Is Life; Eddie’s Comin’ Out Tonight.
Cd2: Sentimental Street; Forever All Over Again; Goodbye; Whatever Happened; Four In The Morning; When You Close Your Eyes; Don’t Tell Me You Love Me; Sister Christian; You’re Gonna Hear From Me; (You Can Still) Rock In America.
The bright lights and rock ‘n’ roll nights never end for Night Ranger. You can still Rock in America!
6 2008 New Rock Releases and Reissues (Updated)
I started compiling the following list of New releases for 2008. This may not be a complete list, but so much great new music has arrived in 2008, so far, I though it would be a good idea to keep a running tab of what has come out, and what is on the way. The releases through August have been confirmed. Releases with a question mark have not been confirmed yet. This list will be updated as more news arrives.
Updated July 9, 2008
January
Drive By Truckers – Brigher Than Creation’s Dark
Airbourne – Running Wild (U.S. Release)
Bullet For My Valentine – Scream Aim Fire
Gamma Ray – Land of the Free, Part 2
Ayreon – 01011001
American Speedway – Ship of Fools
Lillian Axe – Love and War (Reissue)
Lillian Axe – S/T (Reissue)
Sleeze Beez – Screwed Blued & Tattooed (Reissue)
Sleeze Beez – Powertool (Reissue)
Stonerider – Three Legs of Trouble
Thieves & Liars – When Dreams Become Reality
Tiles – Fly Paper
Saint Daemon – In Shadows Lost From the Brave
Pagan’s Mind – God’s Equation
February
DVD – Iron Maiden – Live After Death
DVD – Scorpions – Live at Wacken Open Air 2006
DVD – Overkill – Live at Wacken Open Air 2007
DVD – Thin Lizzy – Live and Dangerous
Three – End is Begun
Pillar – For the Love of the Game
Avantasia – The Scarecrow
UFO – Phenomenon (Reissue)
UFO – No Heavy Pettin (Reissue)
UFO – Force It (Reissue)
Type O Negative – Dead Again (Red Version)
Hurricane – Over the Edge (Reissue)
Hurricane – Take What You Want (Reissue)
Hurricane – Slave To the Thrill (Reissue)
Hericane Alice – Tear the House Down (Reissue)
Baton Rouge – Shake Your Soul (Reissue)
Baton Rouge – Lights Out on The Playground (Reissue)
Wrathchild America – Climbing the Walls (Reissue)
Tangier – Four Winds (Reissue)
Tangier – Stranded (Reissue)
Danko Jones – Never Too Loud
King’s Call – No Alibi
March
Benedictum – Seasons of Tragedy
Inflikted – Cavalera Conspiracy
Saving Abel – S/T
Steve Stevens – Memory Crash
Firewind – The Premonition
DVD – Zebra
King Kobra – Ready to Strike (Reissue)
King Kobra – Thrill of a Lifetime (Reissue)
Icon – Right Between the Eyes (Reissue)
Black Tide – Light From Above
House of Lords – Come To My Kingdom
Warrior – Fighting For The Earth (Reissue)
Shannon – Angel in Disguise
Whitecross – 1987
Black Crowes – Warpaint
Diamond Head – Borrowed Time (Reissue)
Diamond Head – Canterbury (Reissue)
April
Fatal Smile – World Domination
Saints of the Underground – Love the Sin, Hate the Sinner
Theory of a Deadman – Scars & Souvenirs
Whitesnake – Good To Be Bad
Dominici – 03 A Trilogy Part 3
Asia – Phoenix
Testament – The Formation of Damnation
The Sword – Gods of The Earth
Dream Theater – Greatest Hit (And 21 other pretty cool songs)
P.O.D. – When Angels and Serpents Dance
Sevendust – Chapter VII: Hope and Sorrow
In Flames – Sense of Purpose
Kamelot – Ghost Opera: The Second Coming
Ministry – Cover Up
DVD – Axel Rudi Pell – Live Over Europe
Keel – Lay Down the Law (Reissue)
White Lion – Return of the Pride
Circle II Circle – Delusions of Grandeur
Crimson Glory – S/T (Reissue)
Crimson Glory – Transcendence (Reissue)
Tantric – The End Begins
Nine Inch Nails – Ghosts I – IV
May
Iron Maiden – Somewhere Back In Time: The Best Of 1980-1989
MSG – In the Midst of Beauty
3 Doors Down – S/T
Bombay Black – Psycho Magnet
Def Leppard – Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
Kip Winger – From the Moon To the Sun
Eden – Oblivion
King’s X – XV
M.ILL.ION – Thrill Of The Chase
Dokken – Lightning Strikes Again
10 Years – Division
Jon Oliva’s Pain – Global Warning
Flotsam and Jetsam – Cuatro (Reissue)
Gun Barrel – Outlaw invasion
Brother Firetribe – Heart Full of Fire
Circle II Circle – Delusions of Grandeur
Southern Gentleman – Valley of Fire
10 Years – Division
Glenn Hughes – First Underground Nuclear Kitchen
Souls of We – Let The Truth Be Known (Featuring George Lynch and London LeGrand)
June
Disturbed – Indestructible
Bret Michaels – Rock My World
Man Raze – Surreal
Motley Crue – Saints of Los Angeles
Judas Priest – Nostradamus (2 CD Set)
JORN – Lonely Are the Brave
Flotsam & Jetsam – When The Storm Comes Down (Reissue)
Clusterhead – Times of No Trust
Shinedown – The Sound of Madness
Harem Scarem – Hope
Valient Thorr – Immortalizer
July
The Dogs Divine – Way of Life
Stephen Pearcy – Under My Skin
Tesla – Comin Atcha Live – DVD
Hydrogyn – Deadly Passions
Gypsy Rose – S/T (Featuring David Reece)
Harem Scarem – Hope
Ritchie Kotzen – Live in San Paolo
Silent Rage – Four Letter World
Night Ranger – Hole in the Sun
Jet Black Stare – In This Life
Jesse James Dupree and Dixie Inc – Rev It Up and Go Go
Alice Cooper – Along Came a Spider
Black Sabbath – The Rules of Hell CD Boxset
August
Black Stone Cherry – Folklore & Superstition
Slipknot – All Hope is Gone
Trapt – Only Through The Pain (Aug 5th)
The Showdown – Back Breaker
Dragonforce – Ultra Beatdown
Extreme – Saudades De Rock (Aug 15th)
Asphalt Valentine?
September
Tesla?
Papa Roach – Metamorphisis
Evergrey – Torn
Bullet – Bite the Bullet
Buckcherry – Black Butterfly
Metallica – Death Magnetic
Iced Earth – The Crucible Of Man (Something Wicked Part II)
October
Anthrax?
November
Starbreaker – Love’s Dying Wish
December
AC/DC?
Aerosmith?
3 New Night Ranger CD, Hole In the Sun, July 1st!
There are a lot of reasons to celebrate the July 1 release of Night Ranger’s HOLE IN THE SUN, notably that it marks the band’s first studio album in a decade and commemorates the pioneering hard rock outfit’s 25th anniversary as a band. The best reason, as has been the case throughout Night Ranger’s heralded career, is to celebrate the music itself.
“People will hear this record and recognize our dual blazing guitars and vocals, and big choruses and melodic verses, because that’s definitely how you can describe this album,” explains singer/bassist Jack Blades of the self-produced new release, the band’s eighth studio album, and first for VH1 Classic Records. “It’s new Night Ranger, but in a lot of ways it’s classic Night Ranger.”
Guitars grind and swirl through the unrelenting opener “Tell Your Vision,” delivering a progressively-fueled crush that sets the tone for the eleven new tracks that follow, from Keagy’s Jim Morrison-like soft parade of vocals atop the blinding guitars of “Drama Queen” and the blitzing melodic charge of “You’re Gonna Hear From Me,” through the enduring depths of the piano-driven power ballad “There is Life,” and back again. HOLE IN THE SUN rings with the vibrancy of vintage Night Ranger, yet echoes with a modern relevance that endures throughout the album.
“We wanted to sound new, but still keep our roots,” says Keagy of the new release. “We grew up in the ‘70s, when pop music was really starting to thrive. Sometimes it drove you crazy because the songs were so poppy that you couldn’t get them out of your head, but they were still amazing songs. We wanted to portray some of that on this album.”
While there is definitely a pop glisten to HOLE IN THE SUN, there’s also a heavy dynamic that plants the band firmly in the millennium. “Brad brought in a lot of great ideas, some more modern-sounding things, but we were still able to keep that melodic sense in the songs. We wanted a lot of songs like ‘Drama Queen,’ great, gritty songs that reestablish our roots in hard rock,” continues Keagy.
Night Ranger—original members bassist/vocalist Jack Blades, drummer/vocalist Kelly Keagy and guitarist Brad Gillis along with guitarist Joel Hoekstra and keyboardist Christian Cullen—will be on the road throughout 2008, including a stop in Pryor, OK on Friday, July 11 to perform as part of Rocklahoma. They’ll also be doing various shows with Styx & Boston, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Cinderella & Warrant.
The band has been touring all over the world the past few months, including a stop at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba to perform for the men and women stationed there. For Night Ranger, it was a life changing experience.
As Keagy described, “There could not have been a more proud moment in my career then when we stepped foot on Guantanamo Bay to play for the troops there. We all had mixed emotions about going and we didn’t really know what they do there. Well we certainly found out, but the world should know that the people that are being held should be there because they are (I believe) the most dangerous people on this Earth. We heard the facts in a briefing given by one of the highest ranking officers on the base. It was amazing! To the men and women that work so very hard to keep us safe from the kinds of things that happened on 911, I salute you.”
“Going to Guantanamo Bay Cuba to play for the troops is right up there as one of the wildest things Night Ranger has ever done,” Blades continues. “We’ve been all over the world, but never have we sung “You Can Still Rock In America” in a Communist country with armed Cubans watching us in guard towers just a few clicks away. Everyone was so appreciative of us being there, and seeing them rock out was the greatest. We were given a tour of the detention facilities, got the REAL story first-hand and went face-to-face with the detainees (nice stare-down moment that I shall not soon forget). Saw it all and it made us even more appreciative for what our soldiers, sailors, marines and airman are doing to keep us safe. They’re doing their part, so we’ll keep doing our part. Rock in America baby!”
Says Gillis of the band’s current tour plans: “We started with our classic backline with the American flag and the Night Ranger logo, and then we built it all up from there – bigger lights, bigger sound, bigger everything! We’ve got the ramps, the vintage t-shirts, the old-school Night Ranger antics, and it’s going to be nothing but fun.”
Night Ranger has left an indelible mark on the music world thanks to a number of best-selling albums—starting with their 1982 DAWN PATROL debut–that sold more than 16 million copies worldwide. The band’s popularity has been fueled by an impressive string of instantly recognizable hit singles and signature album tracks, including “Sister Christian,” “(You Can Still) Rock In America,” “When You Close Your Eyes,” “Sentimental Street,” “Goodbye” and “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me.” Harnessing the frenetic drive of heavy metal to hook-laden rock songs, throwing in a stunning twin lead guitar team, and melodious, radio-friendly power ballads, Night Ranger inspired new descriptive phrases such as “melodic metal” and “metal power pop.”
“Music is constantly evolving and changing, and people need to keep evolving in life, spirit, soul and everything, or you might as well pack it in,” notes Blades. “That’s why I’m so proud of Night Ranger, and that’s why we will continue to evolve. With this new album, we’re just going to roll with it, have a blast doing it, and keep playing as long as it’s fun, and as long as people want to come out and hear us play. There are still a lot of people out there that want to get up and sing, ‘motorin’…’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,’ ‘You Can Still Rock in America,’ the list goes on and on…”
Click here to check out the new single, You’re Gonna Hear From Me. You can see Night Ranger Live at one of the dates listed below!
DATE CITY VENUE
Sat 6/14 San Juan, PR Anfiteatro Tito Puente
Thu 6/19 Oshkosh, WI Waterfest Concert Series
Fri 6/20 Brookville, IN Bicentennial Celebration
Sat 6/21 Sioux City, IA The Awesome Biker Rally
Sun 6/22 The Woodlands, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (Styx/Boston)
Sat 6/28 Cheyenne, WY William H. Brimmer Amphitheatre
Wed 7/2 Arlington Heights, IL Frontier Days Festival
Thu 7/3 Hays, KS Frontier Park
Fri 7/4 Glenview, IL Great Lakes Naval Base
Sat 7/5 Kettering, OH Fraze Pavilion at Lincoln Park
Sun 7/6 San Jose, CA Discovery Meadow Park
Fri 7/11 Pryor, OK Rocklahoma
Sat 7/12 Grapevine, TX Glass Cactus at Gaylord Texan
Sat 7/19 Fort Smith, AR Harry E. Kelly Park
Fri 7/25 St. Clair, MI Palmer Park
Sat 7/26 Maquoketa, IA Jackson County Fair Iowa
Sun 7/27 Lake Ozark, MO Horny Toad Entertainment Complex
Sat 8/2 Rifle, CO Garfield County Fair
Sat 8/9 Windsor, ONT. Lakeshore Soccer Park
Sun 8/10 Des Moines, IA Iowa State Fair/Grandstand (Cinderella/Warrant)
Sun 8/17 St. Joseph, MO Trails West Festival
Sat 8/23 Tower, MN Fortune Bay Casino
Sat 8/30 Pittsburgh, PA Heinz Field
Sun 8/31 Sparks, NV John Ascuaga’s Nugget – Parkin
Sun 9/28 Jackpot, NV Cactus Petes Casino/Ameristar Amp (Foreigner)
Wed 10/1 Tulsa, OK Tulsa State Fair
18 My Take on Rocklahoma 2008!
Is Rocklahoma 2008 a big music nostalgia fest? Absolutely! Would I want to attend? Yes, without question.
Many of the bands in this 4 day music extravaganza haven’t released any new tunes in years. Would I still want to see them perform? No question about it.
Here is the Thursday Lineup:
LA Guns featuring Tracii Guns
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Enuff Z’Nuff
Vain
House of Lords
Jet Boy
Bret Michaels (headliner)
Looking at the list of acts above, this lineup may not excite a lot of people, but I would still like to see it. I love Tracii Guns, but I make no bones about it, that I prefer the Phil Lewis version of this band. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see their set.
Chip Z’Nuff mentioned in the Rocklahoma that a new Enuff Z’nuff album is on the way with Jake E. Lee on guitar. I am not sure if Jake E. Lee will be with them at Rocklahoma, but if so, this is a show not to be missed.
I haven’t ever seen Vain live, but I have heard a lot of good things about them. I would be happy to check them out.
House of Lords is still putting out new music, and has a new CD that will hit stores in a couple of weeks. Their last album, World Upside Down was quite good. James Christian is a very good singer, and the band features the talent of axe slinger Jimi Bell. Count me in!
I had the pleasure of seeing Jetboy live in Columbus (See this article for the concert review with videos). The band was excellent alive. I wouldn’t miss this their set for anything.
Tracii Guns mentioned in the Rocklahoma press conference that he hated opening for these guys, as they used to blow him off the stage. Jetboy was originally signed to MCA, and as with most acts on that label, never got the proper support they deserved. They are going to open up a lot of eyes at Rocklahoma.
Bret Michaels mentioned at the press conference that this will be a big show with pyro etc when he closes out on Thursday night. It sounds as if he wants to make this every bit of fun as a Poison show. He also mentioned that a special area will be set up where you can meet him in person, get an autograph, and a picture, and talk music with him. With Rock of Love being the #1 show on cable televison, there will be a lot of people waiting in line to meet Bret, without question. I don’t know much of his solo music, so I can’t say if his solo set is something I would want to check out. I will likely check out his solo disc that is supposed to hit in June.
Strangely enough, most of the bands on the Friday schedule, I have not seen live. For them to all be on the same bill together is quite cool. I wouldn’t want to miss one band on the Friday night line up.
Friday:
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ
Armored Saint
Kingdom Come
Night Ranger
TBA
Triumph
Extreme
XYZ was quite similar to Dokken. Terry Ilous said that this will be the first time the band has played together is several years. It should be an interesting set, and it will good to hear some of their tunes again.
Armored Saint is easily the heaviest band on the main stage for the entire 4 day event, and is a no miss act, in my opinion. Their CD, Symbol of Salvation, is still one of my favorites.
Kingdom Come always took a lot of crap for being a Led Zeppelin clone when they first came out. Nonetheless I like their first two CD’s, but I haven’t cared for their more recent material. I am not sure what the lineup will be for this show. I am guessing it will be Lenny Wolf and a bunch of hired hands. I will have to see what I can find out on this one. I have low expectations for this part of the show.
There are plenty of Night Ranger songs that I have enjoyed over the years. They put out a new CD in 2007, which I still haven’t checked out yet. Jack Blades, Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy are a very talented group. I wouldn’t dare miss this set.
Triumph and Extreme are co-headlining Friday night. This is one of the few appearances that Triumph is making
in 2008. Rik Emmett always puts on a good show. I wouldn’t miss this for anything.
Extreme is back together again with Gary Cherone, Nuno Bettencourt, and Pat Badger. They are working on new
material for a 2008 release. I would be happy to see Nuno play live, in any capacity. I am glad to see him return to the band that made him famous.
There is also one band that has not been announced for Friday. I am not sure who this will be, but the lineup is already a solid one.
The Saturday Lineup has a lot of question marks for me, but could turn out to be a solid day of rock.
Saturday:
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
Pretty Boy Floyd
Every Mothers Nightmare
Tora Tora
Black N Blue
Trixter
Kix
Warrant featuring Jani Lane
Cinderella
My understanding is that Pretty Boy Floyd has completely reunited. This isn’t the watered down version of the band that Steve Summers has been on the road with. If so, then this would be kind of cool to see.
Every Mother’s Nightmare is a complete wild card. The singer, Rick Ruhl, and drummer Jim Phipps are the only remaining members. I like their bluesy Memphis rock, and would like to check them out.
Tora Tora on the other hand is a complete band reunion. I love their two CD’s Surprise Attack, and Wild America.
I have seen them live but it has easily been 18 years ago. They were great then, so I would imagine a solid show by this group. Hopefully their unreleased CD will see the light of day after this.
I never had the opportunity to see Black N’ Blue live, but I have all of their CD’s and would certainly want to check them out. Jamie St. James was pretty good on the last Warrant CD. I don’t know what the lineup will be for this show, but I doubt that Tommy Thayer will be part of it. Gene Simmons owns him now.
I have to admit that I have never been a Trixter fan. I always looked at this band as the New Kids on the Block
with guitars. I thought their music was a little thin back in the day, and seeing them live won’t change my opinion.
I have always liked Kix, and I have seen them live a few times. I have also seen Steve Whiteman’s other band,
Funny Money (which sounds exactly like Kix). It would be cool to hear some Kix tunes live again.
I saw Jani Lane solo in 2007, and he sounded great. I am happy that Warrant is back together again in a full reunion. I have seen them live a few times, and they always put on a good show.
Cinderella is also a band that has always put on an excellent show, each and every time I have seen them. Tom Keifer’s voice is the only thing that is a question mark about this show. The band has been off for a couple of years so I am hopeful that Tom’s voice is back to full strength.
The Sunday lineup is interesting, especially with two times slots still opened. One of these slots is heavily rumored to be Motley Crue. I am not sure of the other one, but wouldn’t be shocked to see Danger Danger get the other slot.
Sunday:
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
Axe
Beautiful Creatures
Zebra
Lynch Mob
TBA
Tesla
TBA
I doubt a lot of people are going to know Axe. I know the band, but I wouldn’t go out of my to see them play live. I like their tune Rock and Roll Party In the Streets, but that is about it.
Beautiful Creatures have released a couple of CD’s in this decade which is more than a lot of the bands in this music festival can say. Seeing them on the roster has me getting out my CD’s by them again. I would certainly want to check them out.
Zebra is a darkhorse in this lineup. I haven’t seen them live, but I am quite familiar with their music. This could be a good show.
Lynch Mob now features Oni Logan on vocals, Marco Mendoza on bass, Tommy Aldridge on drums, and of course George Lynch on guitar. I saw half of this band perform with Whitesnake, and would love to see this lineup in action. Tommy Aldridge is an animal on the drums, and George Lynch needs no introductions. I am interested in hearing his new Scorpion Tales album, but this is a Scorpions cover album. This is quite odd, considering that he hasn’t ever been in the band.
Tesla is the must see band on the Sunday bill. I have seen Tesla twice in the last year, and they were excellent both times. They will easily be the best band on the Sunday lineup (amongst those that have been announced so far.)
The side stages at Rocklahoma has a bunch of darkhorses, and bands that may surprise you.
The lineups look like this:
The Retrospect Records stage includes the following bands: Jester, Sidekixx, air-A-Dice, Front Runner, Tommy Had a Vision, Valor, Gypsy Blue, Whitefoxx, Blue Tiger, Wild August, Messang, Paul Shortino, Mariah, Warryor, Bad Candy,
Lorraine, Nasty Nasty, Real Steel, Cuttlass, Vyper, Mass, Bad Candy, Oney, Strikeforce, Herazz, Reckless, Heartless, Ron Keel, Warryor and Alibi.
I am not familar with most of the bands on the Retrospect stage, aside from: Mariah, Mass, Paul Shortino, Ron Keel, Nasty Nasty and Strikeforce. I would certainly like to
check out some of these acts, although none of these were bands were ever considered A-Listers.
The other stage has Texas Hippie Coalition, Karnevil featuring Dario Lorina, Dirty Penny, Crooked X, Gypsy Pistoleros, Sweet FA, Banshee, Gods of Kansas, Lipstick Magazine, Pownd, Shadowside, Mindflow, Warmachine, Asphalt Valentine, and Krucible featuring Lance King.
The interesting thing about Stage 3 is most of these are all up and coming bands.18 year old Dario Lorina is an amazing guitar player. Look him up on you tube and watch this kid play. He is very good. Karnevil is his new band. I don’t know much about them, but with Lorina on the six string, they will be interesting.
Dirty Penny is one of the better new glam bands out there. They aren’t very original, but their new CD is pretty good.
The Gypsy Pistoleros close out Friday Night on stage three, and they are the must see band in Rocklahoma. The Flamenco twist on their upbeat glam tunes is certainly one that I would like to see.
Sweet FA is the late 80’s/early 90’s hard rock band that reunited in 2007. Their new CD, The Lost Tapes is quite good. I have seen this band live, and I know they are pretty good.
Banshee is another must see band on stage three. They are one of the heavier acts on this stage. If you haven’t heard any of their music, I recommend checking them out. They will surprise you for sure.
Gods of Kansas is a newer band that is starting to make some waves. They are currently playing a bunch of live shows all over the U.S.
Pownd is a newer heavy metal band that is located 2.5 hours down the road from me in Richmond, Kentucky.
Their newest CD is highly rated across the web. I will be reviewing this one soon.
Shadowside and Asphalt Valentine are two of Chavis Records newer bands. Shadowside has one cd out, and one
on the way. Asphalt Valentine is a hard rocking band from Atlanta, GA. Their debut will be released within
the next couple of months. (I will also be checking them out locally in two weeks).
I don’t know the other acts on this stage (Crooked X, Lipstick Magazine, Mindflow, Warmachine, and Krucible) but I will be exploring these bands in the months to come.
As a whole….Rocklahoma offers plenty of Nostalgia, but also a slew of NEW bands trying to make it in the music world. The addition of two more stages in 2008 greatly improves this event over the 2007 show.
I can only hope that I will be able to make the trek there for this show. I can’t imagine missing this event!
Hard Rock Hideout 