Hall of Fame Legend Night in Tampa

By on September 26, 2016
TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

It was like I stepped out of the DeLorean and arrived… but where? When?

Where am I?  Live at Budokon 1978??  The Seattle Center Coliseum 1978??    Or is it in 1982 “I Love Roll and Roll” at #3… on the rock billboard charts.

No! There’s no flux capacitor tonight, no lightning bolts, no clock tower, no Hill Valley, no Dr. Brown… It’s  September 2016: Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Heart at the venue formerly known as the Ford Amphitheater.

It was Rolling Stone magazine, just last year in 2015,  that voted the 1978 Cheap Trick live at Budokan the 13th best live album in history.   Heart played three consecutive dates in Seattle to close the 1978 year. In 1982 Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll,” was #3 ! And yes kids, you could play songs on the junk box for a dime…

These three… iconic Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Legends, on one stage barley missing a beat from the better past times in America.

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

Robin Zander and Rick Nielson working the stage as if time stood still from the early 80’s  with Nielson implementing the ever present guitar rift changes. And there was plenty of clowning around as Bello Nock, A.K.A. The”World’s Greatest Dare Devil” played guitar while strutting on the stage.

 The set was hi-lighted by a crescendo of a finish with “The Flame,” “I Want You to Want Me,”and “Dream Police,” which featured Neilson out on the catwalk with the classical stanza:

“I try to sleep
They’re wide awake
They won’t let me alone
They don’t get paid to take vacations
Or let me alone
They spy on me
I try to hide
They won’t let me alone
They persecute me
They’re the judge and jury all in one” (sinister laugh)

 

Then “Ain’t that a Shame,” “Surrender,” featuring the Cheap Trick All Girl’s Choir, cell phone selfies included… “Mommy’s alright, Daddy’s Alright, they just seem a little weird!”

Cheap Trick closed the set with a strong performance of  “Gonna Raise Hell,” which Zander exclaimed that’s its what the Cheap Trick All Girls Choir would be doing later for sure…

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

Next up, the birthday girl, Joan Jett… After the fourth song of the set,  “Bad Reputation,” Robin Zander came out on stage, mic in hand, followed by the whole entourage of the show to serenade Joan.  From her body language, Joan looked surprised, like what the heck are you doing ruining my show?!  And she spotted the rest of the crew, with a cake, candles ablaze, and all belting out Happy Birthday!

Choked up now from the surprise serenade, Joan  continued the set with “TMI,” which featured awesome technology flashing in background, “You Drive Me Wild,” “Light of Day,”…

blackheart-recordsLast year after a Tampa Bay Rays game I saw Joan Jett at Tropicana Field as part of the Summer Concert Series. Then it brought back all kinds of memories of hearing Joan Jett over the years and realizing there are more hits then “I Love Rock and Roll,” and “I Hate Myself for loving You.”   This night would bring back the same memories and I was thinking even with the Hall of Fame induction, I still believe that Joan is under appreciated in the music industry. The pulse of the crowd seems to be, wow I remember this hit and it reminds of (this…).

The Blackheart record label was featured throughout on the video screens.

I was a little disappointed when Travis Failey informed me just before the show Joan does not want any photos taken.  None of us are getting any younger and maybe becoming less photogenic, but I think Joan still looks good and would have loved to publish some photos. Come’on Joan, no need to be camera shy, you still got it!

Of course as one could have forecast with precision, the climax was the final three songs,  “I Love Rock and Roll,” “Crimson and Clover” and “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”  The venue formerly known as the Ford Amphitheater looked almost full to capacity and a hi-light of the Joan Jett set was watching that whole crowd sing “Crimson and Clover.”  And really it’s, “Over and Over.”  And then they closed the night with ith the anthem, “I Hate Myself for Loving You” which was yes,  everything you could imagine.

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

Ann Wilson is the most incredible vocalist of all-time. I truly believe that she may be the only singer in history that has had zero drop off in her vocals. Over the years, listening to her in concert is like listening to a studio track.  Seriously, see Heart live, close your eyes… you’re listening to a CD, well now I guess it’s some form of digital music…

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO

One issue with going to see a heavy hitter like Heart is that there is no possible way they can play every hit.  “Straight On,” “All I Want To Do is Make Love to You,” “Heartless,” “Never,” and no I am not reaching with “Dog and Butterfly,” which I think just amplifies the Ann Wilson vocal-quillity (put it in the Ricktionary!).  But tonight’s set provided hit after hit.

Ann Wilson, like thousands of times before went through the set with unequivocal precision.  A great moment for me was “Crazy on You,” with the Nancy Wilson acoustic prelude and Ann just nailing the highs like it was 1982!

WOW!!!!   Speaking of highs, Ann got the “Led” out in encore cultism with “Immigrant Song,” and “Stairway to Heaven.”

Here is just a portion of Stairway to Heaven, on a cell phone video live… really!

 I remember seeing Heart in 2007 with Cheap Trick and faux headliner  Journey.  Ann was so good that we left three songs into Journey.  Sorry Arnel Pineda, I just could not get past the Steve Perryless Journey following Ann Wilson.   I remember leaving that show with the same feeling, Wow!  Ann!  I have to admit, heading to the Amp Thursday night I was not going to set myself up for disappointment.  After all, a lot could change in nine years… no not a chance with Heart and Ann Wilson’s vocals!

When’s the next Heart Tour, Travis we’re there!

TRAVIS FAILEY PHOTO GALLERY

 

TAMPA SET-LISTS

CHEAP TRICK

    1. Hello There
    2. California Man
    3. Baby Loves to Rock
    4. When I Wake Up Tomorrow
    5. In the Street
    6. I’m Waiting for the Man
    7. The Flame
    8. I Want You to Want Me
    9. Dream Police
    10. Ain’t That a Shame
    11. Surrender
    12. Gonna Raise Hell

    JOAN JETT

    1. Victim of Circumstance
    2. Cherry Bomb
    3. Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
    4. Bad Reputation
    5. Happy Birthday To Joan Jett
    6. TMI
    7. You Drive Me Wild
    8. Light of Day
    9. Fragile
    10. Love Is Pain
    11. Any Weather
    12. I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll
    13. Crimson & Clover
    14. I Hate Myself for Loving You

    HEART

    1. Wild Child
    2. Magic Man
    3. What About Love
    4. Even It Up
    5. These Dreams
    6. Two
    7. Kick It Out
    8. Beautiful Broken
    9. Alone
    10. Crazy on You
    11. Barracuda

      Encore

    12. Immigrant Song
    13. Stairway to Heaven
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