On July 21st, just after 9pm, VINCE NEIL took to the Cannery Hotel and Casino stage to perform a 9-song set of vintage Motley Crue hits for an enthusiastic crowd. The threat of thunderstorms did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of those in attendance as Vince broke out into song, kicking the set off with their Grammy nominated, Gold single from 1989, "Dr. Feelgood."
Just hours prior to the show, Vince had requested prayers for his mother via Facebook, stating that she was "in the hospital, battling stage-4 cancer." Understandably, throughout the set, Vince seemed to be battling emotions. At times forcing a smile, and other times seeming a bit lost in thought. Vince typically dedicates the song "Home Sweet Home" to those serving, and who have served, in our nation's military, often giving a short speech honoring their commitment and sacrifice. On this occasion he simply stated that he was dedicating the song to his mom, without any elaboration, and at the end he again reiterated "that was for my mom" and left it at that.
A true professional, Vince carried on, treating fans to just over an hour of classic Mötley Crüe hits, with an approximately 10 minute interlude in which he left the stage while the band played a cover of the Led Zeppelin classic "Whole Lotta Love" followed by Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" (vocals courtesy of Jeff Blando). Vince then returned to pick up the set with another Grammy nominated single from the Dr. Feelgood album, "Kick Start My Heart." Finishing off the evening with "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Wild Side."
Vince is backed by a talented trio of musicians from the 90's American rock band Slaughter (who played this same venue just two weeks prior), with Jeff "Blando" Bland on guitar, Dana Strum on bass, and Zoltan Chaney on the drums. If you've never seen Zoltan in action you are missing out! He is easily one of the most entertaining drummers in rock, and worth the price of admission on his own. His energy and antics are unparalleled, from throwing sticks and cymbals up in the air, to smashing those cymbals with his drum throne, using his feet and elbows to play, and leaping off of the equipment stacks to come down full-force, with his Promark drumsticks, on his Tama double-bass kit. How he can keep this up throughout the entire show is beyond me, but he does, and he does it well!
Vince and the band put on a great show, and the crowd responded in kind, belting out the lyrics of this classic Crüe setlist. There was no shortage of energy on either side of the stage barrier, and it made for a very enjoyable, nostalgic night of classic metal music.
Vince Neil Photos from Randy Udell / RURockinPhotos
