"The Motor City Madman will crank up the volume to 11 and take you on an amazing musical journey that has many times been imitated, but never duplicated. One of the best live shows I have seen all year!"
There may not be a harder working musician on the planet than TED NUGENT. Since he began performing over 50 years ago, he has released 34 albums, sold over 30 million albums, and played 6000+ shows worldwide. His signature brand of rock-and-roll fueled by the hollow sound of his Gibson Byrdland guitar and the sweet sound of his Fender amps. Love him or hate him, TED NUGENT has withstood the test of time, captivated the masses, and put a literal “Stranglehold” on his fans for over 5 decades.
Opening Sunday’s show at The Rose in Pasadena, CA was Los Angeles based guitar phenom DEREK DAY. A frequent guest at Ultimate Jam Night at The World-Famous Whisky a Go-go (produced by legendary QUIET RIOT bassist Chuck Wright), this guy killed his set with a passion seemingly unmatched today. Not only were DEREK DAY’S guitar skills off the charts (It’s easy to see why STEVE VAI chose him to open several of his shows in 2016), his vocals were simply amazing. He has a bluesy tone reminiscent of early Marc Bolan fused with the incredible power of BULLET BOYS front-man, Marq Torien. DEREK DAY is a star on the rise and someone to keep an eye on down the road.
Now on the main attraction, TED NUGENT. Seeing as how this show was just days away from the 4th of July, it only seemed fitting that he opened the show with his fiery rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Nugent’s guitar mastery was immediately showcased as he took center stage, his body silhouetted against a full-stage backdrop of the American flag. The power radiating from his Gibson sent chills throughout the audience as his passion for country and flag flowed throughout the entire song. Next up was “Baby, Please Don’t Go”, a JOE WILLIAMS’ WASHBOARD BLUES SINGERS cover. One of my favorites which Ted played with a heart and soul seldom seen by artists today.
Over the next hour and a half, fans of all ages rocked out to 15 of TED NUGENT’s classics including “Free -For-All”, “Need You Bad”, and sing-a-long favorite “Cat Scratch Fever”. Uncle Ted melted faces with a near-perfect performance of “Stranglehold”, and wrapped up the night with encore, “The Great White Buffalo” (off THE AMBOY DUKES 1974 classic, Tooth, Fang & Claw). Not a better song to wrap-up an incredible evening of no-frills rock and roll with the legendary Motor City Madman. I would be remiss not to mention that Ted Nugent’s supporting band, including Greg Smith (Bass / Backing Vocals) and Jason Hartless (Drums), were amazing. You could tell they really enjoyed performing with Ted, and genuine chemistry like this really takes everyone’s game to new heights on-stage.
Walking into the show, I was one of what seemed like a handful of people who had never saw TED NUGENT perform live. Like so many bands of his era, I was concerned that this would be more of a novelty act and not a true rock and roll extravaganza that I had heard so much about in the past. Fast-forward 2 hours later, and I can honestly say that TED NUGENT is in-fact the real-deal. At 69 years young, this guy plays with a reckless abandon that most musicians in their 20’s can’t seem to figure out. His passion for his fans and love of music infects everyone he encounters, and this makes for a truly magical evening of rock and roll. I would highly recommend seeing TED NUGENT live if you have the chance. The Motor City Madman will crank up the volume to 11 and take you on an amazing musical journey that has many times been imitated, but never duplicated. One of the best live shows I have seen all year!
For more information on Ted Nugent’s 2017 “Rockin America Again!” Tour including tour dates, VIP Packages, and Tickets, Click HERE.
Stay Frosty and Rock On!
Setlist:
Encore:
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