Poison Concert Review and Setlist 08.08.08
Since the videos in the 1980's, I have always wanted to see Poison live. They seemed like a fun live act. With a back catalog of arena rock staples like Every Rose Has It's Thorn and Talk Dirty To Me, the band was able to top the 1980's glam scene with debauchery, sleaze, and catchy-pop hooks. Women flocked to the arenas like the "salmon of Capistrano" and much to my surprise, they still flock to Poison.
The show was in the middle of PA, Hershey to be exact, which is a town close to Bret Michaels hometown of Mechanicsberg. PA. It was a homecoming show for not only Michaels, but also drummer Rikki Rockett, whose birthday it was. So expectations were high going into this performance. Would Poison play their ass off for the hometown crowd? Would there be a celebration of Rockett's birthday? Would C.C. Deville have his guitar face? The answers to all those questions is a resounding YES!
Poison commits a major concert faux pas. You never play a band that is better than you before you go on stage. Poison played Guns N' Roses' Welcome to the Jungle and AC/DC's It's A Long Way To the Top. However, the songs did get me pumped up, so I do suppose they serve a purpose.
After AC/DC ends, C.C. Deville plays the opening chords of Look What the Cat Dragged In as he comes running out, teased blond hair, sleeveless Jack Daniels shirt, and insanely pearly white teeth glistening almost as much as his sparkling flame Flying V guitar. Bret Michaels appears behind Rikki Rockett on the ego ramp that surrounds the drum kit. The band has an arena sized sound for a venue that seats 7,000 people total.
Bret shimmies and swaggers on stage like a glam version of Axl Rose and the ladies can't eat it up fast enough. He is wearing a sleeveless Poison shirt, bandanna, and tight jeans.
The band rips through hit after hit from I Want Action to Unskinny Bop. To keep things interesting, the band covers the Romantics "What I Like About You" and allows C.C. and Rikki solos.
I have to hand it to the pyrotechnics guy, with the amount of hairspray near C.C. Deville it is a major feat to not have him go up in flames.
I can appreciate the effort the band put forth for their fans. Poison really isn't my style of music, the cheesy 80's hair band, but their fans loved it. However, I can appreciate a hard working band that gives the audience 100% every night. That is Poison. Having seen the band live, it is easy to see why they have had the staying power...a catchy back catalog, loyal fan base, and a kick ass live show. Go see Poison if you want a good time and hot, drunk, chicks.
Setlist:
Look What the Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
Ride The Wind
I Won't Forget You
What I Like About You
CC Guitar Solo
Something To Believe In
Your Mama Don't Dance
Rikki Drum Solo
Unskinny Bop
Every Rose Has It's Thorn
Fallen Angel
Talk Dirty To Me
Encore:
Nothin But A Good Time
Click on the pictures to see a larger version of them.
You will find plenty of awesome and some not so awesome, pictures in our Poison album. Check it out. If you want a copy of any of the pictures, let us know. We would be more than happy to send you the original file.
The show was in the middle of PA, Hershey to be exact, which is a town close to Bret Michaels hometown of Mechanicsberg. PA. It was a homecoming show for not only Michaels, but also drummer Rikki Rockett, whose birthday it was. So expectations were high going into this performance. Would Poison play their ass off for the hometown crowd? Would there be a celebration of Rockett's birthday? Would C.C. Deville have his guitar face? The answers to all those questions is a resounding YES!
Poison commits a major concert faux pas. You never play a band that is better than you before you go on stage. Poison played Guns N' Roses' Welcome to the Jungle and AC/DC's It's A Long Way To the Top. However, the songs did get me pumped up, so I do suppose they serve a purpose.
After AC/DC ends, C.C. Deville plays the opening chords of Look What the Cat Dragged In as he comes running out, teased blond hair, sleeveless Jack Daniels shirt, and insanely pearly white teeth glistening almost as much as his sparkling flame Flying V guitar. Bret Michaels appears behind Rikki Rockett on the ego ramp that surrounds the drum kit. The band has an arena sized sound for a venue that seats 7,000 people total.
Bret shimmies and swaggers on stage like a glam version of Axl Rose and the ladies can't eat it up fast enough. He is wearing a sleeveless Poison shirt, bandanna, and tight jeans.
The band rips through hit after hit from I Want Action to Unskinny Bop. To keep things interesting, the band covers the Romantics "What I Like About You" and allows C.C. and Rikki solos.
I have to hand it to the pyrotechnics guy, with the amount of hairspray near C.C. Deville it is a major feat to not have him go up in flames.
I can appreciate the effort the band put forth for their fans. Poison really isn't my style of music, the cheesy 80's hair band, but their fans loved it. However, I can appreciate a hard working band that gives the audience 100% every night. That is Poison. Having seen the band live, it is easy to see why they have had the staying power...a catchy back catalog, loyal fan base, and a kick ass live show. Go see Poison if you want a good time and hot, drunk, chicks.
Setlist:
Look What the Cat Dragged In
I Want Action
Ride The Wind
I Won't Forget You
What I Like About You
CC Guitar Solo
Something To Believe In
Your Mama Don't Dance
Rikki Drum Solo
Unskinny Bop
Every Rose Has It's Thorn
Fallen Angel
Talk Dirty To Me
Encore:
Nothin But A Good Time
Click on the pictures to see a larger version of them.
You will find plenty of awesome and some not so awesome, pictures in our Poison album. Check it out. If you want a copy of any of the pictures, let us know. We would be more than happy to send you the original file.
I was at the show in hershey and i just had to say that your an idiot because it was highway to hell by ac/dc not its a long way to the top you dumbass.
You probably were not fighting off sharks who were getting ready to murder you because you were standing in the "prime" picture taking spot. I was being elbowed and pushed by other reporters/photographers the entire time you were dancing to AC/DC's Highway to Hell.
I apologize I was not able to remember which AC/DC song was played before Poison took to the stage, but if that was your only complaint about my review, I suppose it was a fairly spot on review.
Besides the original complaint still stands. Whether it was AC/DC's Highway to Hell or It's a long way to the top, Poison still played a better band before going on stage.
A better band in whose eyes? I just got home from the Poison concert and I must say it rocked!!!!! :) Best concert I've seen in a LOOONG time! :)
I have been going to Poison shows since 1987 and NEVER been disappointed. I saw their final show of the summer on Sunday night in Hutchinson, KS and they gave 100%. I will go see them as long as they are playing. Best 30 bucks I ever spent!
Oh yeah, and what about Bobby Dall??? Hello?? He may not be blonde, but he's a big part of the show too. Cigarettes and all!
Actually, "Highway To Hell" is a tradition among bands like this. It's always the last song they play before the band takes the stage. So not only ISN'T it a faux paus, it's a long-standing and loved tradition. It's pretty useful as well... if you're in line for a beer and hear it come on, you know it's time to haul ass back to your seat.
The Poison ROCKS!