***Originally published at Radio Riff***
Friday starts off (as every day) with regional act, Whiskey Tango on the Rhino Deck. These guys are a fun loving band with a large following who are excellent at getting the party started. I have to admit, I don’t envy having to wake up and prepare for a noon show, but WT takes it all in stride and throws down the exact kind of set needed to wake and warm the crowd for the coming day’s entertainment.
At 5 PM, Scarlet Haze took the main stage, throwing down some grooving metal tunes, they are fronted by a singer dressed, well, for the summer weather. It makes the combination of sound and sight a pleasing one indeed, and they deliver the goods with solid playing matched to excellent vocals. Scarlet Haze is a band out of the Twin Cities on the cusp of big things, and they certainly demonstrate that here.
They are followed at 7 PM by veteran band, Slaughter. They take the stage and pour out a massively entertaining show, bringing the crowd together and whipping them up for the post-sunset entertainment. Backstage they seem to truly enjoy and respect their fans, eager to take pics and mix with them, as well as giving a wonderful interview. Mark Slaughter himself is a hilarious man, and always ready with a smile and a bit of mischief.
At 9 PM, Lita Ford took the stage. Lita is one of the true queens of rock, and hasn’t slowed a step in putting on a fantastic show. She commands a huge stage presence and demonstrated just how well she works a crowd to the Halfway Jam audience. With a mixture of her classic and current hits, she put together an incredible display of good old fashioned rock and roll. Backstage, Lita was, despite her status, a truly genuine and down-to-earth personality, willing to show her fans what they mean to her as well as listen to what she meant to them.
Capping off Friday night at 11 PM was Cinderella. There are few front men in the business who can put on the caliber of show that Tom Kiefer can, and he demonstrated it once again here. Playing lead guitar, piano, lap guitar and even saxophone, Tom demonstrated a rare musical genius. Whether you are a Cinderella fan or not, seeing them live is an experience. Rarely do bands play with such passion, each note coming with an almost painful fervor. It would be hard to think of a better band to cap off the night at a festival geared towards the 80’s metal scene. Cinderella fit the bill perfectly.
Saturday kicked off on the main stage at 5 PM with Minnesota homeboys Hericane Alice. Coming into the ‘Strip scene at the tail end of the 80’s, Hericane Alice are no strangers to the uphill climb bands of that era had to overcome to achieve success. With a blend of high energy, personality and even a few unique takes on covers, they were a perfect choice to get the crowd rocking, despite overcast skies and patches of rain.
The sunset show at 7 PM was headed by Stephen Pearcy of Ratt. With a different backing band, Stephen still brought out the tracks that he built his career on. However, without the 2-guitar attack that Ratt had as a signature sound, one couldn’t help but feel something was a bit amiss with the show. Still, it was solid entertainment.
After Pearcy, the 9 PM show on the main stage was Kix. For those who have not seen a Kix concert, Steven Whitehead is an amazing and tireless frontman. He is constantly moving, constantly interacting with the crowd, and high energy both on and off stage. The band follows suit and their show was non-stop from beginning to end, leaving the crowd breathless and enthusiastic for more. Kix is a band the gives it’s all, every show, and this was once again demonstrated at Halfway Jam 2011.
The big guns were yet to come, however. Capping off the main stage shows at this years Jam was Skid Row. Blistering out of the gate with an assembly of huge hits, Skid Row threw down some serious rock in a straightforward no-nonsense style. Their show is about the music, as loud and proud as possible. They took the crowd to its limit and left them exhausted and happy.
That is exactly how we left Halfway Jam ourselves. We retired to the hotel room at the end of our 2 week adventure in the Minnesota festival circuit, our rock cravings satisfied for the moment, and with plenty of memories and new friends to follow up with.
Overall, the Halfway Jam lineup was an absolute pleasure to watch. The good-old-party attitude and rock atmosphere contributed to an enthusiastic festival, the quality of which is easily apparent. With the tireless work of the Henry family and Rockhouse Productions, this festival is only going to grow, and will keep turning more heads each year. Plan a trip to Minnesota in July, and take in this kickass festival.
In the last few years as the legends of classic rock have departed, Moondance has turned its eye towards more modern acts, mixing them into the fold and gradually transforming the festival while maintaining its true spirit. Thursday started off with Cracker on the main stage, showing old audiences and new their easy-to-listen to mix of clever tunes to get the crowd warmed up and grooving.
At 5 PM, Candlebox took the stage in what was, at least to me, one of the biggest surprises of the Jam. They came out all guns blazing with a high energy set, working the crowd and definitely setting the bar for acts to follow. Their frontman, Kevin Martin, did a masterful job interacting with the crowd and getting everyone into the show.
Following Candlebox were rock veterans, Great White. Initially, I was behind the stage when their show began, and thought Jack Russell was in fine form. Imagine my surprise when I came out front and saw that it was not Jack singing, as he is recovering from surgery, but Terry Ilous of XYZ. His vocals were dead on, and the band’s performance as a whole was tight, well played and excellent, making for an enjoyable show.
As night settled and the crowd kept growing, .38 Special brought their own special blend of southern rock to the stage. With a vigorous and driven performance, they pushed out their host of hits and had the crowd right along with them. These guys are masters of their craft, and demonstrated it once again at Moondance Jam.
The night ended with a bit of a surprise in 3 Doors Down; surprising moreso because of the choice in a closer than their actual show. While 3 Doors Down may be a top-selling national act, their show turned out to be a bit slower paced and mellow compared to the previous shows.
Following them, however, was a shocker of a set from the Outlaws. They threw down a 3 guitar attack of southern rock that actually pulled people from out in the campsites in to see just who it was playing. Tight, high energy and utterly enthusiastic, it was a killer show. The best part was the band was going all-in for it, throwing themselves into the music with abandon. There’s nothing like passion in a band to make a show special.
One of the all time classics took the stage next in Eddie Money. Eddie has been a working man’s rocker for years, with plenty of hits to back up his repertoire. He nailed them all in this show, and even earned a round of applause from the backstage crew while walking back to the bus.
Paul Rodgers followed, one of the true legends of rock. The man behind Free, Bad Company and The Firm hasn’t lost a step with his singing and performing. The set he threw down at Moondance was heavy on Bad Co. due to the American audience, but also included a wonderful Jimi Hendrix tribute with a rendition of “Little Wing”. The audience was captivated, and Rodgers proved why he is a legend in rock & roll.
It started with Thundherstruck, an all-female AC/DC tribute band. They were a surprisingly fun and entertaining show, with each member of the band crafting an excellent version of their inspiration. The vocals by Dyna Shirasaki put a female twist on both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson’s vocals, but were still immediately recognizable and powerful. Tina Wood had the Angus Young routine nailed, down to the one-handed guitar solos. They were a pleasant surprise and an awful lot of fun to see.
Burton Cummings, known better as the voice behind The Guess Who, took the stage at 5 PM. One could tell the audience may not have been familiar with him by name, but were definitely familiar with his bevy of hits. For a guy now in his 60’s, Burton’s voice has not lost a step, and he kept audiences enthralled for over an hour.
Fuel followed Burton on the main stage, putting up a good mix of fast and slow songs, creating a solid show. Much like Candlebox, they threw in a Led Zeppelin cover to mix things up and keep the audience fresh with something unexpected.
To see Joan Jett backstage, one would get the impression of someone who is shy, perhaps even a bit afraid of crowds. To see Joan Jett on stage you see the essence of a rocker in her diminutive form. On stage she let’s it all out, rocking with passion and fervor, and bringing the audience right along with her. Covering all of her hits, she gave the crowd exactly what it wanted from one of the original chick-rockers.
Closing the night, and the festival, was Stone Temple Pilots. They were perhaps the only real disappointment of the festival, playing a fairly flat 50 minute set with a 2 song encore. I had hoped for more energy rather than just volume to hallmark their show and put a brilliant finish on the festival (like the one Lynyrd Skynyrd put on last year), but it seemed a rather unremarkable, if not loud, performance.
The advent of digital music has created a glut amongst consumers. With every-expanding ipods and computers brimming with tracks, what once was the province of dedicated collectors is now commonplace. Couple this with services like last.fm or Pandora and you have more choice to fit your specific taste in music than ever before.
With the focus on the consumption of music, we find ourselves increasingly ignoring the experience of music. For any who have attended a concert with thousands moving, screaming and jumping in unison, the effects are obvious and powerful. There is an unspoken energy at such an event, a bonding that occurs between people who may not even see each other. Most of all, a memory is created, a single point in time shared by many with music as its common bond.
When I look back to the roots of Rock & Roll, back to the very beginnings in the salad days of skirts and suits… back to the first, fuzzy notes springing from an overdriven guitar, I’m struck by the lightness of sound and deftness of touch. Before we go any further, let me caution that I’m not getting on my “Olde Tyme” soapbox and decrying the sad state of modern rock (though it’s tough to resist), I’m looking here to draw a parallel between what was and what is. I wish to for a moment examine what in our roots has lead to what we listen to today, and why it has changed so drastically. Indeed, some may even ask if our old definition of rock still applies.
hormones and need to let it out suddenly was there in a tapestry they could use as expression and share with one another. Rock came, rock conquered, and rock rolled onward. Bands experimented with sound, creating a thousand sub genres from folk to new wave to progressive rock. It burgeoned from counter-culture to mainstream, one thing uniting it all… the undying spirit of freedom, emotion and expression.
Halfway Jam 2011 – What Rock is All About Pt. 1
***Initially Posted on RadioRiff.com***
Halfway Jam is a young festival, having just completed it’s 7th year. The lineup, however, has become rich and full of talent. People are noticing, and numbers of attendees are increasing yearly. What once was a party for a few hundred friends has grown, and now attendance runs into 5 figures. It is a magical time for the festival, seeing it “turn the corner” from a small regional collection and hit that sweet spot between size and talent; keeping the close-to-home feel while bringing in nationally known acts.
Driving into the festival, it’s hard not to be struck by it’s certain charms when compared to the “big festivals” occurring elsewhere. The same faces attend the gates, and recognize yours. The entire setup is easily viewable and provides quick access to what the festival has to offer. The blue collar sensibilities of central Minnesota dominate, making for a mix of practicality and hospitality for everyone who comes. The production may not as yet be on the grand scale of the national fests, but it has a grass roots feel. Rock is the thing, as much of it as can be packed into each of the 3 days, and it is good.
Around the main area are scattered various vendors selling their assortment of food and drinks, as well as a central beer tent to provide shade and libations for the festival crowd. Our group hustles backstage behind the main stage to begin trying to catch interviews and photos immediately, while still being able to listen quite well to the Rhino Deck bands. Backstage is already buzzing as well, with food and refreshments for staff and bands both, hemmed in by the trailers reserved for performers’ use during their stay at the fest.
The main stage acts on Thursday are scheduled to be heavy metal pioneers, Quiet Riot, followed by the closer, Firehouse. Thursday itself is new to Halfway Jam in 2011, the festival having previously been 2 days instead of 3. Even as an added day, the crowds are already gathering in force to hear one of the original kings of metal perform. Looking at the crowd, I can’t help but notice the increase in size even on a “new day”, as well as the enthusiasm. It’s a good sign for this weekend, and the festival as a whole.