Concert Wrap: Bret Michaels, Sept. 16 @ AMP
September 17th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Bret Michaels. All photos by KEVIN KINDER, NWA Media.
Despite a fresh lease on life, having lived through an extended hospital stay caused by a brain hemorrhage, Bret Michaels was content to rewind things last night at the Arkansas Music Pavilion, where he performed for a crowd of about 2,000 on a beautiful Fayetteville night.
Blending the classic tracks from ’80s hair metal band Poison — which he still fronts when not busy with his solo tours or his television appearances — with safe cover songs from the classic rock era, Michaels gave the crowd, which had a median age similar to his own age of 47, a bit of nostalgia.
He opened by diving into “Talk Dirty To Me” and “Look What The Cat Dragged In,” approaching them with enthusiasm and a voice somewhere between husky and muscular.
In the Bret Michaels Band’s 70-minute set, he found room for seven Poison songs among the 11 tracks he played, and an eighth song, “Your Momma Don’t Dance,” is a tune that Poison first covered two decades ago. When he did stray away from Poison, it wasn’t far.
He played a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and also a cover of Sublime’s “What I Got,” which he included on his most recent solo record, “Custom Built.” He only played one other truly solo song, “Go That Far,” the theme song to “Rock of Love,” what would become the first of many reality show appearances for him.
He’s getting ready to be part of a new show, “Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It,” which will debut in October. He told fans that crews would film some of the concert in Fayetteville for the show, and there were indeed several cameras visible at the AMP last night.
He also told fans that he was grateful for the prayers and support “when we got real sick” and promised to make up a couple of canceled dates in Fort Smith that fell during his recovery period.
He also kept telling the fans about the party they were assembling under the tent at the venue, and that much was definitely true. A dedicated group of fans greeted Michaels, many of them clad in bandanas, black sleeveless T-shirts and straw cowboy hats like the man they came to see. I would guess the crowd, expectedly, perhaps, to be about 65-35 female to male.
There were singalongs to nearly every song, especially — of course — to “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” which drew a flood of amateur voices and a swaying of arms. It also, not kidding, caused the couple beside me to start instantaneously making out. They didn’t stop until the song was over.
It was just what the audience came to see, as evidenced by the considerable number of women who held roses in the air as he sang.
Michaels delivered, giving the crowd nothing they hadn’t heard him play a million times before.
About the opener:
Jason Hoffa
Finding Jimmy Hoffa, from Arkansas, played a blend of hard rock and rap that was well received by the crowd. The lead singer reminded me of Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst, with his flannel shirt, backwards ballcap and swinging wallet chain. He even rapped a bit. Thankfully, when he sang, like during a surprisingly servicable cover of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell,” he was much better than Durst.
Bret Michaels setlist: 1) Talk Dirty To Me; 2) Look What The Cat Dragged In; 3) Go That Far; 4) Sweet Home Alabama [Skynyrd cover]; 5) Something To Believe In; 6) Unskinny Bop; 7) Momma Don’t Dance [Loggins and Messina cover, done in the style of Poison’s version] 8) What I Got [Sublime cover]; 9) Every Rose Has Its Thorn; 10) Fallen Angel
Encore: 11) Nothin’ But A Good Time
Marley 
libra 
I was at the show and was very surprised on how good the show was..bret was way better than I thought he would be..I really enjoyed the opening band more than bret..very energetic band loved there originals and the cover of the pearl jam was amazing..really don’t know where the Fred durst comparison came from other than the red hat..heard no rapping from the band at all..but all and all very good local band..bought there cd and can’t get enough of it..I saw where they are opening for some really big bands in the next few weeks and I’m def going to try and catch them again..and I suggest if there close everyone else should do the same nc these guys just might make it!!