It’s funny to look at a bill like this now and roll my eyes as back in the day, this was one of the hottest tours happening. Both bands were touring for multi-platinum albums and it was “thee” show to see. My friends and I weren’t totally sold on Warrant. I remember thinking that their song “Down Boys” was fucking retarded as hell but after hearing the full album I thought that “Riding High” and “Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich” were both pretty good songs. When Warrant took the stage, the first thing I remember being impressed by was that they had a HUGE stage production for an opening band. They had ramps and stairs and a huge ass back drop and they were actually really good live. Even though I wasn’t floored by them musically, I remember thinking that they put on a really great show, they sounded really tight and they really knew how to own a stage. They were cocky, confident and definitely could walk the walk. All this being said, I still think their songs suck for the most part but that doesn’t mean they can’t be a good live band. They did a great job opening for Motley Crue and in all honesty, they were really quite good.
Motley Crue on the other hand left me scratching my head and not in a thought provoking way. More in a “I can’t believe I paid to see this” way. First off, for a band that had put on so many amazing stage productions, the “scaled down” set left much to be desired. A drum riser and a bunch of amps and pyro. I remember Nikki Sixx saying something about they wanted to let the music do the talking. Yeah? Well, too bad you did because we actually listened to the music and found out that it was really pretty shitty. I’ll admit it, I bought into the Motley Crue hype as a kid and thought they were just the fucking coolest but unlike KISS or Alice Cooper, Motley Crue didn’t have music strong enough to stand on it’s own. This was also the first time I would notice the Vince Neil Lyric Skipping concept. Vince only sings every other word as he tries to catch a breath and every now and then let out a really off key screech of “RAH AH AH AH AH AH AH!” The set list was obviously heavy on Dr. Feelgood material which I still find their weakest album. I do remember thinking that the song “Dr. Feelgood” and “Wild Side” (their two best songs in my opinion) sounded really good and “Red Hot” from “Shout at the Devil” kicked ass but opening with “Kickstart My Heart” was really pretty lame. Even back then I thought this was a really crappy song.
We waited with anticipation to see what Tommy Lee’s AWESOME drum solo would be only to yet again be totally unimpressed. He had an electronic kit hanging from the lights and it rode back and forth over the crowd as he played drums along with classic rock songs. Yeah, I know right? We cheered and went along with it be in all honesty, I was like “So this is it?” Not even their scantily clad female back up singers could really save the show because they were singing just as bad as Vince Neil. It’s a sad day when your 16 year old self is saying, “Wow, I think I like Warrant better!” By the end of the show, I was the owner of two really cool looking Motley Crue shirts to wear to school but not really feeling like I saw a great show. This was actually the last time I would ever see Motley Crue with Vince Neil. I remember going to school and it was so cool to say that I was at the SOLD OUT Motley Crue show. Nobody really seemed to care too much that they sucked and didn’t have great songs. It just seemed cool to say you were there. Years later I would learn that many Crue fans my age would feel a couple of different ways. Some would feel like me and say, “Ya know, that was a really crappy band and I don’t think I can pay money to see that!” Other will say, “I don’t care that they’re a crappy band. The shows are fun and allow me to reclaim a bit of my youth and just let loose.” Neither one of these is a “wrong way” to look. The Crue was a big part of my youth and the soundtrack to many good times so I have to at least give them that much!
Warrant Set List
So Damn Pretty, Big Talk , 32 Pennies, Ridin’ High, Heaven, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (not released yet), Cold Sweat, Down Boys, DRFSR
Motley Crue Set List
Kickstart My Heart, Red Hot, Rattlesnake Shake, Too Young To Fall In Love, Shout At The Devil, Live Wire, Same Ol’ Situation, Slice of Your Pie, Guitar Solo, Drum Solo, Looks That Kill, Smokin’ In The Boys Room, Wild Side, Girls, Girls, Girls, Home Sweet Home, Dr. Feelgood
Encore: Jailhouse Rock
