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Toronto, Ont.-I’ve never been fond of Mondays, the start of another long workweek. Plus, we all know once winter gets it’s icy grip on Western New York, it takes a lot of motivation to get your ass out from under the electric blanket and off the couch to go do something worthwhile.
But, I decided I needed a reason to smile. So, I put on my thermal thong and took a 2- hour trek to visit our neighbors to the north (Canada… eh!) to check out Canadian rockers, Revolver, and Mr. Scary himself, George Lynch. The show got off to a late start. Hmmm…a reason to drink more, warm up, or so I thought. However, $10.75 for a beer and a vodka/cranberry! It appeared I would have to defrost a little slower than I expected.
I didn’t have to wait long. Emerging from a thick veil of dry ice, one would have thought that a fire had “broke loose,” but in reality, Nick Walsh and Revolver lit the rock n’ roll fuse and blasted into “Atomic Arcade” off their latest release.
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The receptive crowd of about 500 indulged the band as they delivered a rock-splitting array of songs off the new record including, “Nosebleed”, “Juggernaut” and the title track, “Turbulence.” As front man Nick Walsh commented on the late hour being “past his bedtime” he and his band brought us 30-somethings back to the Sunset Strip for a cover of Ratt’s “Round and Round,” but spiced it up with a heavier, invigorating groove.
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The band also appeased the fans of Walsh’s former band, Slik Toxic, by hammering out the band’s best-known single, “Helluvatime.” The high notes may have been slightly over-looked, but the song still gave me goose bumps just like it did back in 1992. As the opening lyrics of “Pandora’s Box” fell from Nick’s lips, the smile I was in search of took up permanent residence on my face.
Furthering my addiction to this band was the balls out rhythm section of drummer, Sheldon Thomas and bassist, Laurie–Anne Green who provided the ammunition for guitarists Gene Scarpelli and Sean “Crash” Kelly to pistol-whip the audience with their respective razor-sharp riffs.
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Revolver’s stage may have been small and their set short, but their energy was infectious. If you make one New Year’s resolution this year, make it a priority to catch these guys live. I give the Glam-Metal guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Much later in the evening, George Lynch walked onto to the stage in a much leisurely fashion. Donning a simple black T-shirt and jeans, there was no smoke, no fire. Unless you count the lit cigarette that hung out of his mouth for the majority of the set, and oh yeah, the sparks that flew out of this man’s fingers as he battered the fret board of his signature skull and cross-boned six string! Wasting no time showing off his finger-tip ferocity, Lynch mesmerized the crowd during his first jaw-dropping solo from the show opener “Kiss of Death.”
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Shredding through a cross section of songs from his twenty-year career, the set included a heavy concentration of Dokken classics and a hand full of Lynch Mob tunes. Dokken’s “When Heaven Comes Down” was a nice pick as was Lynch Mob’s “River of Love” and “For a Million Years” which was belted out acoustically. There is not much more I can put into words about Lynch’s style and sound. He is simply phenomenal. He is uncompromising and has made it his job to find that elusive “perfect tone,” and I’d say he’s pretty damn close!
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Although most of our readers here at GlamMetal understand and appreciate all that was spawned from 80’s hard rock, few musicians from that era are given the credit and respect they deserve. Even though a lot of them are still creating kick ass rock n’ roll for us, you’re not going to find the quality playing and talent that I witnessed tonight on the radio…Oh no! Corporate record labels have challenged us. Challenged us to seek it out.
Though you may have to get off the couch, brave the elements, even drive over 140 miles once in a while, when Nick Walsh from Revolver asks you “So was it worth it?” You can look him square in the eye and honestly answer, “HELL YES!” (Then jump in your car, drive 140 miles, get 2 hours of sleep and get up for work! Ahhh…all for the love of Rock n’ Roll baby!)
check out our interview with Nick Walsh here and our Crash Kelly CD release party review here www.revolvertv.com www.georgelynch.com www.crashkelly.ca
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