House Of Blues Orlando Welcomes Gov’t Mule

Gov’t Mule rolled into The House of Blues Orlando, Fl on Thursday May 2, 2019. Outside the rain was threatening, but inside the house was full. The fans filled the venue in anticipation of hearing the wide variety of material that Gov’t Mule is capable of. Warren Haynes, founder of the band, has written songs for and played with a vast array of bands, so anything is possible on any given night during their shows. MNPR Magazine sent Mark Horan of MarkHoran.Pictures LLC to cover the action.

Haynes has performed with the surviving members of The Grateful Dead after Jerry Garcia’s passing, and has even co-written a Garth Brooks single “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House”, which was number one on Billboards Hot Country Singles and Tracks for twenty weeks. After a four-year stint with David Allen Coe, Haynes joined Dickey Betts as a guitarist and vocalist. Two years later, The Allman Brothers Band reformed, reuniting Betts with the band,.and he brought Haynes along with him. Haynes left The Allman Brothers Band in 1997 to concentrate on his side project, Gov’t Mule which he started in 1994. But, in 2000, Haynes rejoined The Allman Brothers Band and perform regularly alongside Derek Trucks until they both departed the ABB at the end of 2014.

Gov’t Mule is labeled a southern rock jam band and they didn’t disappoint the crowd that had jammed in to see them. I found the groove to be a bit more bluesy than southern rock as Warren Haynes holds his own and doesn’t need multiple guitars to fill out the sound. The band played for almost 3 hours with 2 sets and finally two encores. Gov’t Mule stands on its own and if your wanting to see a tight blues band with a bit of southern rock flair, they are definitely the show you don’t want to miss.

Band Members:

Warren Haynes – Guitar & Vocals
Matt Abts – Drums
Danny Louis – Keyboards, Background Vocals and More
Jorgen Carlsson – Bass

Set List:

1. World Boss

2. Lola Leave Your Light On

3. Streamline Woman

4. Inside Outside Woman Blues #3

5. Lay Your Burden Down

6. Whisper in Your Soul

7. Stoop So Low

8. Forsaken Savior

9. Slackjaw Jezebel

Set 2:

1. Drawn That Way

2. Kind of Bird (The Allman Brothers Band cover)

3. Easy Times

4. Million Miles From Yesterday

5. Thorazine Shuffle

6. Scenes From a Troubled Mind

7. Starship Trooper Jam (Yes cover)

8. The Gates of Delirium Jam (Yes cover)

9. Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground (Blind Willie Johnson cover)

Encore:

1. Come On in My Kitchen (Robert Johnson cover)

2. Gonna Send You Back to Georgia (A City Slick) (Timmy Shaw cover) (with Rick Gerkin)

Concert review on MNPRmagazine.com

Bikefest Rolls Into Leesburg, Florida Bringing Vince Neil of Motley Crew 4/27/2019

Festival season is in full swing and Bikefest in Leesburg, Florida celebrated three days of motorcycles and music April 26-28, 2019. Leesburg’s 30 blocks were filled with vendors, bike shows, beauty contests, and over 55 concerts this weekend. MNPR Magazine sent Mark Horan with MarkHoran.Pictures LLC north from Orlando to cover parts of the 3-day event. The majority of the bands performing in this festival are the finest bands in Central Florida. Vince Neil of Motley Crew would be headlining on the final night.

The highlight of Friday night was the band Blandini from Orlando. Jeff Blando (Vocals/Guitar), Zoltan Chaney (Drums), and Paul Drennan (Bass) performed a variety of classic rock covers from Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugent, and Dio to name a few, entertaining the fans at The Swamp until just after midnight. Blando and Chaney are with Vince Neil’s touring band and will be closing out the festival Saturday night, so it was a must I cover Blandini the night before. 

Saturday was another beautiful day with no chance of rain. As I walked through the rows of parked motorcycles lining each side of the downtown streets, I realized just how many people were actually visiting this sleepy town with a population of around 23,000. There were motorcycles everywhere, and people overflowing the sidewalks into the shops and the streets. It was just remarkable. The average attendance for Bikefest usually tops 200,000 people for the three days of the events in the 23-year history. I don’t think it would have been any different even if Vince Neil wasn’t going to be performing the hits of Motley Crew later this evening.

I had some time before the show, so I went down to The Lucky-U-Saloon to checkout the international touring band Nirvanna, a Nirvana tribute band. Nirvanna was just taking the stage when I arrived. They were authentic looking, and the music was spot on. The crowd was large and of all ages as they bobbed their heads to the grunge music emanating from the PA system. I felt like I had been transferred back in time 30 years. It was a fun show with a great atmosphere. When they aren’t touring around the globe, Nirvanna can be seen regularly in Central Florida.

I finally made my way around the enormous crowd to get into position to photograph the final show of the festival on the main outdoor stage. It seemed that every person that was in the eight venues watching the other bands were now converging into the center of town. My guess was somewhere around 20,000 people were around the stage. The crowd was rowdy after a long day in anticipation of the festival’s final act, Vince Neil, and they were growing impatient.

Dana Strum (Bass Slaughter/Vince Neil), Jeff Blando (Guitar Slaughter/Vince Neil), and Zoltan Chaney (Drums Slaughter/Vince Neil) hit the stage and the crowd just erupted as they started to play. When the crowd realized it was “Dr. Feelgood”, Vince Neil came on stage and the fans were in a total frenzy as he belted out the lyrics. Nobody seemed to care that the band wasn’t Motley Crew, their ears were not lying to them. It was Vince Neil and these were the hits that they had come to hear and dance too.

I had never seen the original Motley Crew, but after their resurgence with  their Netflix release of the new movie Dirt, there is always a chance. As I have learned over the years, never say never when it comes to a Rock-N-Roll band!

Dream Theater at The Hard Rock Live 4/27/2019

Dream Theater, on their “Distance Over Time Tour” exploded onto The Hard Rock Live stage at Universal Studios Orlando Florida on Wednesday April 24, 2019 in front of a packed house of over 5,000 raving fans.  It was a warm spring night in Orlando, and Universal Studios was packed with people. It was crowded, but I made my way to The Hard Rock a few minutes after they opened the front doors. The lines entering the show were long and moving slow. Once inside, the venue was packed from the floor to the balcony, and there was a buzz in the air I hadn’t felt in a long time.

The house lights went down, the crowd jumped to their feet, music and a video were playing on stage in the dim lights. After a few minutes of the intro, Dream Theater appeared on stage and got right into “Untethered Angel” from their new 2019 release “Distance Over Time.” The band then went into a long version of “A Nightmare To Remember” from their 2009 album “Black Clouds and Silver Linings.” The show was as tight as the best shows I have ever seen. Dream Theater formed in 1985, so they have been around for a while and it showed. James LaBrie’s vocals were strong and demanding as any progressive metal front man needs to be. What was fascinating were his stage exits during musical breaks when John Petrucci took the spotlight, then he’d appear and make it to the microphone in perfect timing and belt out some lyrics. John Petrucci is the founding member of the band and was ranked second by Joel McIver, the author of the book “The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists”. Petrucci is amazing and lived up to the hype as he shredded his signature Ernie Ball Music Man Guitar throughout the night. What I’m saying is, this band put on a clinic on how to perform a rock show. Everything was perfect, as all members were great musicians performing at the highest level.

Over the past 34 years Dream Theater has produced and album every 2 or 3 years, with 14 studio albums and 8 live albums. The ironic thing is, their popularity is at an all time high. Dream Theater seems to be peaking in popularity as evidenced by their latest album charting high around the world. Dream Theater is a great band and you need to get out and support them. It was my first Dream Theater Show, but not my last.

Band Members:

– John Petrucci – guitars
– John Myung – bass
– James LaBrie – vocals
– Jordan Rudess – keyboards
– Mike Mangini – percussion

Setlist:

1. Intro

2. Untethered Angel 2019

3. A Nightmare to Remember

4. Fall Into the Light 2019

5. Barstool Warrior 2019

6. In the Presence of Enemies, Part I

7. Pale Blue Dot 2019

Set 2: Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes From a Memory

1. Regression

2. Overture 1928

3. Strange Déjà Vu

4. Through My Words

5. Fatal Tragedy

6. Beyond This Life

7. Through Her Eyes

8. Home

9. The Dance of Eternity

10. One Last Time

11. The Spirit Carries On

12. Finally Free

13. Encore:

Pull Me Under

Tampa Bay Blues Festival April 4/14/2019

Tampa Bay Blues Festival was celebrating it’s 25th year in Vinoy Park on the shores of The Gulf of Mexico in Saint Petersburg, Florida between April 12th and 14th 2019. Spring in Florida usually has mild weather, but this year it appeared to be a little unseasonably warm with temperatures touching 90 degrees. This Blues Festival was laid out perfectly, with the edges lined with food trucks and booths with a great variety of things to eat like Cuban food, Thai food, Hawaiian ice cream, and Southern barbecue to name a few. VIP seating and tents were available with food and drink included in the VIP Package. Several portable rest rooms accommodated the crowd without waiting lines. Everything was perfect for a great 3-day weekend of fun and music.

Making the trek from Norway, Spoonful of Blues and J.T. Lauritsen & The Buckshot Hunterskicked off the festival. Both bands were perfect to get things started, playing a bit of Chicago style blues. The crowd was then treated to the soulful voice of Curtis Salgado, the 2018 Soul Blues Male Artist of The Year. For those that have seen and love the movie “The Blues Brothers, John Belushi’s inspiration for his character Jake Blues, was Curtis Salgado. Curtis didn’t disappoint as he belted out earth shaking vocals and played the harmonica dressed in a suit wearing sunglasses; the stereotypical bluesman.

Samantha Fish was next on stage with her Marilyn Monroe looks, wearing a multi colored/multi patterned mini dress with knee high black boots. Samantha began by shredding her signature 512 hollow-body Delaney guitar. Samantha Fish is a serious guitar player and the audience was energized by her performance.

After the sunset, promptly at 8:30pm, the first day’s festival headliner Jonny Lang exploded on stage from the beginning of his set to the end. I don’t think I have ever seen such emotion as Jonny’s face contorted with each note. A child prodigy whose career started at age 13, Jonny Lang has had 5 albums charting on the top 50 of the Billboard 200 Chart and won a Grammy for “Turn Around”. Jonny Lang was energizing, and the fans went wild. The bill for the day was perfect, choosing artists that built into the crescendo leaving those in attendance wanting more at the conclusion of the day. Excitement was in the air as the crowd left wondering if tomorrow would top what they had experienced this day.

Blackburn Brothersfrom Canada started day two as the crowd shuffled in to find their seats. Many were lagging as some of the local bars and clubs held after parties that went late into the early morning.Vanessa Collierwas next on the schedule as she played the saxophone, the guitar, and sang. Her talent and infectious smile warmed the hearts of the audience. Vanessa was enjoying the moment as well and cast a genuine appreciative smile as she thanked and waved to the audience as she walked off stage. Vanessa Collier was the darling of the festival, and the fans lined up after her performance to meet her at the autograph tent.

Castro Coleman was a Mississippi gospel guitarist, but in 2013 he changed his name to Mr. Sipp and just exploded onto the blues scene. Mr. Sipp’s popularity has made him one of the most popular blues acts today, touring heavily in the US, South America, Europe, and China. His set brought smiles to all as the fun was just getting started. Welch Ledbetter Connectionfollowed the strong performance of Mr. Sipp. Those in the blues world were cheering on the strength of Monster Mike Welch as he continued on without his partner, lead singer and guitarist, Michael Ledbetter, who died January 21 of this year from complications from epilepsy at the age of 33. Monster Mike put on an inspired performance as he was supported by Curtis Salgado on vocals (from day one), and Vanessa Collier on saxophone. It was my favorite performance of the day! How could it not be?

Shemekia Copeland was up next with her powerful yet sultry blues vocals as the festival was still filling up for the headliner of day two, Boz Scaggs. Like the day before, the sunset and the stage lights were turned on. At promptly 8:30pm, Boz Scaggs opened his set with “JoJo” and continued to play all of his hits including “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle”. The set was quite a contrast to the rest of the day, but it swelled the crowd to about 20 thousand in attendance, in my opinion. Day two was another great day and temperatures were in the mid to high eighties with the humidity peaking around 1pm giving way to the warm gulf breezes of The Gulf of Mexico.

The third and final day which was unofficially named Louisiana Day started withRosie Ledett and The Zydeco Playboys.Zydeco musicis known for a sound that is predominately produced in New Orleans with Creole influence; a fast tempo music dominated by a piano accordion and a washboard or rub board. The crowd again was slowly getting to their positions as another night of after parties at the local clubs went late. Rosie was clearing the cobwebs out of those a bit weary. This day started at 1pm, a bit later than the two previous days. The weather today was extremely windy and the backdrop on the stage was removed. Cloud cover was heavier and that kept the temperatures in the mid to low 80’s. But today was different as a storm was bearing down on the Festival from the West out in The Gulf of Mexico. The audience and the event planners were watching their weather apps to see if rain was going to ruin this party.

Next, Mike Zito took the stage. Although Zito isn’t from Louisiana, he was still welcome as he combined blues and soul the same way they do down in N’awlins. Zito started his career at an early age and by his late teens he had begun his career in the St Louis music scene. This was another great performance and an introduction to me of a great musician. Then it was time to get back to Zydeco with the funky C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band who really brought down the house with his show. It made me want to jump on a plane to New Orleans as Zydeco music is just plain fun. The next artist was Kenny Neil. Kenny Neil is The Real Deal when you speak about blues. He comes from a family of musician and I believe he was related to everyone in his band. Kenny sings, plays guitar and harmonica. I found my feet moving from beginning to the end of his set. Kenny Neil has a Grammy nomination and two BMA’s (Blues Music Awards).

With the sun setting and the storm on the horizon, a quick turnaround got the final days headliner on stage – Tab Benoit, winner of B.B. King Entertainer of the Year in 2007 and consecutive winner of Blues Music Awards Contemporary Blues Male Artist in 2012 & 2013. Benoit was also inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2010. Tab Benoit was a great choice to close this festival out and everyone in attendance was glad he got his set in before the storm.

Musically these were the three best days of music I have experienced, and I will definitely be counting the days until the 26th Tampa Bay Blues Festival in 2020.

Country Thunder at Kissimmee, Florida 3/22 to 3/24/2019

Festival season exploded this past weekend in Kissimmee, Florida with Country Thunder Florida coming to town March 22 through March 24, 2019. Country Thunder is a country music festival that currently has five North American locations for the worlds top Country Music acts. Other locations include Country Thunder Arizona, Country Thunder Wisconsin, Country Thunder Saskatchewan, and Country Thunder Alberta. This festival was previously titled as Runaway Country for the past eight years.

Thousands of fans two stepped into Heritage Park for three days of country music this past weekend. Blanketed by sunshine with temperatures in the mid to low 80’s under partly cloudy skies, the weather was indeed perfect. The main stage had reserve seating in front of the stage with white plastic chairs behind barricades and the area outside the reserve area was covered with blankets, lawn chairs, and crazy country music fans. This was the ultimate tailgate festival, and everyone in attendance enjoyed themselves. Many of the concert goers had RV’s parked in the main lot to retreat to between shows and to rest at the end of each day. Friday’s show kicked off at 2pm with the Scooter Brown Band and continued to pick up momentum until the last act of the day, country icon Toby Keith who took the stage a little after 10pm.

Friday, day one; Scooter Brown Band , Noah Schnacky , Jimmie Allen , High Valley , Chris Lane , Toby Keith

Saturday had the same welcoming weather as the day before and the stage area filled a bit slower than on Friday. I guess many fans were taking their time leaving the tailgating at their RV after a great night. For the early birds, Jameson Rodgers started the day at 2pm with his performance. This day had the highest sales of one day passes as the festival was extremely packed when Luke Combs finally took the stage at 10pm. It appeared that there were over 20,000 fans in attendance as the atmosphere was rocking. After the last act every night the festival hosted a party in a tent called Electric Thunder with a live DJ to dance into the wee hours of the morning before putting the day to bed. This night the big top was a jumpin!

Saturday, Day Two; Jameson Rodgers , Waterloo Revival , Restless Heart , Maddie & Tae , Granger Smith , Luke Combs

Day three started a bit later than the two previous days with Runaway June gracing the stage at 2:30pm. These ladies were just what was needed to ease into the last day of this festival with beautiful three-part harmonies. But, it didn’t last long into their set when it was evident to the crowd, there wouldn’t be any easing and this party was just getting started! The crowd trickled back to their positions and by mid afternoon the venue was nearly filled. By the time Luke Bryan hit the stage at about 10:15pm, opening with his patented “Country Girl (Shake it for Me)”, the fans were in an absolute frenzy from beginning to the end of his set.

Country Thunder left its mark on Central Florida this past weekend and I can honestly say that Runaway Country will not be missed.

Sunday, Day Three; Runaway June , Mitchell Tenpenny , Lanco , Tracy Lawrence , Luke Bryan

Blandini at Seminole Harley Davidson in Sanford, Florida 3/10/2019

Seminole Harley Davidson sponsored a charity event for one of our wounded veterans from the past Iraq War on Sunday March 10, 2019. A charity motorcycle ride concluded at the dealership and the participants were rewarded with a concert by the band Blandini who also donated their gate receipts to this worthy cause.

Blandini is fronted by lead singer and guitarist Jeff Blando (Vince Neil/Slaughter). The other consistent musician in the group is bassist Paul Drennan (Three Forks Road/George Lynch). The first time I saw this band was February 10th at a benefit for Jose Negron who had passed away too young. That show had Will Hunt (Evanescence/Black Label Society) behind the drum kit. Will is currently on tour in Italy so he wasn’t at this past Sunday’s show. In his absence Zoltan Chaney (Vince Neil/Slaughter) was added to this line up. I had never witnessed the prowess of Chaney on drums, his energy was as spectacular and innovative as I have never witnessed. The pure joy of his performance was contagious on stage as Zoltan plays at times perched on top of his kit, also striking the cymbals with his feet. He gives every ounce of energy to his performance. Both Will Hunt and Zoltan Chaney are accomplished drummers and showman and add greatly to this band’s lineup. My dismay at not seeing Will Hunt on drums turned to elation as Zoltan Chaney became every photographer’s dream with his performance. This night had another special guest, George Lynch (Dokken/Lynch Mob) on lead guitar. The show was a majority of covers and Blando eluded to the setlist being just a guide, not the road map to the bands show.

I really enjoyed the show; all aspects of the band were clicking on all cylinders. There was an on-stage chemistry as if this lineup had been playing together for the past twenty years. All fans in attendance enjoyed themselves rocking out to classics from The Who, Led Zeppelin, and yes of course Slaughter and Dokken. Blandini is a powerful cover band with great roots in rock and roll with decades of experience.

Sarah MaLachlan at The Phillips Center in Orlando, Florida 3/1/2019

Sarah MaLachlan

In North America February brings cold and snow to the northern part of the continent causing many to head south for a reprieve from the weather and overall dreariness of a long winter. Nova Scotia’s Sarah McLachlan isn’t any different except she brings with her a talent that her fans in Florida welcome. The twelve-time Juno and three-time Grammy winner played Friday night to a sold-out Dr. Phillips Center in downtown Orlando, Florida this past March 1, 2019.

With a mix of new and old songs, McLachlan entertained the crow for an hour and forty-five minutes sharing stories and her inspirations that formed the soundtrack of her 30-year career. The stage was set with Ms. McLachlan’s piano, a single microphone center stage, and a chair with a microphone and a cello on its side. This lead one to ponder, with over 40 million albums sold worldwide was there a need to have a backing band or orchestra? Not on this night.

Sarah came out and immediately sat at the piano, welcomed the crowd and played “In Your Shoes” from her 2014 released on her seventh album “Shine On”. Vanessa Freebairn-Smith came on stage with an acoustic guitar and sat in the vacant chair stage left. Freebairn-Smith is an accomplished celloist that I had the privilege to see last summer performing with Jeff Beck on his “Stars Align” tour. Vanessa Freebairn-Smith accompanied McLachlan on acoustic guitar and cello the remainder of the show. What impressed me most was her vocal range as she sang backup vocals with McLachlan hitting notes higher than Sarah which I didn’t think was possible.

McLachlan’s song writing can be melancholy and sad at times. She explained that she doesn’t concentrate on writing happy songs as there isn’t time when she is living in those happy moments. Her songwriting reflects past experiences, struggles, and at times grief. This is not uncommon for songwriters to take their personal inspiration from events that hit deep in to their soul.

Sarah McLachlan is a great artist and is very giving with her talents. In 1997 she founded the “Lilith Fair” which was a concert tour showcasing female solo artists and female-led bands. From 1997-1999 “Lilith Fair” raised over $10M for charity. Her 2-minute commercial for ASPCA raised $30M since original airing in 2006. Sarah has also founded the Sarah McLachlan School of Music and is operating in three locations in Canada giving music instruction to develop a love for the arts to underprivileged students. One dollar from each ticket sold on this 14 day tour/vacation was being donated to the school.

This show was billed as “An Intimate Evening with Sarah McLachlan” and that was exactly what it was as she talked about her daughters and her challenges in life and relationships. The show, the music, and the stories were moving and genuine. I was reflecting on what I love about living in Florida on my way home from the show. Our temperatures this past February were in the 80’s and artists escaping winter come visit on brief holidays or short tours that have them well rested and enjoying our weather. What’s not to love?!

Setlist:

1.      In Your Shoes

2.      Possession

3.      I Will Remember You

4.      Adia

5.      Good Enough

6.      Building a Mystery

7.      Drifting

8.      Wait

9.      Song For My Father

10.   Elsewhere

11.   World On Fire

12.   Beautiful Girl

13.   Fallen

14.   Sweet Surrender

15.   Rivers Of Love

16.   Loving U Is Easy

17.   Monsters

18.   Ice Cream

Encore

19.   Wilderness

20.   In The Arms of The Angel

21.   Sound That Love Makes

Daytona Beach's Main Street Live 2/9/2019

Daytona Beach, Florida was the site of Main Street Live Original Music and Arts Festival on February 9, 2019. MNPR Magazine was on the scene with Mark Horan of MarkHoran.Pictures LLC, their Florida correspondent. The festival aligned Main Street starting at The Boot Hill Saloon, stretching a mile and terminating a block from the sands of the Atlantic Ocean. Stages for original music with art exhibits in the street in between. A light rain off the ocean came and went throughout the day but not hard enough to dissuade the musicians or the music fans in attendance. All 19 stages performed simultaneously to accommodate over 130 acts in this 1-day event. Shelter from the weather could be sought inside any of the 5 indoor stages along the route. Turnout was lighter than previous Songwriters Showcase of America events in the past due to the weather.

The day started at 2pm with the festival getting in full gear around 5pm. Having attended three previous SSA evens, I was looking for the artists that I have supported over the years and what times and what stages they would be performing on. I started at stage 3, the premier stage inside “The Bank and Blues Club.” A quartet from Ormand Beach, Florida called the “Val Louis Band” was on the corner stage of this cozy venue complete with a balcony for bird’s eye pictures. They played rock, funk, and blue-eyed soul. Their set lasted thirty minutes.

I then ventured into a light rain to stage 1 across the street in the parking lot of Full Moon Saloon. On stage was “The Ned” a Rugrat punk band from Palm Coast, Florida. The four young men’s set had energy and hard-hitting rock and roll that your mother warned you about. They were engaging and really enjoyed performing for the crowd.

“Kelly Neff,” a singer songwriter from St Petersburg, Florida was on stage 3 when I returned to The Bank and Blues Club. She performed solo with and acoustic guitar on the corner stage. Kelly is an accomplished songwriter and I always enjoy seeing her rock and roll performances.

Staying inside at The Bank and Blues Club where it remained dry was a band that I am very familiar with, The “Melissa Crispo band”. I have been following this band for the past sixteen years and just last week my camera was invited into the recording studio as Melissa finished the tracks on her new LP. The new LP is due to be released on March 23, 2019, a week before the band boards the ship to perform for seven days on The Melissa Etheridge Cruise. The Melissa Crispo Band is from Orlando, Florida and plays pop and rock. Melissa won the Songwriters Showcase of America song of the year in 2017 with “Take Back Your Power.” Check it out on iTunes!

The next two hours I bounced outside from stage to stage as the rain subsided. There was such an array of acts, from solo bass players to full bands playing soul and funk. Not every band could be written up and I apologize to those performers. I included a montage of pictures to get the feel of the “vibe” in the streets of Daytona Beach.

<Pictures>

Getting back on schedule and to the outside stage 14 in front of “Main Street Station,” was “The Wait” a band I covered last year for MNPRmagazine.com. The Wait is a five-piece rock band originally from Boston, Massachusetts that relocated to Orlando, Florida in the 1980’s. They have just released a new single "Stay In Love.” I always enjoy the energy of their shows and I will be seeing them again soon.

I finished the festival with 2017 Songwriters Showcase of America’s band and musician of the year. The band from Debary Florida, “Grindstone Sinners”. The Sinners play rhythm and blues and classic rock with a tie died flair. On stage 6 in the parking lot of “Dirty Harry’s Pub” at 8:15pm and finishing out the outdoor stages on stage 10 a block from the ocean. Their two shows were completely different, the first a typical stage performance, and the last show there was dancing in the street as the band took requests from the crowd. A perfect ending to a long day. This band of schoolmates gets better every time I see them. Check them out on YouTube and see for yourself.

This festival was completely original music from artists in Central Florida. These are the next new artists you will might be hearing on your local radio stations! Get out and support your local musicians and the local music scene where ever you are. They really appreciate it!

Billy Joel Escapes The Cold Of The Northeast to Orlando, Florida January 11, 2019

Billy Joel came to Orlando, Florida to escape the cold and snow of the Northeast by his own accord. He even mentioned taking his family to Walt Disney World. MNPRmagazine.comheaded him off by sending their Florida correspondent Mark Horan of MarkHoran.Pictures LLCto cover the show. Mark reports on what he witnessed and felt throughout the show.

For the whole night the crowd sang along and danced on their feet. The show had a feel like we were at Billy’s party and he had rented The Amway Center for 21,000 plus of his closest friends. In true piano man fashion, he quipped one liners and teased the crowd by starting songs by other artists before going into one of his 27 songs in the two and one half hour show. I almost felt like looking for the tip jar before I left as I received more than I or anyone anticipated. The evening included everything from his greatest hits catalog, to a rendition of “Nessun dorma” sung by the opera tenor vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mike DelGuidice, to “Rock N Roll” written by Led Zeppelin to close out the night.

About a quarter of the way into the show, the band played “New York State of Mind,” obviously a crowd favorite to half of the population of Florida as they have lived in New York at one time or another. The stage lighting and the split video screens added a dimension to the song that really brought the crowd into feeling like this huge arena was an intimate setting as they sang along. The tone defiantly changed after that song as Billy donned a pair of shades and started playing “Don’t Ask Me Why” whipping the crowd into a rebellious frenzy.

Then the show slowed down again and the audience settled into their seats until the band performed “She’s Only a Woman.” The singing increased, couples embraced swaying to the beat. A full standing ovation ensued at the end, and the evening felt concluded. I don’t think anyone would have felt cheated going to their cars at this point. But, Mr. Joel had other ideas as he played Beethoven’s “Ode To Joy” center stage as his piano carouseled before banging the keys to the defiant song “My Life”. The crowd got their second wind and it was on. Billy at the age of 69 wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down either until finally concluding his show with “Piano Man” which he released in 1973. The band left the stage for about four minutes and returned to play a five-song encore. This was another surprise as I have never seen a band perform more than three.

Billy Joel over delivers, period! I don’t believe anyone in attendance left disappointed or unfulfilled as we got more than we anticipated. This was one of the best shows I have ever witnessed; eve better than the first two Billy Joel shows I’ve had the pleasure to attended. Billy Joel’s performances are like fine wine, they get better with age.

 Band:

Billy Joel – Piano, Guitar, Harmonica

Mark Rivera – Sax

Chuck Bergi – Drums

Crystal Taliefero – Sax, vocals, percussion

Dave Rosenthal – Keyboards

Tommy Byrnes – Guitar

Carl Fischer – Trumpet

Andy Cichon – Bass

Mike DelGuidice – Rhythm, Vocals “Nessun dorma”

Setlist:

Big Shot

Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)

Summer, Highland Falls

The Entertainer

All for Leyna

Zanzibar

Vienna

Layla (Derek and the Dominos cover)

Movin’ Out

New York State of Mind

Don’t Ask Me Why

And So It Goes

Allentown

All About Soul

She’s Always a Woman

My Life

Only The Good Die Young

The River of Dreams

Nessun dorma (Giacomo Puccini cover)

Scenes From an Italian Restaurant

Piano Man

Encore:

We Didn’t Start the Fire

Uptown Girl

It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me

You May Be Right

Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin Cover)

Hurricanenita Hits Winter Park Head On Sunday Night 12/16/2018

Hurricane season ended November 30th everywhere in Florida except at The Haven Lounge in Winter Park, Florida Sunday night December 16, 2018. The Haven welcomed Hurricanenita to the stage with a standing room only crowd at 8:45 pm. MNPR Magazine correspondent MarkHoran.Pictures pressed through the masses to cover the show.

Nita Strauss is touring to support her new album “Controlled Chaos” that was just released November 16, 2018, on Sumerian Records. Nita is known for her heavy metal guitar playing in Alice Cooper’s band since 2014. Alice Cooper performed in Orlando in March and I was blown away watching Nita Strauss perform. With her technical guitar performance, to her stage presence wind-milling her blonde locks, it was hard to take your eyes off her. I was found myself distracted by the elaborate theatrical show as I tried to concentrate on the most enthralling heavy metal guitar performance I had ever seen. This lady is for real and in her own words she plays to “Leave no doubt.” At 32 years old she is just getting started. Strauss is ranked as #1 on the list of “10 Female Guitar Players You Should Know” by Guitar World Magazine where she is also on the November Holiday Edition cover with Alice Copper.   

Earlier this year, Ibenez announced Struss as the first female signature artist in their 60-year history and the production of her own model guitar, the Ibenez JIVA. In April she went WWE at “Wrestle Mania” in New Orleans where she played the entrance music for Shinsuke Nakamura in front of 78,000 fans and millions watching worldwide. I spoke to a fan before the show. He was only there to see Nita because he witnessed her performance on WWE “Wrestle Mania” and had to see her in person. Pure PR genius branching off to the second most watched sporting event in America behind The Super Bowl. Maybe a Super Bowl Halftime Show in the future?

Nita Strauss is one of the best heavy metal guitarists of our time and belonged on The Generation Axe Tour that I reviewed two weeks ago. The tour that boasts the best guitar players in the world. I have no doubt!

Band

Nita Strauss – Guitar

Josh Villalta - Drums

Christopher Dean – Bass

Jason Tarantino – Second Guitar

Set List

1.)    Pandemonium

2.)    Alegria

3.)    Mariana Trench

4.)    Lion

5.)    Eighteen (Alice Cooper)

6.)    The Quest

7.)    The Stillness at The End

8.)    Show Must Go On

9.)    Desperate Hour

"Controlled Chaos" on Sumerian Records

01. Prepare For War 
02. Alegria 
03. Our Most Desperate Hour 
04. Mariana Trench 

05. Here With You 
06. The Stillness At The End 
07. The Quest 
08. Hope Grows 
09. Lion Among Wolves 
10. Pandemonium 2.0 
11. The Show Must Go On

Halestorm headlines WJRR's Not So Silent Night

Local rock station WJRR's, “Not So Silent Night” at The Amway Center brought in a Halestorm Friday night. The rain was on and off as the crowd made their way into the arena on this wet December 14, 2018 night. They were here to see a great metal lineup of “In This Moment”, “New Year’s Day”, and Grammy Award winning “Halestorm.” MNPR Magazine was in the crowd, sending MarkHoran.Pictures to cover the action.

New Year’s Day started the party taking the stage around 7:30pm. New Year’s Day was formed in Anaheim, California in 2005. The band is led by singer, and the only original member, Ash Costello. New Year’s Day’s fourth studio album is due for release in early 2019. We got glimpse when they played the newest single “Skeletons” that was released last month. This band was high energy and they used the entire stage. Costello, the seasoned veteran, had the crowd responding to her energy. It was a short but a great set. I will definitely be checking them out the next time around.

New Year’s Day

Band Members

Ash Costello - Vocals
Nikki Misery - Guitar
Jeremy Valentyne – Guitar

 1.    Kill Or Be Killed

2.    Fucking Hostile (Pantera cover)

3.    Epidemic

4.    Skeletons

5.    Scream

6.    Defame Me

In This Moment started with an instrumental, “Salvation”. The theatrical design and the beautiful lighting had the entire crowd anticipating an extravagant experience. Lead singer, Maria Brink, appeared dressed in a black robe and dorned a decorative crown. The mood was very dark. Into the second song, “Blood,” the black robes came off, and Maria was wearing a white flowing gown. The mood had indeed taken a turn for the better, and you could feel the tensing subside in the air. The lighting and the theatrics were mesmerizing. I must admit while looking through the camera during that first song I was a bit uneasy anticipating what was coming next. But, with theater, that is the point, isn’t it?

In This Moment

Band Members

Maria Brink - Vocals
Chris Howorth - Lead Guitar
Travis Johnson - Bass
Randy Weitzel - Guitar
Kent Diimmel – Drums

1.    Salvation

2.    Blood

3.    River of Fire

4.    Adrenalize

5.    Roots

6.    Monster Jam

7.    In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)

8.    Big Bad Wolf

9.    Oh Lord

10.       Whore

Halestorm finished out the show, and as promised, Lzzy Hale was the queen of the “Not So Silent Night” festivities. Recently coming off their Grammy nomination for “Best Rock Performance” for the single “Uncomfortable”, Halestorm was in high gear and kept  the petal down for the first six songs. The band left the stage and a grand piano was placed center stage. Lzzy, in platform heels, stood and played “Dear Daughter” unaccompanied. This was a ballad she wrote about a mother’s support; her mother’s support of her. It was quite a touching moment. Then it was little brothers turn. Arejay Hale went into “Skulls”, his drum solo and time to shine. Now, we all have seen and heard drum solos, and if you have seen one, you have seen them all. But wait a minute, half way through Arejay picked up drum sticks that were two feet in length from where I sat, and proceeded to finish the solo with them. This was creative and extraordinary and in 43 years of concert going, this was a first. Bravo Arejay!

This was a great lineup of metal bands and a wonderful way to wrap up the year. Thank you Orlando’s WJRR and The Amway Center for hosting this event, and your hospitality.

Halestorm

Band Members

Lzzy Hale – Vocals, guitar
Joe Hottinger - Lead Guitar
Josh Smith - Bass
Arejay Hale – Drums

1.    Black Vultures

2.    Love Bites (So Do I)

3.    Mz. Hyde

4.    Uncomfortable

5.    Do Not Disturb

6.    Amen

7.    Dear Daughter

8.    Skulls (drum solo)

9.    Freak Like Me

10.       I Am the Fire

11.       The Silence

12.       I Miss the Misery

13.       Here's to Us

The Generation Axe Tour shredded the stage at Hard Rock Live Orlando Sunday 12/9/2018

The Generation Axe Tour shredded the stage at Hard Rock Live Orlando Sunday December 9, 2018. This rock/heavy metal super group was the brain child of Steve Vai in 2016. Five exceptional guitar players shared the stage to bring the capacity Hard Rock Live crowd to their feet from beginning to end. MNPR Magazine was on the scene with their Central Florida corresponded MarkHoran.Pictures LLC to document the evening with pictures and a review.

Vai assembled some of the finest guitar players on the planet, including Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne Band), Yngwie Malmsteen, Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme, Mourning Widows), and of course Steve Vai himself. I have seen Vai and Wylde on separate occasions but never on the same stage. Being introduced to the other three was just a treat beyond what I imagined.

The show started with all five rock shredders in a line playing the opening number. Then after the opening, the stage was left to Tosin Abasi and the backing band of JP Bouvet (drums), Nick Marinovich (Keyboards), and on bass Pete Griffin. After his brief set, Abasi handed of the stage to the story teller of the group, Nuno Bettencourt. When Nunos set ended, it was Wyles turn to show his world-renowned signature guitars and flowing mane. Wyles was the first to leave the stage and take the show into the seats. Vai followed next after his set yielding to the showmanship of Yngwie Malmsteen. When Malmsteen completed his set, the five returned together to finish out the show. That was the format

Each musician’s own personality was on display as they were able to totally express themselves in this superstar guitar player concert. The artists interaction with the crowd brought the performance right into the audience as at times the players dismounted the stage and headed down the aisles into the body of the fans, up close and personal. Not an area of the club was overlooked as Wyles even ventured onto the balcony and hung over the edge taunting the crowd below with cutting riffs. This was a guitar gods spectacle that could have gone on for days and the crowd wouldn’t have left until it was over. Fans of the show can pre-order the new CD “Generation Axe – The Guitars that Destroyed the World (Live in China)” on line. In Steve Vai’s words, “Generation Axe” was “to create a seamless show with one backing band and five completely accomplished and astonishing guitarists that take to the stage in various configurations, performing some of their solo music and merging together as cohesive co-creators of lushly orchestrated guitar extravaganzas.” “Pure controlled chaos” he added.

I saw Joe Satriani’s G3 2018 tour earlier this year. It was outstanding, but it was only three guitarists. The Generation Axe Tour is indeed bigger and better. They held the audience’s attention through the instrumentals by taking the music into the seats; it was pure entertainment.

Tosin Abasi , the youngest of the group is the lead guitar player in the band Animals as Leaders. Abasi is ranked #97 out of a list of 100 by Guitar World Magazine. His Genres are progressive metal, instrumental rock, djent, and metalcore. Abasi’s set was short and reserved. When all five were together on stage, he remained stage left with a noticeable amount of spacing between the guitarists. His abilities are real but overshadowed by the larger than life personalities of the others. Abasi plays his own signature 8-string guitars.

Nuno Bettencourt , the story teller of the group was engaging and amusing. He told a story of trying to figure out what to play on this tour. He Googled himself and found a copulation that a fan had put together. The rest of the story I will leave out as it was adult in nature. Bettencourt best know for being the lead guitar player in the band “Extreme” has played with many artists over the years and has also produced movie scores. His genres include glam metal, heavy metal, hard rock, funk metal, and alternative rock. Bettencourt was also the only musician to play an acoustic guitar in his set. He plays his Washburn Guitar signature series guitar. I had not seen Bettencourt before, he was great and I can’t wait to see him again. 

Zakk Wylde  is my favorite heavy metal guitarist. I saw Zakk in 2005 on the OzzFest Tour playing with Black Label Society. I was immediately floored by his performance. Later that year I saw him on TV playing with Ozzy Osbourne’s Band at The NFL season kickoff game, then a week later again on TV playing the National Anthem at an LA Kings game. He was everywhere, and I have been a fan ever since. Sunday nights Zakk Wyldes performance was better than expected. He wasn’t confined to the stage as he stalked the complete venue from top to bottom leaving carnage in his wake. To show his softer side, he brought a young fan on stage after one of his audience sweeps and placed his guitar on the young man, making his night one to remember. At that point I was thinking the kid was going to start shredding on Zakk’s guitar, but it was only a photo opportunity and the young man was all smiles. Zakk Wyles plays Gibson guitars with his signature design with the unmistakable bulls eye plastered across the guitar body. He is a playable character on the music video game Guitar Hero World Tour and even has a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame. I could go one forever with more accolades, but seriously, he is the best heavy metal guitarist on the planet in my book.

Steve Vai, has been voted the “10th Greatest Guitarist” by Guitar World Magazine. I might have put him in the top 5, but I don’t have a vote. Steve Vai is an innovator. He doesn’t sound like any other guitarist nor does anyone sound like Steve Vai. At 18, he started playing with Frank Zappa, and I was told he was fired. He wasn’t fired for performance, Frank Zappa saw great things in his future and felt he was holding him back. So, Steve Vai was fired to go out and find the greatness that he is. Steve plays signature Ibanez Jem signature guitars. Steve Vai is an original! If you love lead guitar playing, he is a must to see and cross off your list. Or it my case, just seeing and listening to him play once isn’t enough.

Yngwie Malmsteen, was the biggest surprise of the night. He was larger than life as he commanded the stage. He shredded his guitar and then discarded his guitar picks as if they were no longer usable. He even would kick them into the audience for souvenirs, it was wild and fun. I had vaguely heard of Malmsteen, but to see him perform and play was a treat. Malmsteen’s genres include neoclassical metal, heavy metal, instrumental rock, and hard rock. Yngwie has a signature Fender Stratocastor with rosewood fret board, but he has been known to play other guitar manufacturers as well. Don’t hesitate if you get the chance to see this showman. He is cut from a different mold of lead guitarists, you won’t regret it.

https://mnprmagazine.com/the-generation-axe-tour-shredded-the-stage-at-hard-rock-live-orlando-sunday-december-9-2018/

"Year of The Tiger" Comes to Orlando, Florida 12/05/2018

Wednesday night December 5, 2018 MarkHoran.Pictures headed on assignment for MNPRmagazine.com down the busy streets of Orlando, Florida to cover the show. A line was down the block as the crowd stood in light winter clothes in chilly conditions. The line was leading to Orlando, Florida’s oldest venue “The Beacham”. With temperatures in the low 50’s, it appeared that this was indeed the year of the tiger. Myles Kennedy & Co. came to town in support of Myles’ debut solo album “Year of The Tiger.” This album was inspired by the passing of his father in 1974, which was the Chinese Zodiac, The Year of the Tiger.

The night’s opening band was Walking Papers. On the road promoting their January 2018 album release of “WP2”. The band was formed in Seattle, Washington in 2012 with the original lineup of Jeff Angell (lead vocals,guitar, piano), Barrett Martin (drums), Duff McKagan (Bass), and Benjamin Anderson (Keyboards, backing vocals). Due to conflicting touring schedules, members McKagan and Martin are not currently touring with Walking Papers.

The band expanded their line up adding Will Andrews (drums), Dan Spalding (bass), Tristan Hart Pierce (guitar) and Gregor Lothian (saxophone) for the tour. The additions gave the band a complete full sound on stage. On tour previously opening for Alice In Chains and now Myles Kennedy and Company. Jeff Angell is a story teller and his writing is experienced through the band’s songs. Walking Papers is an edgy hard rock band that is just getting started after taking a few years off between recordings. A band to remember and get out and see!

Members:

Jeff Angell – lead vocals, guitar, piano

Benjamin Anderson – keyboards, backing vocals

Will Andrews – drums, percussion

Dan Spalding – bass

Tristan Hart Pierce - guitar

Gregor Lothian - saxophone

Setlist:

1.    This Is How It Ends

2.    How It Feels (The Missionary Position cover)

3.    Hard To Look Away

4.    Death On The Lips

5.    My Luck Pushed Back

6.    I'll Stick Around

7.    King Hooker

8.    Into The Truth

9.    Red & White

10.       Your Secret's Safe with Me

The album “Year of The Tiger” is refreshing and is completely apart from Kennedy’s other projects, Slash and The Conspirators and Alter Bridge. Both of those bands have heavy rock guitar front men. This night, Myles Kennedy’s legendary vocals were rooted in bluesy slide guitar with a classic rock style. It was not what the typical Myles Kennedy fans were expecting. In my eyes, I found his diversity extremely appealingly and courageous.

Where I sat I counted nine guitar changes. All songs had a different sound and flair. Myles is an accomplished guitarist and he played a traditional Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster, Gibson acoustic, Gretsch hollow body, Johnny Cash model acoustic, and a classic Dobro. Myles Kennedy was making a statement, he is not just a singer in a rock and roll band! He is a musician and can hold his own with anyone. But in the end, Myles Kennedy is a premier rock vocalist that can range five octaves, and that is the Myles Kennedy the fans came to see. The age diversity of the crowd ranged from preadolescence to folks on social security, and as long as he sang it didn’t matter where the music was coming from.

I found the show highly entertaining and I was pleasantly surprised how engaging Kennedy was with the crowd. The Beacham is a bit larger than an intimate setting, but this night, the venue belonged to Myles Kennedy & Co.

<Click For Photos>

Setlist:

1.    Devil on the Wall

2.    The Great Beyond

3.    Ghost of Shangri La

4.    Standing in the Sun (Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators cover)

5.    Blind Faith

6.    Haunted by Design

7.    Nothing but a Name

8.    White Flag

9.    The Trooper (Iron Maiden cover)

10.       Lover (Alter Bridge song)

11.       Watch Over You (Alter Bridge song)

12.       Addicted To Pain

13.       Turning Stones

14.       World On Fire

15.       One Fine Day

16.       Year of the Tiger

17.       Mother

18.       Love Can Only Heal

Iconic rockers Bret Michaels and Lita Ford touched down in Orlando, Florida 11/3/2018

Saturday November 3, 2018 MNPR Magazine sent their Florida correspondent MarkHoran.Pictures to cover Bret Michaels and Lita Ford. Read the review and see the pictures about the show from his perspective.

Florida’s weather cooperated for WMMO’s free concert in the park at Lake Eola in Orlando, Florida. The temperature was in the mid-eighties under partly cloudy skies with little or no change of rain. The event was promoted as a free concert. There were fifty rows of seats in front of the stage for radio station giveaways and sponsors. In this VIP section, seats could also be purchased. The rest being general admission.

The opening band Papa Wheelee, won a contest that was held to determine who was worthy of starting off this party. Papa Wheelee hit the stage about hour past the 5:00pm scheduled start time to no fault of their own. MarkHoran.Pictures arrived at 4:30pm to photograph the show and found a seat in the VIP section as the sound check was being performed and the stage was being arranged. A later start was not detrimental to the concert as fans continues to pour in and the setting sun would be replaced with stage lighting.

Papa Wheelee has been around Orlando since March of 2009. They are a rock band that plays covers which was appropriate as all three bands played cover songs as well as original songs. Papa Wheelee warmed up the crowd with 1970’s and 1980’s sing along songs that were familiar with a majority of the crowd as the sun set on the stage.

Papa Wheelee

Band Members

Mike DelCampo - Bass, Vocals

David Hayes - Lead Vocals, Guitar
Jack Wallace - Guitar, Vocals
James Thatcher - Drums

Setlist:

Break up song  (Greg Kihn)

Don’t you forget about me (Simple Minds)

Feels like the first time  (Foreigner)

Crue it again (mashup)

Lonely night  (Billy Squire)

Ozzy love (mashup)

Lita Ford, the first lead guitar woman of heavy metal, dating back to The Runaways in 1976. Lita just ripped the strings on her red signature B.C. Rich guitar through most of her set. Near the end, things got serious and Lita broke out a beautiful white double neck to perform her two biggest hits from her album, 1988’s “Lita”. Closing the show with “Close My Eyes Forever” and “Kiss Me Deadly”. By this time the audience had bunched up to the stage and were singing with Lita as crowds have been doing for forty plus years.

I remember when the Runaways were formed in 1976. There had never been an all girl band try to make it big to my knowledge, and after four studio albums they called it quits in 1980. They never really gained ground in the United States, though they were a large success overseas, especially in Japan where they recorded their only live album. For many at the time in 1976, it appeared the band was a publicity stunt, a fake band not to be taken seriously, similar to  “The Partridge Family”. At the time, I found it intriguing and rooted for Lita Ford and her bandmate Joan Jett as they continued to rock and roll in separate careers.

This show was a thrill for me and I am glad I attended. Lita Ford can continue rocking for another twenty years if she chooses. The highlight of the show for me was “Cherry Bomb” from her days in The Runaways which brought me back in time. Get out and support Lida Ford if she brings her band to your area and see the woman that broke the glass ceiling.  

Lita Ford

Band Members

Lita Ford - Guitar/Vocals

Marty O'Brien - Bass/Vocals
Bobby Rock - Drums
Patrick Kennison - Guitar/Vocals
Producer - Gary Hoey

Setlist:

1.     Gotta Let Go

2.     Larger Than Life

3.     Relentless

4.     Hungry

5.     Playin' With Fire

6.     Back to the Cave

7.     Can't Catch Me

8.     Cherry Bomb (The Runaways)

9.     Only Women Bleed (Alice Cooper)

10.  Close My Eyes Forever

11.  Kiss Me Deadly

Bret Michaels was the headliner for this free concert in Orlando The City Beautiful. As the lead singer for the glam metal band Poison, which has sold over 40 million albums worldwide, you must ask yourself what more does a man need to do? Well Bret Michaels is in full gear, touring and giving back to others. The scope of the touring schedule and philanthropy are mind blowing. I didn’t pay much attention to his career, sure I knew about “Poison” and his reality TV show on VH1, “Rock of Love With Bret Michaels”. But looking for background to write this review I was amazed to learn about the extent this man gives back. During the concert, he mentioned he has had type 1 diabetes since age 6 and need several injections of insulin daily. That is incredible with his touring schedule. He also brought a group of veterans on stage and encouraged the audience to thank them. Ok, so he is a nice man that loves his country and has a disease. But then I dug deeper, this man schedules appearances at hospital fund raisers that coincide with show dates. Bret’s Life Rocks Foundation benefits several charitable causes from military support, childhood cancer, diabetes, and pet charities. His tireless support for his foundations and his music career is remarkable to me as I have seen a live performance and I was winded.

Bret Michaels is a good man and I no longer look at him as just an aging rock star from the 1990’s trying to remain relevant. He is someone I respect and admire, as you should as well. Support Bret Michaels, go see a show, then support his charities and remove some of the thorns from the roses in the lives of those less fortunate.  

Setlist:

1.     Talk Dirty to Me (Poison song)

2.     Look What the Cat Dragged In (Poison song)

3.     Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover)

4.     Your Mama Don't Dance (Loggins & Messina cover)

5.     Something to Believe In (Poison song)

6.     Unskinny Bop (Poison song)

7.     Every Rose Has Its Thorn (Poison song)

8.     Nothin' but a Good Time (Poison song)

Halloween Celebration with A Perfect Circle in Orlando, Florida 10/30/2018

“A Perfect Circle” stopped in Central Florida and MNPR Magazine sent their Florida correspondent MarkHoran.Pictures to cover the show. On Tuesday night, Halloween eve at the CFE Arena located on the campus of The University of Central Florida, seven thousand plus fans were mesmerized by attending the “A Perfect Circle” concert. The stage lighting I experienced in my first two song shoot was a dim blue light without spotlights or accents. More of a blue hew. My cameras limits were pushed to the limit to get any images at all. I believe this was done by design as the bands front man, Maynard James Keenan was barely visible on a riser at the rear of the stage. The crowd was instructed was that no cell phone pictures or video would be tolerated and expulsion from the arena would occur by the public address system. Flyers were hung on the backs of every third chair in case the concert goers forgot.

Starting the show was a band out of California, Night Club. Emily Kavanaugh used every inch of the stage as she moved back and forth singing to the electronic groove produced by Mark Brooks. The lighting was the brightest of the night. The set was short, about twenty minutes and Emily was highly entertaining.

Night Club

Band

Emily Kavanaugh - Vocals
Mark Brooks – Electronics

The second opening act was Adrian Nicholas Matthews Thaws, known as Tricky, an artist from England who is a rapper and record producer that has released eight solo albums. The stage was extremely dark, probably the darkest of the night. From where I stood, I could barely make out the musicians on stage. A little light might have made his performance easier to watch.

Tricky

I was frustrated during the first two songs from “A Perfect Circle” as I couldn’t properly get images for my review. But after my camera was stowed in a back office I settled into my seat to complete my assignment. The remainder of the show was magical. Sophisticated back lighting really made the show spectacular. As the show progressed, the lighting got better, and the band gained momentum, and the crowd got more frenzied.

Maynard James Keenan is the front man for three popular bands, Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer. I saw Tool in 2002. I distinctly remember after the third song, Maynard stripped off his clothes and finished the concert wearing just a pair of black bikini underwear. I came prepared for anything after seeing that show. It appeared in the poor lighting that Maynard was wearing a crazy wig. As the show wore on and the lighting got better, he was wearing face paint and resembled Michael Keaton’s character Beetlejuice, from the Tim Burton film. Between songs “The Noose” and “3 Libras” Maynard went to the microphone and said to the audience he was trying to figure out what they were wearing, as he was in a Halloween costume. Then he exclaimed, “I finally figured it out, you people are dressed like people from Florida!” With that the arena bust into cheers as after ten songs, Maynard had finally addressed that he was in costume as it was October 30, 2018, Halloween eve.

What I took away from this performance was the difference between the two shows I have seen with the same lead vocalist:, “A Perfect Circle” was much more versatile than “Tool” as the bass player and lead guitar sang great harmonies and lead vocals. Billy Howerdel on lead guitar and Matt McJunkins the bass player was positioned at the front of the stage and were the only two moving back and forth. They were entertaining and almost featured. Maynard, Greg Edwards Guitar/Bass, and the drummer Jeff Friedl were at the rear of the stage and were stationary atop individual risers.

I hope my review brings the reader to the show, despite the lighting issues. This band is phenomenal, and the show is a must see. Be prepared for anything from Maynard. Say my name, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

A Perfect Circle

Band

Billy Howerdel _ Lead Guitar
Maynard James Keenan - Vocals
Greg Edwards – Guitar/Bass
Matt McJunkins - Bass
Jeff Friedl – Drummer

1.      Eat the Elephant

2.      Disillusioned

3.      The Hollow

4.      Weak and Powerless

5.      Rose

6.      Thomas

7.      So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

8.      (What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding (Brinsley Schwarz cover)

9.      Vanishing

10.   The Noose

11.   3 Libras (All Main Courses Mix)

12.   The Contrarian

13.   TalkTalk

14.   Hourglass

15.   The Doomed

16.   Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drums

17.   Judith

18.   The Package

19.   Delicious

Alice In Chains Brings Seattle Grunge to Orlando Hard Rock Live 10/27/2018

Seattle grunge came to Orlando’s Hard Rock Live Saturday night 10-27-2018. The 3,000-capacity venue was sold out and filled to the rafters with fans wanting to see internationally acclaimed artist, “Alice in Chains”. MNPR Magazine dispatched MarkHoran.Pictures to report and photograph the show.

I arrived at The Hard Rock Live which is in CityWalk at Universal Studios Orlando, Florida. This show was general admission and the line to get in was longer than any I had ever encountered. I remember thinking, “This is going to be a special night.” I have been a fan of “Alice In Chains” since the 1990’s but had never seen them live, and thought after 2002, I never would. After reforming in 2006 with new lead localist and rhythm guitarist, William DuVall the band resurrected and moved forward recording three new albums, making the discology a total of six.

·        Facelift (1990)

·        Dirt (1992)

·        Alice in Chains (1995)

·        Black Gives Way to Blue (2009)

·        The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013)

·        Rainier Fog (2018)

Opening the show was “The Pink Slips” another band from the west coast. Not Seattle grunge, but they define themselves as fusion of ‘synth-pop, punk, dance, and vintage rock n’ roll. The band is fronted by “Duff” McKagan of Guns N Roses, oldest daughter Grace McKagan. Grace, or Grave as she uses as her stage name, has all the moves and gyrations of a seasoned Rock n Roll lead singer at only 21 years of age. The energy of the stage show is entrancing and fun. Keep a look out for this young band as they get more opportunities to grace or grave the stages around the world.

The Pink Slips

GRAVE (Grace McKagan) - Lead Vocals
Trent Peltz - Keys/ Backup Vocals
Keenan Bevans - Drums
Desi Scaglione - Guitar
Charlie Anastasis – Bass

“Alice In Chains” hit the stage just after 9pm with the crowd on their feet and their hands in the air, delivering a near deafening roar. The band that they had been waiting hours for was finally here. It didn’t matter that they had been crammed to capacity like sardines in tight confines. Nothing mattered as the stage lit up in a wall of bright lights and the band was before them.

“AIC” opened with “Check Your Brain” from the 2009 release “Black Gives Way to Blue”. The show consisted of 21 songs, and included old and new. No one in attendance was disappointed as they sang to the greatest hits as “AIC” performed the songs, “Again”, “Down in A Hole”, “Angry Chair”, “Man In The Box”, and finishing the show with “Rooster”. The show proved that “Alice In Chains” is still intact and not going anywhere.

The last line in “Rooster” hold true, “You know he ain't gonna die, No, no, no ya know he ain't gonna die”. Yes “Alice In Chains” is alive and well.

Alice in Chains

Jerry Cantrell - Guitar, Vocals
Sean Kinney - Drums
Mike Inez - Bass
William DuVall - Guitar, Vocals

1.      Musica Ricercata, II (György Ligeti cover)

2.      Check My Brain

3.      Again

4.      Never Fade

5.      Them Bones

6.      Dam That River

7.      Hollow

8.      Rainier Fog

9.      Down in a Hole

10.   No Excuses

11.   Stone

12.   Red Giant

13.   It Ain't Like That

14.   Nutshell (Extended Solo)

15.   Your Decision

16.   Angry Chair

17.   Man in the Box

18.   Encore:

19.   The One You Know

20.   Got Me Wrong

21.   Would?

22.   Rooster

George Thorogood and The Delaware Destroyers Storm The Villages, Fl 10/17/2018

MarkHoran.Pictures was sent out by MNPR Magazine on assignment to The Villages, Florida Wednesday October 17, 2017. No they are not retiring me, it was to cover George Thorogood and The Destroyers at The Sharon Morse Performing Arts Center. I arrived two hours before showtime and had trouble finding a place to park. The theater is in a shopping complex next to Florida’s largest retirement community, and the lobby was packed around the bar as the cocktail party was in full swing. Sharon Morse Performing Arts Center seats 1000 guests and security said 4/5th of the three-level theater would be filled. The seating was comfortable and well accommodating to an older crowd.

I first saw George Thorogood and The Destroyers in 1977 opening for The Rolling Stones in front of 80,000 frenzied fans on a hot summer afternoon. Things have changed since then, we are all a little older. George is fighting father time, but he is kicking and screaming and not going quietly at age 68. It was my seventh Destroyers show, and I have never been disappointed, George always gives every ounce of energy whether it’s in front of 150 fans in an intimate setting, or 80,000 in a stadium show.

The show opened with an empty stage, blue lights and the playing of Barry McGuire’s 1965 protest theme “Eve of Destruction”. At the end of the song the band entered the stage and George walked up to the microphone “How Sweet It Is”. Then he exploded for an hour and a half of rock/rhythm and blues rattling the rafters. George played with the crowd between songs with his usual banter, and the crowd responded with longer standing ovations as the show progressed. It’s not easy to sit in plush theater seats when you need to boogie in the isles.

For over forty years, George Thorogood and The Destroyers haven’t slowed down, averaging over 100 shows a year. Notably, and to my knowledge, they are the only band ever to do a 50/50 tour. In 1981, The Destroyers performed in all 50 states in 50 days, traveling the lower 48 in a 1979 Checker Cab driving over 11,200 miles. Their commitment to their fans has never subsided. If you love Rock N Roll, you owe it to yourself to go out and see George Thorogood and the Destroyers, “Live”, there is no comparison.

“How Sweet It Is!” 

The Destroyers:

George Thorogood – Vocals/Guitar

Jeff Simon – Drums

Bill (The Doctor) Blough – Bass

Jim Shuler – Guitar

Buddy Leach - Sax

Setlist:

1.    Ain't Coming Home Tonight

2.    Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley cover)

3.    Shot Down (The Sonics cover)

4.    Night Time (The Strangeloves cover)

5.    I Drink Alone

6.    One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer  (Amos Milburn cover)

7.    Josephine

8.    Cocaine Blues (Johnny Cash Cover)

9.    Gear Jammer

10.       Get a Haircut

11.       Bad to the Bone

12.       Twenty Dollar Gig

13.       Move It On Over (Hank Williams cover)

14.       Born to Be Bad

Discovering The Struts

I was notified that a private question and answer secession was taking place in Tampa, at Jim Chambers Music Box involving “The Struts”. I met Jim Chambers when I covered the open house for “The Music Box” in July of this year for MNPR Magazine. Mr. Jim Chambers, a retired record executive and proprietor of “The Music Box”, personally extended the invitation and added me to the guest list. “The Music Box” is a band incubator where advanced and beginner aspiring musicians can take lessons from top artists in their discipline of choice. From vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums to keyboards, the instruction is top notch. Under Jim’s watchful eye, like minded individuals pare up and form bands. They are instructed in the total package, from stage performance, advertising, marketing, to branding. Complete coverage can be read in my article published in MNPR Magazine in July, “Jim Chambers Music Box in Tampa, Florida”

Since my visit in July, “The Music Box” has expanded their band performance room, “The Chatter Box” to present the new student bands to favorable audiences of family and classmates before performing in public venues which can be intimidating. This venue holds approximately 75 guests in its intimate setting. On Sunday afternoon October 14, 2018, the band members of “The Struts” came in to take questions from the students of “The Music Box”.

The band was seated on couches center stage before the young audience of musicians. They were attentive and inspiring, answering questions from “how did the band start”, “How did you pick your name”, and even questions about finding and choosing a band manager. As the MC, Jim Chambers was wrapping up the hour-long questions, I just couldn’t resist and had to ask, “Are the audiences different in the states as opposed to in Europe?” They all agreed, “They are all the same”. Which brought my second question, “So standing on stage you really can’t look out at the audience and tell what country you’re in?”. At that point, I believe Jeb Elliott, the bass player chimed in, “The audiences here in the states are crazy”. Let’s hear it for the US’s love of crazy Rock n Roll, a proud national moment.

I really enjoyed the format and felt honored to be included on the guest list, but I wanted more! The Struts were headlining a show that evening in Ybor City, a historic section of Tampa, Florida. Jim Chambers made a phone call after everyone had cleared out of “The Music Box” to The Struts tour manager, and I was added to the media list for the show. Prior to Saturday, The Struts were not on my radar. After some quick research and a YouTube Video, I knew this was an event I needed to cover.

Upon further research, I learned that last year the band released an EP, "Live And Unplugged". In 2017 they opened for “The Who” in Quebec City, “The Rolling Stones” in Lucca, Italy , and “The Foo Fighters” in Washington DC. In 2016 they opened for “Guns n Roses” in San Francisco, California. These are serious musicians and are on the way up. I really needed to cover this band!

I arrived early to The Orpheum in Ebor City.The fans were lined around the block waiting for the doors of the club to open. There was still over an hour before the doors opened at 7pm so I went next door and ordered a Cuban Sandwich to kill the time and have dinner. Ybor City’s culture is known for its hand rolled cigars and cuisine.

Upon my return, the line was gone, and I entered The Orpheum without delay. The club holds approximately 1,000 fans and is general admission, so you must arrive early to claim your spot close to the stage. Seating is limited; be prepared to stand. Unless of course you pay for the limited VIP balcony section which has a great vantage point above the stage. This night, there were three bands performing on the bill. The complete show lasted 3 ½ hours. The staff is attentive and courteous and makes you feel welcome. A member of security staff offered me a refrigerated bottle of water, the air conditioning hadn’t caught up to the dramatic rise in temperature that the crowd brought and we were both sweating. The air was hot initially, but the room cooled by the second band.

Spirt Animal from Brooklyn, NY was the first band on stage. Their first release was “The Cost of Living” in 2010. In 2012 they released their first EP “This is a Test” and in 2013 "The Black Jack White" an electronic dance single was added to the Spotify play list and scored over 450,000 plays. They signed a record deal with Atlantic records in May of 2018 and on August 3rd, 2018 Spirit Animal released their first major record debut LP, “Born Yesterday”. They played a short set as the opening band, it was energetic, and I could have been happy hearing a little more.

Steve Cooper vocals - Moog
Ronen Evron - drums
Paul Michel - bass
Cal Stamp – guitar

White Reaper from Louisville, Kentucky was the next to perform on The Orpheum’s stage. A five piece band with an energetic keyboard player that just won’t stand still. Very energetic rock n roll touring on their 2017 release of their second album, “The World’s Best American Band”. A hard title to live up to, but they did their best to convince the attending crowd.

Tony Esposito - Guitar / Voice.
Nick Wilkerson - Drums.
Sam Wilkerson - Bass.
Ryan Hater- Keys.
Hunter Robertson - Guitar.

Setlist:

1.      I Don't Think She Cares

2.      The World's Best American Band

3.      Last 4th of July

4.      Crystal Pistol

5.      Sheila

6.      Little Silver Cross

7.      The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) (Greg Kihn Band cover)

8.      Make Me Wanna Die

9.      Pills

10.   The Stack

11.   Judy French

12.   Half Bad

The band that I had covered earlier in the day at the intimate question and answer session, The Struts were the headliners and the last to perform. I was anticipating a great show and had the utmost respect for this band seeing them give their time back to the young people at “The Music Box”. Luke Spiller had told the students, to not try and live up to what other’s expect of you. His advice was; Whatever level you get to, if it’s true and makes you happy, you have made it. But he also added that he wants more everyday and that is what drives him. Luke has been compared to the late Freddie Mercury of Queen. He does resemble him in a way, but he ignores the comparison. I found it odd that he idolized Michael Jackson when he was young, but he added that his dancing memorized him, not his music. His stage outfit on this night of black and red leather reminded me of Michael Jackson. His dancing did not.

The Struts were labeled “Band of The Verge” by USA Today in September of 2015 after their release of the debut album “Everybody Wants” in 2014, and the EP “Have You Heard” in August of 2015. Currently on their “Body Talks” 46 date tour, and the band will be releasing their sophomore effort, the LP “Young & Dangerous” October 26, 2016.

What I loved most about The Struts show was the crowd interaction with lead singer Luke Spiller. The crowd sang, they waved, and of course they danced. At one point in the show a fan was welcomed to the stage to sing and dance with Luke. It was a special performance and the crowd couldn’t get enough. At one point during their performance I looked on stage and the band wasn’t just going through the motions, they were invested and were having as good a time as the crowd. They love what they do and it was a continuation of what I witnessed earlier in the day as they were engaged with the 75 students. This night they were engaged with the 1,000 fans at the club. I may not have known who this band was three days ago, but I am now a fan and will be watching them from now on.

Luke Spiller - Lead Vocals
Addo Slack - Guitar and Vocals
Jed Elliott - Bass and Vocals
Gethin Davies – Drums

Setlist:

1.     Primadonna Like Me

2.     Body Talks

3.     Kiss This

4.     Fire (Part 1)

5.     Dirty Sexy Money

6.     People

7.     One Night Only

8.     Dancing in the Dark (Bruce Springsteen cover)

9.     Mary Go Round

10. Put Your Money on Me

11. Bulletproof Baby

12. Where Did She Go

A Brilliant Lie Fall Tour Kickoff at Bombshell's Tavern Orlando, Florida 10/05/2018

“A Brilliant Lie” opened their fall tour at Bombshell’s Tavern in Orlando, Florida Wednesday September 26, 2018. MarkHoran.Pictures was on assignment covering the event for MNPR Magazine. Bombshell’s Tavern has a dark, narrow, and small concert venue in a separate room behind the traditional tavern. Donned with couches and upholstered chairs, this dark venue has reasonably audible acoustics in a great intimate setting.  On this evening, five bands were slotted to take the stage, and the equipment staging half-filled the viewing area in front of the stage leaving limited space for the crowd in attendance. With short sets and a midweek crowd, the atmosphere mirrored a dress rehearsal for 4 of the 5 bands. “A Brilliant Lie” brought their signature explosively-energetic performance in their short set, before the night’s largest audience.

“A Brilliant Lie” was invited to join Cardigan Records recording artist, “Rookie of The Year” on this short tour. Tour dates include 17 cities in 13 states over 18 days. The tour started in Orlando, extending north to Portland Maine, and as far west as St. Louis, Missouri traveling by van with trailer in tow. This is a grueling schedule and I am confident I witnessed what all audiences will see from “A Brilliant Lie” during this fall tour without fatigue.

A Brilliant Lie

Tara Lightfoot – Guitar/Vocals
Chris Lane - Drums
Jason Lemrond - Bass
Matthew Movens - Guitar
Nick Scout – Guitar

Set List;

Rise and Fall

Africa

Unwoven

This Means War

Tiny Secrets

Pieces 

City Under Siege, is a rock trio from Buffalo, New York they were the first band of the evening to bless the stage. Their short set appeared to be a sound check as the other bands scurried to load in their equipment and the house PA adjusted the monitors and lighting. They definitely have talent that I could have listened to in a full set.

John Wittlinger - lead vocals, guitar
Cameron Kukla - drums
Vince Davis - bass

The Victory Drive, Power Pop hailing from Belmar Beach, New Jersey was the second band of the night with a few songs to a scattered crowd. This band is managed by Lexi Vito on keyboards, but she was absent in Wednesday’s show.

Jamie McClanahan – Vocals/Guitar
Lexi Vito - Keyboards
Dan Babcock - Drums
Adam Wirth – Bass

Oklahoma Stackhouse, is an Orlando 7-piece ska band, which is a combination of reggae, jazz, and rhythm and blues. What appeared as controlled chaos overflowing the small stage, turned out to be a polished band with a fresh sound. A full show from this band must be an entertaining evening.

Jack Hinz - Guitar/Vocals
Nick Muccigrosso - Drums
Jeremy Hagen - Bass 
Andrew Kelly - Sax/Keys 
Austin Kelly - Trumpet 
Andy Smith - Trombone
Kevin Greene – Percussion

Rookie of The Year, from North Carolina was formed in 2006 and quickly moved on to Billboard top 100. After 6 years of touring, the band took a hiatus until 2017 when returning to touring and working on new material.  

Ryan Dunson : Lead Vocals / Guitar
Jeff Nations : Drums / Percussion / Background Vocals
Adam Wirth : Bass / Background Vocals

Local Artist Melissa Crispo Welcomes Melody Kiser to Florida to Share The Stage

MNPR Magazine sent our Florida correspondent out on assignment. MarkHoran.Pictures went away from the large halls to the local level, the city bars where local musicians are making their living. Here is the what he reported:

I have been following Melissa Crispo’s career for the past 14 years giving support to this talented artist. I started photographing her shows and realized in the larger halls my equipment was outmatched. So, I owe Melissa Crispo for the inspiration to venture into concert photography and upgrading my gear. She has performed in all the large venues in Orlando, Florida with her band. But, never a national tour, not yet. Melissa has opened for Sophie B Hawkins, Styx, and Jefferson Starship. Lately she and her band performed on cruise ships with Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan and Joan Jett. She has even crossed over to the Country Cruising Cruise performing alongside country artists Kelsea Ballerini, Montgomery Gentry and Locash to name a few.

Saturday September 15, 2018 Melissa Crispo was performing at the bar Brooklyn South within the Aloma Bowling Alley in Winter Park, Florida. Special guest, Newnan, Georgia native Melody Kiser would be sharing the stage. The bar was standing room only when I arrived and navigating around to get my camera angles was difficult if not impossible. I was excited to see Melody as I had seen this incredible musician on YouTube playing electric guitar and singing at the young age of fifteen, from five years ago.

Melody opened the show by herself on acoustic guitar. She was relaxed and very at home in front of a large crowd. And wow, can she sing! This was the second show the duo had played together during Melody’s seventeen date September Florida/Georgia schedule, which includes an EP lease show with her band Kiser in Newnan, Georgia on September 28th .

After a brief intermission, Melissa Crispo hit the stage to wild applause from the packed house. Melissa played covers and originals from her debut album “A Break In The Clouds” and latest EP “Tomboy”. Halfway into her set she invited Kiser back to the stage and the two played for over an hour. The chemistry on stage was magical as they played back and forth with Kiser playing lead guitar riffs to Crispo’s original arrangements. I was glad I attended this show as it was one to remember and I really enjoyed it. I am not sure if the crowd, or the ladies on stage had the better time as live music is always a great time in my opinion, I just can’t get enough.

On any given night, great musicians can be found in local pubs and bars performing up close and personal within arm’s length. This is the origin of all national touring bands that are household names we hear and sing to on the radio. All musicians have a burning desire to perform to large crowds, to be in that moment. But, the reality is that it is hard to get to that pinnacle. In the past, record labels would go out and search for talent. Then they would nurture and promote those musicians fronting the financing for recording and touring. This still takes place but on a smaller scale.

A local musician with a band will on average get exposure and a chance to play once or twice a month and the pay isn’t enough to live on. The majority do not tour as you might think. So, lies the dilemma of a musician, can I make enough money to survive until I am discovered? Or do I get a day job and only play on weekends or when my band is booked for shows. Most local musicians choose the later.

The local music scene is blessed with many great musicians scattered throughout the city playing solo acoustic shows nightly to make a living and refusing to get a day job. They are playing in the background of your favorite bar, pub, and restaurant. For these music gladiators, they have made it. Not to the big stage or on the local radio station, but they are doing what they love and paying their bills and not working a job punching a time clock. So, I salute those creative artists and their craft. They are courageous and thank God they are there to help the rest of us unwind, relax and smile because we are not at work. Give them a listen and maybe a donation in the tip jar as a salute to them and their craft, they earn it every night.

Melissa Crispo’s Solo Set List:

1.)    Take it Easy (Eagles)

2.)    You’re So Vain (Carly Simon)

3.)    Ironic (Alanis Morissette)

4.)    How Crazy (Melissa Crispo)

5.)    Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)

6.)    Demons (Melissa Crispo on Piano and unreleased)

7.)    Radioactive (Imagine Dragons)

Melissa Crispo With Melody Kiser:

8.)    Collide (Howey Day)

9.)    All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix)

10.) Not Me (Melissa Crispo)

11.) Sweet Dreams (Melissa Crispo)

12.) Running in Circles (Melissa Crispo)

13.) Tomboy (Melissa Crispo)

14.) You’re Gone (Melissa Crispo, piano)

15.) Take Back Your Power (Melissa Crispo, piano)

16.) Give Me One Reason (Tracy Chapman)

17.) Don’t Stop Believing (Journey)

18.) Sweet Child O Mine (Guns N Roses)

19.) What’s Up (4 Non Blondes)

20.) Blister In The Sun (Violent Femmes)