After a decade of Wolf Den shows, last night I determined that it is exactly 35.0 miles from my driveway to Level 4 Riverview Garage at the Mohegan Sun. Skid Row was on my agenda for Thursday evening. I was determined not to miss them since I have not seen them before despite their several previous visits to the Den. However, I traveled those 70 roundtrip miles solo last night as this show was a bit much from my increasingly aged Den Men crew.
Fortunately, Skid Row did not disappoint me. Arriving five minutes before show time, I was relegated to front row of the ‘old entrance’ since the bar was full. Much like the Firehouse show from last week, the staged was surrounded with countless long haired, diehard fans including what appeared to be a tattoo/Harley Davidson convention on the Wolf Den floor. I felt a bit out of place in my Nike golf shirt – yet when the music started we became one big Rock & Roll Family.
Skid Row starts every show with a pre-recorded version of the National Anthem and then jams out for 3 songs in a row before addressing the crowd. Johnny Solinger, who has been the voice of the band since the departure of Sebastian Bach in 1999, was a true warrior. He was wearing a sling for his left arm and had some major road rash. As he tells it, he dumped his motorcycle in Texas last week and fractured some ribs and got all cut up – yet he was determined to make it to the Uncasville for the show. You don’t get that dedication from every rock star.
Three original members from 1986 are still with the band including guitarists, Dave “The Snake, Sabo & Scotti Hill and bassist Rachel Bolan. Rob Hammersmith on drums is the rookie, joining the band in 2010. Each had a perfectly short-durationed solo and looked as if they were enjoying every minute of their performance.
The crowd really got going with ‘Monkey Business” and the ballad “I Remember You”. But the last three songs of the evening:“Slave to the Grind” “18 and Life” and “Youth Gone Wild” drew some of the best audience participation I have seen in my 100+ Den shows. Very fun, high energy, in your face Rock & Roll.
Absolutely loved it.
Randall
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