Look what the cat dragged in ... again

POISON
DOKKEN
SEBASTIAN BACH

July 31, 2008
Nissan Pavilion
Bristow, Va.

By JEFF MAKI

More than two decades after Poison began, Bret, C.C., Rikki and Bobby show no signs of slowing down. It's just that these days, the motivation has changed from Top 40 hits and hot women to the almighty dollar. Regardless, Poison remains one of today's hardest working bands, embarking on summer tour after summer tour in the 98-degree heat. Bret Michaels' VH1 reality show, Rock of Love, has made him an icon of pop culture, among other things. I saw Poison live at this same venue almost exactly a year earlier, and the setlist and stage setup had not changed one bit. Michaels even looked almost identical. The only difference was that he seemed about 15 pounds heavier. It was almost like I had been stuck in some strange Poison/Groundhog Day-type of thing for the past year. And this tells me two things: Poison has realized they can continue to tour the United States each summer, leaving nothing unchanged—setlist, stage, clothing, moves—and still rack in the big bucks each year, and, as long as they're still alive, fans of all ages are going to continue to come out and see Poison.

Can you blame them? Rock of Love 3, a new live DVD, a Bret Michaels solo album, the Live, Raw & Uncut Tour 2008—no, none of these things are necessary or pivotal to the music scene. But that's not Poison. Poison has always been about having fun. In 2008, even if the band is simply going through the motions for the sake of generating massive revenue, the fans don't care because a Poison show is still loads of fun. The band wrote the songs way back when and worked hard to get here, so why can't they reap the rewards?

Nissan Pavilion (located in Virginia, but close enough to call Washington, D.C.) was filled to about two-thirds capacity (listed at 25,000), with ages ranging from 5 to 55. It's always an interesting mix when you're seeing a band that has been around for a while. It's almost like the fans aren't really sure what they're supposed to do. For the younger fans, this is one of their first few shows, so they're inexperienced and seem a little lost. For the older fans—if you haven't noticed, things have changed quite a bit since 1988, and that kind of leaves them in limbo at times. Then you have the people who are there strictly for the party. Do they even see any of the show or just spend all their time at the beer vendors and pissing on minivans in the parking lot?

Minutes after being introduced by Rock of Love's Big John, Michaels arose from a platform at the back of the stage in smoke and shooting flames, leading the boys with his signature stage moves and shuffles, looking more like a modern-day cowboy than an '80s glam rocker. All of the hits were here, though the setlist was trimmed somewhat (I only counted 12 songs): “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” “I Want Action,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “Unskinny Bop”—yeah, you get it. Deville is looking rougher as the days go on, yet is still a fireball of energy. And Bobby and Rikki were their usual selves. Poison goes all out when it comes to the stage: smoke, fire, rotating drumkit, fantastic lighting and large screens showing footage and montages from old films, matching each song . This is mostly where the "uncut" comes in. I wouldn't recommend taking your toddler to this show—I actually saw a few there—unless your comfortable with he or she seeing hot and wet women rubbing themselves down and, uh, pulling some moves from the "Unskinny Bop" video.

POISON SET LIST: Look What the Cat Dragged In, I Want Action, Ride the Wind, I Won't Forget You, What I Like About You, (Guitar solo), Something to Believe In, Your Mama Don't Dance, (Drum Solo), Unskinny Bop, Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Fallen Angel, Talk Dirty to Me, (Encore) Nothin' but A Good Time

Sebastian Bach opened up the show and despite past problems with the boys in Poison, the hatchet seems to be buried, at least for now. Bach opening instead of Dokken? Yeah, that was surprising. So surprising that we arrived a little late, not expecting Bach as the opener and missed most of his set. From what I could hear, he sounded rough and raspy, but trademark Bach. Classic Skid Row was there with "18 and Life," "I Remember You" and "Youth Gone Wild," as well as his solo material from his new solo album, Angel Down. Like many fans, I'd like to see Skid Row reunite with Bach, even if it's just for one tour. He is doing just fine on his own it seems with his solo career, touring, and appearances on reality TV, but it's what the fans want. Only time will tell. For now, it's cool to hear and see this guy in person, or anywhere, for that matter. He is so full of charisma, something really lacking from the current rock scene of today.

SEBASTIAN BACH SET LIST: Back in the Saddle, Slave to the Grind, Stuck Inside, 18 and Life, American Metalhead, Stabbin' Daggers, Monkey Business, You Don't Understand, I Remember You, Youth Gone Wild

A reunited Dokken, minus guitarist George Lynch, was in direct support of Poison. The band is touring behind its comeback album, Lightning Strikes Again, which is said to be a return to their classic '80s sound. How old is Don Dokken, anyway? 55, according to sources, but he jokingly told the crowd he was born right after the Civil War. Again, like Poison, but on a much lesser level, it seemed like Dokken was going through the motions. Add the fact that they weren't too exciting onstage and the venue was only half full at this point and in daylight, I'd grade Dokken's performance at about a C-. Don Dokken's voice is still strong after all these years, but I quickly became aware that his range has diminished. He held his own during a great rendition of the band's popular power ballad, “Alone Again,” but that great singing that Dokken is known for was toned down and not as powerful as in years past. It also may have been due to the fact it was about 90 degrees when they played.

DOKKEN SET LIST: Kiss of Death, Into the Fire, Standing on the Outside, Just Got Lucky, Breaking the Chains, Alone Again, Tooth and Nail, In My Dreams

All in all, seeing Poison live is always fun. I know fans want to hear the hits, but would it have hurt to throw in a few surprises? Maybe a wardrobe change or something different? Will they ever record another good studio record or a new album in general? It doesn't seem like there is any sense of urgency. At this point, it looks as if Poison is quite content playing those 12 select hits in front of U.S. crowds every summer. I can't blame them. I'm sure they all have mouths to feed, and we continue to come out and see them.