The Brandt Centre may have been a little bit chilly last Wednesday night in Regina, but the wild & furious ROCK EXHIBITION was enough to keep everybody warm! Jagermeister has done it again, by bringing the Canadian leg of the 2011 “JAGER MUSIC TOUR” to The Queen City…in the province that every band hates to pronounce – Saskatchewan. This year’s powerful lineup included multi-platinum monsters BUCKCHERRY & PAPA ROACH loudly on display, with fresh Canadian hatchlings My Darkest Days & Bleeker Ridge along for the ride. The three-plus hour “decadent” spectacle was not enough to fill every seat in the bleachers, but that didn’t stop the bands from giving the raunchiest performance of their career.
Bleeker Ridge opened the doors with a crisp & well-versed sound that is WISE beyond their years. Formed in 2003, the band had difficulty obtaining a record deal because they were simply “too young” for the image & lyrics they projected. Roadrunner Records have milked the cream of the Canadian crop by signing the outrageously talented “Brother Band”…& I mean this literally, as there are two sets of them. Taylor Perkins (vocals) & Cole Perkins (guitar), along with Dan Steinke (guitar) & Dustin Steinke (drums), lit up the stage with hooky “CATCH ALL” melodies – reaping mature alternative fringe. Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) is not the only one with seasoned songwriting genesis, because the remarkable Taylor Perkins had no trouble hypnotizing the female audience with his exuberant range, emotional scores, & boyish-style charms. They nailed through a seven song setlist, regaling memories of small-town life in Orillia, Ontario (Small Town Dead) & the bluesy grind of being “Sick of You”. The group has been joined by session bassist Mike Van Dyk throughout the course of this tour, & his energetic display matched the tight momentum of the band on every level.
Next up, a Canadian rock “fetish” that I have been hearing SO MUCH about…MY DARKEST DAYS. The band propulsion multiplied with every note laid down & each sinful offering that erupted from Sal Costa’s mouth. In all honesty, vocalist Matt Walst (brother to famed bassist Brad Walst of Three Days Grace) seemed like too much of a “Nice Guy” to be part of this promiscuously celebrated group…with his four layers of jacket, vest, red button shirt, & t-shirt. But it’s not all about “COCK ROCK”, & there is a serious versatility to the band that combines steadfast labors on electric guitar & matching vocal flares. They are, however, predominantly “RADIO FLAVOR” oriented…&, of course, you’d have to be when Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) is your label owner & co-writing partner. The pairing of 80’s synthesized rhythm (Reid Henry for this tour) with third-millennium college rock is something that hasn’t been done for awhile now, & I find it zealously courageous on MDD’s part. 
Harmonies were well initiated, & the lower end had a continuous rumble from bassist Brendan McMillan & drummer Doug Oliver. Sal Costa delivered relentless blows on lead guitar. Being a musician of slender proportions, he fronts a “LARGE” mohawk & matching personality, but is even more BOISTEROUS in his playing. This exudes much of the shine the band has to offer, & their eight songs included a hearty Duran Duran cover (Come Undone)…ending with the crowd chanting & grinding to the smash-hit single “Porn Star Dancing”. Time will soon tell if there is real sustainability for the newfound Ontario sensation, but the prairie crowd did eat up a variety of morsels…& they’ve received a Juno nomination for “New Group Of The Year” (awards to air on CTV – Sunday, March 27th, 2011).
Jacoby Shaddix announced PAPA ROACH’S presence with AUTHORITY, right from the beginning licks of “Kick In The Teeth” – the first single off of their seventh album Time For Annihilation. “We’re a band that tries to walk that line between metal, hardcore, punk rock, & pop music…& we do our best at trying to make it all cool!” Shaddix previously stated in an interview with Dallas Music Guide, & the group has definitely morphed away from the “RAP” core that they once so brazenly pronounced. The fan following remains unified, proven from the sea of “Roach” shirts wandering about the stadium…& the RAW, VIVID exposure they present to these loyals is anything but second rate. Jerry Horton is an absolute BAD *SS on lead guitar, which needs heavy administering just to keep up with the FIREBALL INTENSITY of Jacoby Shaddix. His frenzied expressions, & body slamming stature, show a deep connection to the percussion of their music…& he takes the simplest lyric to mesmerizing new heights. In fact, he is the first frontman I have ever photographed to “break a sweat” during the initial opening song…relative to the HEART & DRIVE he packs into his performance. Tobin Esperance (bass) & Tony Palermo (drums) do not fall short of this manifestation, & tore through 13 tracks with unbridled RAUCOUS passion…some of which included new favorites “One Track Mind” & “The Enemy”, “Scars”, “Getting Away With Murder”, the whoa-oa-oa-oa of “To Be Loved”, & old school angst anthem “Last Resort”. If anything…Papa Roach continue to reiterate the undying prowess of their music, despite a change in record labels or the defining times. WHAT YOU SEE, IS WHAT YOU GET…& this honesty never fails the group.
After Papa Roach’s wicked attempt to annihilate everything in their path, BUCKCHERRY were out to prove that the Regina fans were not quite “DEAD” yet, & they unleashed this gallant track to a span of screaming onlookers…some old, some new. It has been non-stop touring for these L.A. wildcats, since the release of their fifth studio album “ALL NIGHT LONG” in August of 2010. Josh Todd is an AMAZING entertainer, & truly the “second coming” of Steven Tyler. He shakes his “money-maker” as hard as he shakes a tambourine, & there is a tasteful flamboyance that draws hint to his earlier years in glam rock. Although there was a bit of a wobbly start for the forty-year-old singer, he managed to gain control by the third song in…& every track after that strengthened like a vortex. “Hello, Regina…the city that rhymes with FUN.” he uttered at one point, “Well, we like that sh*t!!!” & the party personality was LARGER THAN LIFE. I noticed rare glimpses of rock‘n’roll “ICONS” prancing about the stage – Keith Nelson’s Richie Sambora style & dashing good looks, Stevie D. with Angus Young speed & knee/head bobbing action, & Xavier Muriel’s jaw-dropping Nicko McBrain articulation. The only one that seemed rather subdued was Jimmy Ashhurst (bassist), but then again…maybe it was just an “off” night for him, or he’s simply “THE GLUE” that holds all the craziness together. They carry individual distinction about themselves as well, making for a show that you’re “torn in what direction you should look” & “you can’t take your eyes off of” – because you NEVER KNOW just what might be hiding around the bend. I was pleasantly surprised by the explosive weaponry they had amassed…jumping, twirling, hip-thrusting, head banging…bright lights, vicious guitar, sultry sex appeal, & stark musical genius! Bar none, one of “THE BEST BANDS ON THE LIVE END OF THE SPECTRUM” – & I can’t emphasize it enough. Whether it’s your FIRST or FOURTH time…you’re gonna’ love the spoonerism of BUCKCHERRY. They played an array of 13 songs, with a gamut of spontaneity throughout it all…the crowd-pleasers being Dead, All Night Long, It’s A Party, Lit Up, Slammin’, & the gentler edges of Sorry. The show closer “Crazy Bitch” was mixed with bitter “Sweet Emotion”…cause the Jagermeister debauchery had ended all too suddenly.
This show brings to the forefront that commercialized rock can still be the “life of the party” & tear any stage to shreds. It was unforgettable on many levels, & so was the connection to the music. Sometimes, you have to LISTEN for definition…& other times, LOOK far beyond that – we’ve all seen bands like this. But, there was no guessing on the 2011 Jager Music Tour – it was an “in your face” plight for success & the bands weren’t about to “cool their heels”. A gutsy, egotistical, uninhibited, pleasurable experience…the essence of ALMIGHTY ROCK‘N’ROLL…& it could’ve easily continued ALL NIGHT LONG.
For TOUR SCHEDULES or FAN MERCHANDISE, please visit the associated bands on their personal webpages:
BPatoine – March, 2011
