Houston was the place to be as Ugly Kid Joe, Fozzy, and Pistols at Dawn rocked Houston’s Rise Rooftop stage, as part of the “Rad Wings of Destiny” tour. The multi-city tour, which started in early May, is scheduled to rock and roll across the country through mid-June.
Houston’s Rise Rooftop is a beautiful, glass domed structure in the city’s mid-town area. Nestled among both businesses and residences, Rise is a large indoor entertainment venue that includes areas for V.I.P. seating, reserved tables and general admission. Stocked with an amazing bar and plenty of security, my experiences there have always been top-notch. On this night, there was food available for purchase on the large, outdoor patio; a pleasant respite for those needing a little break from the action inside.
The show began at 7:30 p.m. with Atlanta-based Pistols At Dawn. I was immediately blown away by the handiwork of guitarist Will James. Added to that were Cris Hodges’ vocals, which lent a pleasantly melodic line to the band’s solid, classic/hard rock undercurrent, all supported by Adam Jaffe’s incredible drumming. The set was too short for my taste, and left the crowd wanting more. Pistols at Dawn is the band you never knew you needed, and won’t forget once you’ve heard.
Pistols At Dawn:
Cris Hodges (lead vocalist)
Will James (guitar)
Devin White (guitar)
Sean Benham (bass)
Adam Jaffe (drums)
Setlist:
1.) Gauntlet
2.) Fly
3.) Voices
4.) The Truth
5.) Under the Surface
Promptly at 8:25 p.m., the band that many had been waiting for, led by the one and only Ayatollah of Rock and Rollah, Chris Jericho, and his band FOZZY, hit the stage. Jericho, never one to miss a fashion cue, was dressed to kill. While shirtless, he appeared in black leather pants and a metallic green biker jacket breathtakingly adorned with enough rhinestones to make you wonder why there’s not a shortage somewhere. If you’ve not seen Fozzy in a hot minute, or (ahem) haven’t seen Jericho since his early days as the infamous wrestler, you are in for a real treat. Fit and nimble, he continues to be every bit entertainer, vocalist, athlete, crowd wrangler and all-around fun time party host. I have to be honest; I had my doubts he would pull it all off in the staggering Houston heat and humidity. To my surprise he kept the energy high throughout with not one, but two costume changes, special effects, a variety of jumps from his giant light box with “FOZZY” emblazoned across the front, while also teasing and joking with the enamored crowd, who happily joined in several sing-alongs during the set. Between songs, the crowd chanted “FOZZY, FOZZY, FOZZY…” after which they erupted into uproarious applause. I’ll just say this: If you do nothing else this summer, get a ticket to this show. Seeing Fozzy makes it worth every single penny. The party starts when they hit the stage, and doesn’t end until they leave.
Fozzy:
Chris Jericho (lead vocals)
Rich “The Duke” Ward (lead guitar)
Billy Grey (rhythm guitar)
PJ Farley (bass)
Grant Brooks (drums)
Setlist:
1.) Sane
2.) Lights Go Out
3.) Do You Wanna Start a War
4.) Nowhere To Run
5.) Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood cover)
6.) I Still Burn
7.) Burn Me Out
8.) Spider In My Mouth
9.) God Pounds His Nails
10.) Purifier
11.) Enemy
Encore:
12.) Judas
After what seemed like a long intermission, Ugly Kid Joe began their set just before 10 o’clock. Whit Crane looks amazing, and the band sounded incredibly tight. Returning to the U.S. after 27 years, Houston fans gave the band a warm welcome. As they moved closer to the stage, you could see the happiness in the faces of the fans who have waited years (and at least one guy who flew all the way from Sydney, Australia) to see the band play live. Crane was relaxed and friendly, and talked often to the audience between songs. A large screen with animation played behind them during the set, which added visual interest and color to the show overall. Ugly Kid Joe is about as classic rock as it gets. The hour and a half long set included a mix of favorites as well as some tunes from the Rad Wings of Destiny album, including their remake of Harry Chapin’s “Cats in the Cradle”. All in all, this was a great night for those who want to hear classic rock at its finest.
Ugly Kid Joe:
Whitfield Crane (lead vocals)
Klaus Eichstadt (guitar)
Dave Fortman (guitar)
Cam Greenwood (drums)
Setlist:
1.) That Ain’t Livin’
2.) VIP
3.) Neighbor
4.) Jesus Rode A Harley
5.) C.U.S.T.
6.) Panhandlin’ Prince
7.) No One Survives
8.) Devil’s Paradise
9.) So Damn Cool
10.) Cats In the Cradle (Harry Chapin cover)
11.) I’m Alright
12.) Failure
13.) Milkman’s Son
14.) Busy Bee
15.) Goddamn Devil
16.) Ace of Spades
17.) Everything About You
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Lisa is a music photographer covering shows in the Houston, Texas area. She became interested in the craft after working in the media and with live performers, and while traveling the globe as an Army officer. Lisa believes that once an image is captured, it takes on a life of its own; a life which must tell the artist’s story in a single glance.
