Night Ranger

[savethematches]

Saw them last night at Bagelfest in Mattoon. An old drummer called me up with extra 5th row tickets, which soon became meaningless as everyone crowded the front of the stage. I took my wife and ten-year-old daughter--her first concert.

Jack Blades--helluva an entertainer, played a Hamer bass all night--double cut cherry sunburst, two creme pickups and a studio-type headstock, used a plastic thumbpick, nailed the majority of his vocals, never stopped moving

Brad Gillis--made lots of annoying rock guitar faces, but played the hell out of his red superstrat, didn't change guitars all night except for a short acoustic section in the middle of the show, initiated an impromptu rendition of Highway to Hell which Blades couldn't sing very well

Kelly Keaggy--far better drummer than I anticipated, vocals were still excellent except for the high range, you could tell he was really straining and couldn't get some of the high stuff, had his son with him which I thought was cool (not playing, just hanging out backstage watching the old man), looked like an ordinary dude that you might see in line at the grocery store

Reb Beach--friggin' monster of a player, played a mahogany superstrat all night, I'm not sure what brand, had some problems with a buzz in his rig, seemed bored with parts of the show, seemed like they weren't giving him much room to cut loose and when he did, the jackass local soundman didn't turn him up enough to really hear, threw a pick that landed by my feet, but it was dark and I can't see that well so the guy next to me found it before I did. We did get an autographed frisbee though.

Overall, an excellent show for a low ticket price of $12.50. My ears are still ringing, and my daughter is now a Night Ranger fanatic. She sent a fan email to Jack Blades this morning and still is jabbering non-stop about the show.

[DavidE]

Can you explain the chorus to Sister Christian to me? I don't get it.

[zorrow]

Reb Beach plays Suhr guitars (Reb Beach's Suhr guitars) and yes, he IS an amazing player.

Brad Gillis is one of my preferred guitar heroes. His instructional video helped me to unlock my lead guitar skills. I've never been into Night Ranger, but I think I would go see them just to get a closer look to Gillis' playing. I do love his "Gillrock Ranch" solo album as well as both his live album and his DVD with Ozzy.

[Guest Meshuggah]

Reb Beach plays Suhr guitars (Reb Beach's Suhr guitars) and yes, he IS an amazing player.

Damn! That was more information in fewer page clicks then I have ever encountered, especially when looking for the "gear" section.

Bravo that web designer.

Interesting character. What does it say he has all that info in the open. Good man, whot?

[Willie G. Moseley]

Remember how Ozzy's early '80s concert w/ Gillis on guitar (and Rudy Sarzo on bass? Somebody clarify) showed a hologram of a crucifix rotating to an upside down position? To his credit, Gillis wouldn't explain it during an interview, saying "I'll let Ozzy tell you what that's about." This was one of the first Saturday night concerts on MTV.

[zorrow]

In my Brazilian DVD it is Rudy Sarzo, yes:

Ozzy Osbourne- Speak Of The Devil is an entire concert filmed back in 1982. Performing songs from his first two solo albums, Blizzard Of Ozz, and Diary Of A Madman plus 3 Black Sabbath songs. This concert was filmed just months after the horrible, tragic death of guitarist Randy Rhoads during the Diary Of A Madman tour. The very talented lead guitarist Brad Gillis from Night Ranger joined Ozzy to finish the tour and record Speak Of The Devil. Songs performed on the DVD include Over The Mountain, Mr. Crowley, Crazy Train, Revelation (Mother Earth), Steal Away The Night, Believer, I Don't Know, Goodbye To Romance, Flying High Again, Suicide Solution, and Black Sabbath songs Iron Man, Children Of The Grave, and Paranoid (the encore). The musicians in Ozzy's band at this time are some of the best in the business. Along with the aforementioned Brad Gillis are Rudy Sarzo on bass, Don Airey on keyboards, and Tommy Aldridge on drums.