LIVE! : Stephen Pearcy and Sin City Sinners
by Deb Rao
Staff Writer
April 25, 2011 at Crown Theater in Las Vegas, NV.
The Monday night concert series is kicking into high gear, as The Crown Theater at the Rio in Las Vegas was turned into an ’80s rock haven as Stephen Pearcy and Sin City Sinners took the stage for an explosive Monday night set on April 25.
Kicking off the nights festivities were the Vegas rebels Sin City Sinners. Comprised of prominent musicians including Brent Muscat, X- Faster Pussycat and Mike “The Doc” Ellis, tonight’s performance also featured Lou Merlino from Beggars and Thieves on vocals and former Aerosmith guitarist Jimmy Crespo from Beggars and Thieves. This was my first time seeing Sin City Sinners perform and I was not disappointed. The band has a unique way of turning cover tunes into their own. Their high-energy performance set the tone for a fabulous night of music. Highlight of the set included “Here I Go Again”, and “Train Kept A Rollin” by Aerosmith and a great rendition of Faster Pussycat hit “House Of Pain.”
Although the band does a great job on cover tunes, the song that really impressed me was their original “Going To Vegas” sung by Doc Ellis. This tune describes it all. The fast paced lifestyle and excitement that generates from the band. Sin City Sinners exemplify the best in what Vegas nightlife has to offer. Established musicians playing their heart out every night to their dedicated following.
Anticipation filled the air, as one of the ’80s most iconic rock vocalists was set to take the stage. It was announced earlier this month at Hardrock Haven news section that Stephen Pearcy will be taking it to the road this summer for Metal In America. Warming up for the tour, Stephen decided to do a few solo dates prior to the tour and Vegas was lucky enough to be one of the cities on the bill.
Taking the stage with a vengeance, Stephen Pearcy took full command unleashing hit after hit including “You’re In Love”, “Lay It Down”, and “Wanted Man.” Comprised of Stephen Pearcy on vocals, Mike Duda on bass, Erik Ferentinos on guitar, Greg Walls on guitar, and Greg D’Angelo on drums, the momentum of the band never let up. Over the years, RATT ruled the charts with hit after hit with their infectious RATT and Roll bluesy kind of vibe. Tonight after 25 years, every song that the RATT bastard himself Stephen Pearcy performed still sounded amazing. Stephen was having a great time onstage. He commented,” I don’t care if I perform to 100 people or 10,000, I came to play.” The band gave an outstanding performance.
One of highlights of the night was the jam section on “Walking The Dog.” Stephen has always had kind of a bluesy rock vocal style and this Aerosmith cover surely fit the bill. The energy of the show that sparked the show was flawless. The audience sang along to “Back For More” and did not want the night to end as the final notes of “Round And Round” resonated through the speakers. It was great to see such a wide age range in the audience. Not only did the die hard ’80s fans attend, but also spotted were a new generation of RATT and Rollers. It goes to show good music never dies. It only gets better with time. Be sure to check out Metal In America this summer. If tonight’s Stephen Pearcy performance was any indication, you will be in for a rock and roll extravaganza.