Dokken Live In Warwick, RI
By
Jeff Fishman,
Pure Rock Patroller
Friday, January 4, 2002 @ 9:20 AM
| Dokken Live At The Station In
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First off, let me say this. The club was packed. I asked a bar tender what the clubs capacity was, he told me it was 575. Well I will be damned if the place was not at capacity. Quite surprising considering it was a weeknight, and just two days after the biggest party night of the year too.
Now, onto the show. The set list was the same as posted by others, only they left off “Paris Is Burning.” The first two songs, “Erase” and “Kiss of Death,” sounded a bit off and Don did not even try to sing the first one. He just spoke the words. What a bummer. He did kick it in a little bit more for “Kiss” though. Then he actually did pretty well for the remainder of the show. Maybe he needed to warm up his voice or something. For future reference, maybe he should warm his voice up at soundcheck instead of during the first two songs. And I am sure the booze and cigarettes didn't help much either.
As for the new songs. “Sunless Days” is awesome. But “Little Girl” is not very good at all. It is a week pop song, whereas “Sunless Days” is a good solid rocker.
I thought that John Norrum did a very good job on guitar, but I thought that Barry lacked a little. He did a cool little bass riff during “It's Not Love,” but that was about it for him standing out. His bass playing is a little to high and jazzy for my tastes. I prefer a meaty, in your face, heavy style of bass playing. Like the kind that Jeff Pilson provided to the band.
I also thought that the harmonies were WAY off tonight as well. I remember during “Breaking The Chains” I was thinking to my self, damn, it sounds great, and then I realized, it was Mick singing the chorus. Usually it was always Jeff and Mick together that carried the backing vocals. But Mick is usually to busy playing drums to be singing, so it was up to Barry and John for most of it. And Barry and John just don't cut it in regards to the harmonies and backing vocals. But like I said, “Breaking The Chains” did sound great as far the backing vocals were concerned.
Thank GOD for Mick, being, well Mick. Or the show would have been a total let down. But good old Micky was on fire. Cracking one-liners left and right. I remember him starting a “Kill Bon Jovi” chant. So Don said, “Yeah we were on tour with Bon Jovi and Bon Jovi fucked Mick’s girlfriend, so now he is mad at him.” And Mick responded with “Kill my girlfriend.” One highlight was the showstopper “Too High To Fly,” which was great as usual.
Now, onto the major lowlight of the show. Dokken Web Master Supreme Aaron Chavez has been breaking his balls to arrange these Meet and Greets. Well guess what, Don did not feel like doing a meet and greet so there wasn't one. Remember when Don said in the chat that he would be doing one? I sure do remember it. So Aaron arranges for it to happen, and guess what, no Meet and Greet. It was 25 degrees outside tonight in Rhode Island. And about five or six loyal fans stood outside of the bus for Don to at least poke his head out side and say “Hi,” but it never happened. It was so cold out that even the roadies did not want to unload the gear. So the tour manager asked the people waiting for autographs if they would help, in exchange he would take them onto the bus for autographs. Well, guess what happened. The loyal fans waiting did carry all of the equipment out to the trailer (not one roadie helped). And then guess what happened. Don still did not sign any autographs for them.
I have been a long time Dokken fanatic. Ever since I was 12 years old (1984) and I saw them open for Twisted Sister and Y & T in Portland, Maine. I have seen them play 21 shows in total. And I choke as I say this: I was extremely disappointed in tonight’s show and I am in no hurry to see another Dokken show any time soon.
On a separate but related note. I listened to my Underground Moon CD the entire way home
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