Michael Monroe, Pettibone and Sweet Gypsy April 4
The King of Clubs
Columbus, Oh
by Michael Strong

Instead of phoning it in and skating by on his past legacy, Michael Monroe climbed down on to the stage and set The King of Clubs on fire. Kicking off his set with one of his more well known hits, “Dead, Jail or Rock n Roll” and not letting up until the final notes of the song encore, this rock n roll lifer really captivated the crowd. Playing everything from the aforementioned solo hit to classic Hanoi Rocks favorites such as their cover of “Up Around The Bend”, a personal highlight “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and some deep Hanoi cuts like “Malibu Beach Nightmare” and “High School”, sprinkling in some covers by seminal bands such as The Dead Boys and Golden Earing.

Michael’s band was top notch, featuring the everywhere man Todd Kerns on bass, was so tight you couldn’t get a sliver of paper between the notes. These boys enjoyed ripping through these under appreciated gems. Every song in the set was curated for the diehards. Michael’s voice was even stronger than any recorded versions. From the slower “Man With No Eyes”, the uptempo “Last Train to Tokyo”, “One Man Gang” and “The Ballad of the Lower East Side, there was a relentless onslaught of magic on stage. Whether singing and dancing, playing the harmonica or wailing away on the saxophone or even simply just preening, this legend laid it all on the stage.

 I drove over two hours to see a seminal rock n roll survivor, but I was not prepared for this completely mind blowing experience. If the opportunity arises, go witness one of Finland’s finest nation treasures.

The opening bands were a passable mix of dueling guitar Scorpions inspired rock, but I have to honestly say that Michael Monroe blew my mind so severely, that I couldn’t think of any other act that evening.