Ratt Concert Review

I LIKE THAT OLD TIME RATT’N’ROLL

Show Date: August 2, 2007
Location: St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.
Venue: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
Reviewer: Graham LaMontagne
Band Website: www.therattpack.com

Ratt infested St. Louis on Thursday August 2, 2007 and sounded exactly how metal should – down and dirty.

The years have been good to front man Stephen Pearcy and his voice was identical to Ratt‘s heyday. Pearcy‘s signature, gruff voice sounds like the perfect blend of someone suffering from pneumonia and someone who has smoked one too many Marlboro Reds.

Ratt has the opening slot on this summer’s Poison tour and from the minute they opened with Dangerous But Worth the Risk, I knew that Ratt was out of the cellar and ready to win over audiences all over again. Once Ratt got started they never stopped the onslaught of Ratt classics. Not even the Orkin man, with his strongest pesticide, could have put an end to the energy and showmanship that Ratt was exhibiting. To quote Pantera, Ratt‘s performance was indeed a “Vulgar Display Of Power.” Lay It Down, Nobody Rides For Free, Slip of the Lip, Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job, Wanted Man, Lack of Communication, Round and Round, Body Talk, Way Cool Junior, You’re In Love, Back For More, I’m Insane and You Think You’re Tough kept my fist pumping in the air the entire set.

Ratt have never received the recognition they deserve, and are truly one of rock’s most underrated bands. Warren De Martini is a God on lead guitar, but has always lived in the shadow of slingers like Slash.

After hearing so many head banging Ratt classics there was no way I could endure Poison‘s bubblegum rock. Therefore, immediately when “Look What The Cat Dragged In” unsurprisingly opened Poison‘s set, I hit the road. A group of 29 year olds could not believe I was leaving and even ridiculed me for paying full price and driving so far just for Ratt. But hey, Ratt is the real deal when it comes to music and they belong to that inner circle of actual talented 80’s metal acts like Gun N’ Roses, Motley Crue, L.A. Guns and Great White. Poison on the other hand is a member of that soft pop rock circle that includes Bon Jovi, White Lion, Nelson and Firehouse. With their indulgent image and lackluster songwriting, Poison makes Duran Duran look like Megadeth.

Over the years Poison has recurrently grown on my last nerve. Putting out albums of covers and with the new reality show Rock of Love (which is a wretched show), it seems that this band is just in dire need of attention. For me, Poison has solidified themselves as a hack band with their continual inability to mature. However, to be fair, people love that hack band and come out in droves to see them live. Every summer Poison packs the house because they are great at what they do which is putting on a spectacle. I need more than just visual entertainment, and that is why my metal heart belongs to a rodent.