Night Ranger
– ’24 Strings and a Drummer.’ DVD / CD review
Released on:
Frontiers records.
Yes, I'm still around folks!
Well, this is
another that should’ve been posted a long time ago, but with so much going on,
again it got pushed back, but it is no less valid in fact, it’s bloody great
and it’s a keeper if you ask me!
Regular
readers know how much I already love this band, which is another reason why it
pains me to have taken so long to get to this write up. These guys are so, so
overlooked and I just hope that anyone that caught them out on the road this
past summer or last year with Journey and Foreigner will have come to
appreciate them a little more.
They just
ooze class, they play so well and have so much fun too, that it just makes for
a great concert experience.
So this was
recorded in TRI Studios, San Rafael, California, so close to home for most of
the guys.
Set in a
small studio with an audience of very special guests, they walk out with
acoustic guitars, while drummer Kelly
Keagy holds some hot rod sticks and they’re ready to rock ‘n’ roll, unplugged
style!
Nicely done
guys!
It’s great to
see these guys live in any situation, electric or unplugged, as they always
come across as having fun at all times, but never to the point where they’re
out of it as the music is always, ALWAYS, just so tight!
I’m fortunate
to have met the guys on a few occasions, both before and after shows and that
is just how they are, relaxed, fun loving guys, but always 100% on their game
with the music.
Next up is
‘When You Close Your Eyes’ and again I wouldn’t have guessed it right away, as
it almost comes across a little like the Eagles ‘Take It Easy’ as they start
the song.
The band is
truly blessed, I’m telling you with such talent in both their playing and their
singing and all the harmonies are just great.
The nice
thing about this gig is it really is like a ‘VH1 Storytellers’ gig and both
Jack Blades and Kelly go into how they came to write ‘Sing Me Away.’
They come over so well, funny guys both of
them.
It’s such a
great song where it shows off nicely, the great combined talents of Brad Gillis
and Joel Hoekstra’s class guitar playing, some nice harmony work indeed.
Then they
introduce ‘Growing Up In California’ and Jack tells the story of how they grew
up there, well with the exception of Joel and keyboard player Eric Levy. Jack
rips on Joel that he’s from Chicago, but Jack says, ‘It’s OK, it’s OK if you
weren’t raised here just make sure you pay your taxes if you do now!’ Funny
guy!
Brad starts
the song and it sounds great, even acoustically and when it comes to Brad’s
solo, it’s something to see!
Again some
great harmonizing stuff between the two players, really nice guys!
It’s kind of
speech / PR work time next as Jack explains how they have to keep writing and
making music as it’s so much a part of them and if they didn’t do it, they’d
die inside.
He goes on to
add that Night Ranger will continue to write and record new music and that we
can expect to see a new Night Ranger album next year.
Kelly
introduces the next song, ‘So let’s play an old song!’ Cue ‘Secret of my
Success’ and yes, it sounds as good as ever!
Jack keeps up
the main chat role, as he explains how they came to write the next song and
it’s a real ‘Storytellers’ touch … I don’t want to tell you too much, but it’s
all good stuff.
He rips on
Kelly some about how we came to write this ballad and how they figure since
it’s a ballad, we let Kelly sing them all!
Kelly
responds by saying, ‘Thank you very much! I don’t mind, I’ll sing ‘em all day,’
which draws much laughter from both band members and the audience!
Then Jack
goes ‘So this is a song about the avenues …’ Then he stops himself as he
realizes he needs to introduce Eric Levy on keys, since he’s starting it!
He then
starts talking about Eric’s introduction the band and how when you look at how
he dresses, he may make you nervous with how he looks with the black ski hat,
unshaven and that. So when they were on the road with Journey and Foreigner last
year, no one would talk to him, ‘I mean look at him?!’
Loads of
laughs, ‘and then when you do talk to him he’s got this quiet little friendly
voice, then everyone loves him!
Eric Levy!'
He plays a
great piano intro it really is very cool and a great song too!
Then Jack
calls up Will Evankovich to join on bass and explains how Will also plays with
Jack in a little combo with Tommy Shaw (Styx) called Shaw / Blades.
They play
‘Four In the Morning,’ which is another great track from their ‘Seven Wishes’
album.
Killer
acoustic solo work from Joel once again.
After the
song is done, Jack starts to tell the story behind the cheesy video they made
and how people were criticizing them about how badly made it was and the band
were all saying, that was how we were trying to make it!
Funny story,
again, one you need to watch.
‘Let Him Run’
is introduced by Jack ‘as the very first song we all ever wrote together,’ as
Kelly takes the centre stage stool to sing it with a couple of shakers in hand
to keep time. Love the song, sounds great!
Kelly stays
centre stage to then sing another power ballad in ‘Goodbye’ and once again,
fine guitar work from both Joel and Brad and Brad provides an excellent
acoustic solo.
Next track is
certainly a track that has been hugely overlooked and has always been an
absolute winner with me, ever since I first heard it on the ‘Neverland’ album.
‘Forever All
Over Again’ got a lot of attention in Japan, but was sadly overlooked here and
I still believe it deserved to be a huge hit, if only the band could’ve got
some push at the time.
It’s a killer
song and Joel plays the solo nicely.
Now you get
the feeling we’re getting close to the end, with the next track ‘Don’t Tell Me
You Love Me.’
I’ve heard
this done acoustically before and these guys are just such pro’s, everything
sounds great!
Brad starts
to introduce how they did the video for the song and then Jack takes over
telling the story, including a funny part with Kelly … You have to watch this
folks.
Brad and Joel’s
soloing is just killer!
Loads of
applause at the end of the song, as the audience is thinking it’s the end of
the set, but Jack says, ’Wait, there’s more!’
Joel Hoekstra
puts on a southern back country hillbilly accent and starts to tell the story
of how Kelly Keagy came to write the song … BUT, it’s the way he does it, it is
so funny, all this with the other guys keeping up a back beat.
Then other
band members chip with funny voices too, it gets hilarious, it really does.
Then Joel
introduces Eric Levy to start the song properly. It sounds great!
They joke
around some more after the song finishes, making fun of Joel some for his
accented narration!
So to the
final song on the DVD and Jack starts to explain how when they first went on
tour with Kiss, everyone at the time was saying that rock is dead or dying but
that everywhere they went, the crowds were big, supportive and stronger than
ever! 'So we decided to write that you can still rock here in America' and that
was the song that ended up on second album ‘Midnight Madness.’
‘You Can
Still Rock In America’ done acoustically, can this work? The answer, silly
question of course it can!
Really love
the harmony guitar part between Joel and Brad, it sounds great.
Night Ranger do
most certainly ‘Still Rock In America’ electrically or acoustically!
This really
is a great package with the DVD performance with great behind the scenes
footage with interviews and more, but the CD that’s in the package too,
includes a nice cover of Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer’ track.
Keep on
rockin’ in America AND the rest of the world too guys, you do a fine job!
Rating: 4.75
out of 5
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