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Night Ranger
Glass Cactus-Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center,
Grapevine, Texas
Oct.
27, 2007
By
A. Lee Graham
Night Ranger can still rock
in America — and proved it before a packed Dallas nightclub.
Actually, the venue was the
Glass Cactus (ritzy haunt at the Gaylord Texan Resort and
Convention Center in Grapevine), and the setting a Halloween
bash sponsored by 93.3 FM The Bone.
But melodic rock’s Sacramento
bad boys tore up the upscale room like it were a sweaty
saloon, dishing up hit after hit. That the crowd sang along
to every lyric proved the enduring quality of an oft-derided
genre: ‘80s rock.
Sure, many ridicule the age
of parachute pants, spandex and Members Only jackets. But
quality music outlives fashion, as was the case when “This
Boy Needs To Rock” ripped through the speakers.
Jack Blades was ablaze —
strutting, spinning and attacking his Hamer bass as if it
were 1983 and the boys were playing Zew World (another local
radio event the band played on its
Midnight Madness
tour). Flanking the charismatic front man were guitarists
Brad Gillis and Reb Beach (handling Jeff Watson’s parts),
with drummer Kelly Keaggy bashing skins and handling vocals
with equal aplomb.
In fact, Keaggy did more than
sing; he grabbed the microphone and turned front man many on
several songs. When “Sister Christian” made its inevitable
appearance, Keaggy had the crowd singing every word.
Also performed were “Sing Me
Away,” “Don’t Tell Me You Love Me,” “Sentimental Street,”
and “The Secret of My Success,” the title track to a Michael
J. Fox flick recalled lovingly by Blades.
Eyeing
a rotary telephone, the bassist recalled receiving a call
about writing a song for Fox’ next movie. Great stuff.
As for Blades’ comrades, they
seemed equally hopped up on candy corn — or whatever topped
the backstage snack table. Gillis practically burst out of
his skin, striking guitar-hero poses and whammy-bar facial
contortions. Yeah, the guy was that into it! More
relaxed — but no less enthusiastic — was Beach, replicating
Watson’s leads with ease, a skill that’s nailed gigs with
Winger, Whitesnake, Dokken and other acts needing solid
axmanship.
Despite releasing Hole In
The Sun a few months back (the band’s latest studio
outing awaits U.S. distribution next year), the entire set
was vintage Night Ranger. Only Gary Moon fans craving Feeding
off the Mojo material walked away disappointed.
When Night Ranger books time
in your town, squeeze into that faded Seven Wishes
T-shirt and enjoy the ride.
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