Meat Loaf
First Council Casino
Newkirk, Oklahoma
April 2, 2011

By Jeb Wright
Photo By Jake Willoughby

Setlist:
Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul) | If It Ain’t Broke, Break It | Bat Out of Hell | Peace On Earth | Living On the Outside | Los Angeloser | You Took the Worlds Right out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night) | Acoustic Solo | Rock and Roll Dreams Come True | Piano Solo | I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) | Acoustic Solo | Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad | Paradise By the Dashboard Light | All Revved Up with No Place to Go

Encore:
Mercury Blues

The 1400 people in attendance at the First Council Casino in Newkirk, Oklahoma had no idea the show in store for them when they entered the arena on Saturday night, April 2^nd. A Meat Loaf show is not so much a concert as it is an event. The man puts all of his blood, sweat and tears into his performance, to the point that at times he throws his voice out and looks as if he is in need of medical attention.

Before the show began, I, along with Classic Rock Revisited photographer Jake Willoughby, were fortunate enough to spend a few minutes with the man. What is so impressive about Meat Loaf is his ability to make one feel comfortable. Instead of a cattle call Meet and Greet, Meat asks your name, where you are from and looks you in the eye when you answer back. Sure, he can be manic, impulsive and, given his past, sometimes a pain in the ass, but on this night Meat took time to meet with VIP’s and the local crew, something I am sure he does not have to do. He joked with the photographers and even instructed everyone on how to do a great photo shoot while on the red carpet.

Meat’s band is every bit as professional and talented. During sound check, the band jammed on several classic rock staples including Ozzy’s “Bark at the Moon,” Queen’s “Tie Your Mother Down” and The Knack’s “My Sharona.” Meat was not part of these festivities though it would have been awesome watching him take on Ozzy!

When show time neared, the band took their places as guitarist Paul Crook nervously walked in circles. Suddenly, a sonic blast filled the air and Meat took center stage as the band pounded out “Hot Patootie (Bless My Soul)” from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Next, Meat sang “If It Ain’t Broke, Break It” from the lackluster selling Bat Out of Hell III. The next tune, the original “Bat Out of Hell,” was a surprise appearing as the third song in the set. Meat Loaf explained after the tune was over by stating, “I am sure many of you are shocked to see that song appear as the third song of the evening. Imagine how shocked I am that at age 63 I have to sing it as the third song of the evening! Actually, I knew it was coming…but I forgot. At my age it happens. Did I pee before I came out here? I’m senile.” This was only one of the many times Mr. Loaf had the crowd smiling and laughing.

Meat took a moment to introduce his latest solo album, Hang Cool Teddy Bear, which is a concept album about a wounded soldier who, nearing death, has his life flash before his eyes. The catch is that his life flashes forward instead of backwards, leaving the larger than life front man to mutter, “I don’t know where I come up with this shit.” With that, the band played three songs from the new album including the intense “Peace on Earth,” the melodramatic “Living On the Outside” and the bouncy hit single “Los Angeloser.”

After the trio of new songs, Meat Loaf addressed the crowd, asking how many people had the new album. A decent amount of people cheered leaving the showman to ask, “That’s great but what the fuck is wrong with the rest of you people? Now I have to sound like a bar band and tell you that it is available at the merchandise booth.”

The band took over and went into to a jazzy groove when suddenly a familiar voice came forth through the public address system. “On a hot summer night would you offer your throat to the wolf with the red roses?” The band kicked in after the famous monologue was over with the hit tune “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night).” The energy built up until Meat Loaf began conducting the band to play louder and softer just by raising and lowering his hand. Next, he did the same to the audience, who was singing the chorus. Periodically, he would cut them off altogether. He ended up using the crowd and band to create a very unique form of call and response that led to one of the loudest cheers of the night. Meat Loaf had Newkirk in the palm of his hand but he wasn’t through yet.

The band left the stage, sans guitarist Paul Crook. The white haired guitarist played a beautiful acoustic piece that earned him a standing ovation. Most people, when they think of Meat Loaf, think about his huge voice. While he is an amazing singer, his band, from the guitars, to the saxophone, to the drums, to the keyboard, to the backing and sometimes lead vocals of the beautiful Patti Russo, are all very talented and perform as tightly knit family.

The next two songs were “Rock and Roll Dreams Come True” and “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).” They were received well as Patti Russo stole the show with her aching and longing duet on the latter. Next up was another acoustic guitar solo, this time by Randy Flowers. Flowers delivered a powerful musical passage. After he had finished Meat explained to the crowed why there were two acoustic guitar pieces. “Anyone who has children will understand this. Paul got to play an acoustic solo, so Randy has to play one.” He went to judge the guitarists performances, “Paul went to a lot of Pink Floyd concerts and smoked a lot of pot. He liked to go ‘Look at the light, man.’ Where Randy drank a lot of Jack Daniels and went to Lynyrd Skynyrd concerts. Tonight, I think Lynyrd Skynyrd won…sorry Paul.”

A piano began playing and Meat Loaf, again, addressed the crowd, this time saying, ‘The next song was a huge hit that started off in a club and a bet between a woman and the man who wrote the next song, named Jim Steinman. She said to Jim, “I will bet you that you can’t write a song as good as Elvis Presley’s ‘I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.’” Jim looked at her and replied, “You’re right, I can’t do that. But I can write this: ‘I want you, I need you but there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you. Now don’t be sad, cos two out of three ain’t bad.’”

The main event ended with the crowd-pleasing “Paradise By the Dashboard Light.” This is one of the best songs from the 1970’s as any boy who has ever parked by the lake with hopes of getting lucky, or any girl who has ever put up with a handsy teenager, can attest too. Russo and Loaf act this one out complete with making out and fake sexual gestures. The highlight came when Meat stopped the song to talk about the lyrics “open your eyes, I got a big surprise.” He then walked off stage and returned brandishing a huge phallic symbol with a giant condom half on with a giant hole in the middle. He claimed it was a life-sized replica, much the chagrin of Russo. He begged her to touch it. Then he begged her to touch it again and when she did he shot a t-shirt out of the hole and into the crowd.

The main set ended with “All Revved Up With No Place to Go” complete with the entire guitar solo from “Free Bird” thrown in for good measure. The encore consisted of “Mercury Blues” and saw Russo and Meat Loaf each coming onstage with a foam, t-shirt shooting penis gun to end the night.

Meat Loaf still has the ‘It’ factor that made him a huge sensation all those years ago. He has created a career for himself in music, movies, television and as an author, yet it is the stage and rock n’ roll where he truly belongs. He has flirted with retirement over his career but on this night, in tiny Newkirk, Oklahoma, he gave his all and left to a standing ovation.

Long live rock n’ roll and long live Meat Loaf!