Cinderella and John Corabi Deliver An Awesome Night Of Music

There was something special in the air that night in Charlotte. You could just tell it was going to be a magical night. The Cinderella tour had pulled into town and the line outside started forming early in the afternoon. The small club was a far cry from “back in the day” when stadiums and huge arenas were being packed. Cinderella is celebrating their 25th anniversary on this tour and they prove that they haven’t missed a step.

The show started with John Corabi (Union, The Scream, Motley Crue) opening up for the band and getting the crowd warmed up. That’s a tough thing to do when all you have is a mic, a barstool and an acoustic guitar. Well, that an amazing passion for the art that you create. Corabi opened with “Love (I Don’t Need It Anymore)” from his former band Union which included former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick. He also included a couple of Scream songs including the amazing “Father, Mother, Son” which received a huge response.

“Hooligan’s Holiday” was next from his much underrated and sometimes missing in action album that he recorded as lead vocalist of Motley Crue. He also included a very of the Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” that was so heartfelt and full of emotion that it was truly moving. Corabi’s set was just that; it was real and genuine and from the heart. He shared great stories with us and brought the entire club together for his short set.

Cinderella stormed the stage next and ripped into “Once Around The Ride” from their debut album Night Songs”. This was the first time that I had seen the band since lead singer Tom Keifer’s throat surgery. His voice did seem a little strained at first; as if he didn’t take the time to warm up, but all that soon changed. “Shake Me” was next and the crowd’s reaction was as if gas had been poured on a once small fire. Their biggest hit being played two songs into their set has to speak volumes. Everyone knew at that point why there was something special in the air that night. We were about to be blown away by a band whose decade is seen as one full of bad songs and bad fashion choices.

The set list for the remainder of the night read like a Cinderella’s greatest Hits album. “Somebody Save” me brought back memories of watching MTV to see the great music videos that Cinderella always made. I have to add that the songs did not sound dated; they had a very fresh sound to them and the boys delivered a solid performance on each and every one. Tom commanded that center stage and kept the banter to a minimum, but the rock and roll output to a maximum.

The stage went dark and the roadies rolled out a beautiful piano and the lighters went up in the air. Yes, a few cell phones did too, but it doesn’t compare to a sea of lighters. The crowd knew that Cinderella’s power ballad “Don’t Know What You Got (Til It’s Gone)” was next and it was such a great moment when Tom sat down at that piano and began the song. The band left the stage, but returned a short time later to the roar of the frenzied crowd. “Long Cold Winter” and “Shelter Me” were the encore song choices and the band then did a bow to the crowd and thanked them for 25 years of good times.

What we saw on this special night was not a band just going through the motions. They seemed hungrier than I remember when I saw them open for Bon Jovi back in 1987. It was a show heavy in substance and light in style. One problem with so many bands from that era was that they were just the opposite. Cinderella did have a great lightshow that night, but there were no props used that night. It was a night of pure musicianship and talent.

There are a lot of bands out on the road these days who act as if we, the fans, owe them something. They stand on the stage like mannequins and they seem like they are bored. These are both young bands and bands who have been around long enough to know better. Today’s economy stinks and for some of these people to fork out money for a concert ticket and not get their money’s worth is downright disrespectful. With that being said, I feel like I owe John Corabi and Cinderella more than what the ticket sold for because that was a steal!

Taddy Porter: Old School Rock and Roll 101

Good old rock and roll never truly dies. It just finds a new vessel to inhabit every five to ten years to allow it to reach out and possess a whole new generation. For example, let’s take a closer look at one of those bands. Taddy Porter is a quartet of fine young gentlemen from Oklahoma who just so happen to be one of the brightest up and coming bands in years.

The band was formed by drummer Doug Jones and lead singer/guitarist Andy Brewer in 2007. The formula was completed with the addition of Doug’s brother Kevin on bass and Joe Selby on guitar. Legend has it that the name Taddy Porter was actually spotted by Andy on a beer list in a bar that they were frequenting. The boys recorded an EP in 2007 entitled Monocle and the ride had officially begun.

The boys’ roots seem to weigh in heavily on older rock with a certain flair to the southern side. Their songwriting is a style that is easy to relate to. They don’t go off on tangents about the government or politics. They tend to sing about life and love and who can’t relate to that?

Their debut self titled CD was released to rave reviews from fans and critics. You may think that you have never heard their music before, but quite a few of their songs have been featured on television. Their first single “Shake Me” was on ABC’s Cougar Town, NBC’s The Chase and on Monday Night Football. Another song that received exposure was “King Louie”, which was featured on HBO’s Entourage and the John Cena movie Legendary. More recently, “I Got to Love” is being featured on ABC Family’s Make It of Break It. So, there is a very good chance that you have heard them before!

Their album is a great mix of ballads and rockers. “Big Enough” starts the album off with crashing guitars and Andy’s unique voice definitely grabs your attention. “Fire in the Streets” is a standout track that rocks hard without getting too heavy for the listener. It also features some great guitar work by Joe Selby, who lays down a blistering solo.

“In The Morning” is a really good ballad that highlights Andy’s vocals. It will have you raising your lighter in the air in no time! I also love “Railroad Queen”, which is a bluesy number that presses the pedal to the floor and rocks at full speed as you get into it. Kevin and Doug do a stellar job here as the rhythm section that always holds a great song together.

The two gems on this release may be complete opposites in style, but that is one of the amazing things about this band. They are so diverse and confident in their sound that they can pull it off. “Gotta Get You Back” is a funky, rocking little number about losing the one you love and then trying so hard to get them back. If you listen to this one and don’t feel the rhythm and start tapping your foot, then call 911 because there is a serious problem.

The other gem would be the powerful ballad “Long Slow Drag”. The guitars take the backseat to a haunting piano melody throughout most of the song. I am not sure if this is autobiographical or not, but Andy’s vocals on this song are so full of emotion and conviction. This song should get lots of airplay for it is so richly deserving of it.

In an industry full of flavors of the week, these guys stand out like a sore thumb. Andy and Joe make a great team, like many who have come before them in the history of great rock and roll. I highly recommend this CD to lovers of classic rock and of southern rock. These guys take those sounds and mix them up and put a fresh spin on it and make it sound relevant to today’s music scene. These guys are worthy of going to the next level. Jump on board now before the Taddy Porter bandwagon fills up!