Strange Days Festival @ PNC Arts Center - Featuring; The Doors of the 21st Century, SteppenWolf, Vanilla Fudge, The Yardbirds and Pat Travers

The only thing I found Strange about this Festival was that all these 60 plus year old rock star were all still able to jam pretty decent.

Pat Travers opened the Fest at 6:pm sharp, his stage set up was tiny they played with amps most use to practice with. I saw Pat 20 years ago didn't care for him then, didn't care for him now either. His 3rd song was titled "Crash and Burn," you could see they have been there and done that for sure. There was roughly 200 people in the Artscenter to see his set. Thats right 2 fucking hundred and most people didn't miss much. Pat is suppose to be some kind of guitar god. With all the great guitarist out there of yesterday and today his guitar work was decent at best. They close with "Boom,Boom Out goes the Light" which wrapped up his super set.

Next up; The Yardbirds, they take the stage at 6:50 pm opening with "Train Kept a Rolllin.". I was looking forward to seeing these guys but found out quickly that there was no Jim Page, Eric Clapton or Jeff Beck on guitar... nobody even close to that caliber. There are now about 500 people inside the Arts Center for their set. They also have minimal equipment on stage. I joke with my wife about "thats half the equipment I usually hall around in my van for shows." They have a new album out and do a couple of tracks from it. They then break into a real oldie "Shake," a real oldie.. what the fuck am I saying this is a band from the mid sixties. Another hit they played was "For your Love" which at the ending they go into the middle of "Dazed and Confused" some kind of tribute to Jim Page I guess. It was decent, the guitar work was no where near Jimmys standard but it worked. They played most of there hits during their set and close with "I'm a Man" and now there are about 1000 people watching the end of their set. I must say the Yardbirds were pretty fucking good and I was glad we caught their set.

Next was; Vanilla Fudge. They take the stage at 7;40 pm. It is the original line up Mark Stein, Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert and Vince Martell that reunited for this tour. They haven't played tougher since 1970. Thirty five fucking years ago. Again their stage set up was tiny, they open with "The Way She Looks." Everyone in the Art Center now, about 1500 people, were all hysteric to see these guys on stage except me. The bass player looks around 70 and was moving all over the stage like he was 20 again. The next song they do is a Curtis Mayfeild classic "People" which was pretty decently done. They then do a song called "Shot Gun" and then their classic from 1969 "Season Of The Witch" and they close with "Set Me Free.". Their set was alright I wasn't feeling it like everyone else. Ray Manzarek comes out grabs the mike and works the crowd for more applause for Vanilla Fudge.

John Kay & Steppenwolf is next, they take the stage at 8:45 pm and open with "Let it Hang out Baby.". John looks good for his age. The vocals are not as loud as the past bands, but are strong and crystal clear. Every SteppenWolf fan knows that John runs this band period no questions asked it isn't the original band but it worked and pretty well at that. There was no bass player which I found odd. John then goes into "Rock & Roll Rebels" and then into "Rock Me." Steppenwolf then does a Muddy Waters classic "Hoochie Koochie Man." They then play "Magic Carpet Ride" which has the place dancing and they close with "Born To Be Wild." The Arts Center was about half full for their set. John Kay did a solid job. This was my first time seeing SteppenWolf and they rocked the fucking house for sure.

The Doors take the stage at 9:50 pm and open with "Break on Through ". There has been some rumors about Ray and Robbie asking Courtney Love to take over the vocal duties for the Doors. This was announced on the radio a few week ago. BIG FUCKING MISTAKE GUYS. Asking that crazy bitch to replace Ian Astbury is a fucking joke. You could see there were problems between Ian and the band right of the start. I would be pissed and insulted too. After Break on Through Ian walked to the side and Ray had to get up from his key board and walk over to him, they exchanged a few words and Ian re-appears and tells the crowd when you're in a band sometimes you just need to get a high five and that's what went on a few moments ago.

The Doors then start playing "Love Me Two Times." They have a new drummer and bass player but the music sounded good but not as tight as the last 2 Doors tours that I have seen. Ian voice was great. He had a chip on his shoulder and made it work for him, he went fucking nuts on stage. As the show went on he was even more crazy then before. It was almost like Jim himself was up there tearing the hell out of the place. Again I saw the last 2 tours and Ian did not act like this at all he was calm and professional on for those shows. Tonight he let his hair down and sort of played a What The Fuck show and it was great. After Love Me Two Times. Ray raises his beer and toasts NJ. Then then go into "When the Musics Over" and then into "5 to 1." Robbie Krieger looked old and tired on stage it seemed he just wanted to get threw this show. Ian is real going nuts up there at this point and it is fucking classic. The Doors then play "Touch Me" and then "L.A Woman." During LA Woman Ian's mike cord gets tangled in Robbie's monitor instead of trying to get it loose he picks up the monitor and flips it upside down toward Robbie. It freed up around 20 feet of cord for him to finish the song with. At the end of the song he takes the mike and stand and whips it down on the stage and then walks off without the rest of the doors. They soon followed him off stage and they come back on stage for an encore with Carmine Appice on drums and Pat travers joined Robbie on guitar for the closer "Roadhouse."

From a 1 to 10 I give this Doors performance a 9. The only reason they got this high of a review was because of Ian Astbury tearing it up on stage. The last review I did on a Doors show got a perfect 10. The music was allot tighter on that tour. You guys are worried about a singer you should be worried about playing all those GREAT DOORS CLASSICS a little better. Ian is no Jim Morrison not even close but if you replace him now with the likes of Courtney Love your careers are over and I'll lend you the rope to hang yourselves with. Ian Astbury gave the Doors rebirth period. The guy fits the Doors perfect and although I never saw the Doors with Jim it makes me feel like I did. Nobody can replace Jim Morrison but Ian does one hell of a job as the front man of The Doors of the 21st Century. Please Ray & Robbie if you fire him just retire don't try to carry on such important music that everyone in the world has grown to love and respect.This is just what I think but I know one thing and that's music. The Doors have always been music gods and should remain that way indefinitely.

By Brandon Dilks
Manager - Nuse

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