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CartLive Review: Mötley Crüe — Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Irvine
Wed, 15 Aug 2012 08:27:16
"Fire, flames, lasers, and tall hot blondes," smirked Mötley Crüe mainman Vince Neil during the band's mind-blowing set in Irvine last night.
What else could you want from a rock 'n' roll show?
The Crüe delivered all of the above and so much more to a packed house transfixed by their legendary catalog. Los Angeles's most fearsome foursome Neil, Nikki Sixx, Tommy Lee, and Mick Mars managed to step up their game yet again on their co-headline run with Kiss, simply dubbed "The Tour". In addition to the aforementioned goodies, Lee rode his drum roller coaster upside down during a flawless solo backed by some skittering club sounds. Strapped in to the coaster, his beaming smile proved brilliant all the way back in the lawn as he pounded out a massive groove, practically opening up a fault line.
Dancers flanked the group, alternating a bevvy of costumers as they shook it to set opener "Saints of Los Angeles". Neil's voice carried pristinely throughout Orange County up to the Sunset Strip as he impeccably shouted out the big refrain. Sixx held down a swaggering bass groove like only he can, commanding attention with undeniable panache. Meanwhile, Mars ripped through a bluesy lead like some metal Jimi Hendrix hell bent on waking the dead.
"Wild Side" engaged a massive sing-a-long, while the gigantic screen in the middle of Lee's drum coaster depicted an equally giant pentagram for propulsive and potent "Shout at the Devil". The song echoed intensely with the same danger all these years later. "Same Ol' Situation" saw Neil rocking a guitar, while "Sex", about his "favorite thing in the whole world", ignited a similar fire to the classics with a whole new vigor. The band's latest remained a pummeling live anthem guided by their deft playing and insurmountable charisma. No other rock band could pull that off so slyly, but this is The Crüe we're talking about.
"Let's burn this motherfucking place down," urged Sixx before "Primal Scream". Flames shot from across the riser on the stage and even out of his bass, crafting a hellishly fun playground for asses to shake across the amphitheater. "Home Sweet Home", meanwhile, illuminated the group's inherent diversity with Lee elegantly tickling the ivories center stage and Neil belting out the big refrain.
"Dr. Feelgood" commenced with Lee commanding, "Call the doctor bitches", and once again the band set the stage ablaze. "Girls, Girls, Girls" and "Kickstart My Heart" rounded out the set fittingly with more sexy, slick screaming.
They're still the biggest, baddest, and best show in town—fire, flames, lasers, and tall hot blondes included…
—Rick Florino
08.15.12
Were you there?
See our review of "Sex" here!
