The 11th annual Rock in the Park extended to 4 days this year. Rock in the Park is becoming one of the favorite festivals to partake in the Southern Ontario area. This year BackstageAxxess covered the Friday show which featured Sammy Hagar, Extreme, Tom Keifer, Winger and Survivor.
Starting things off were Survivor. Unlike the others bands on this bill, this is the first time I got to see these guys perform live. Survivor has longtime vocalist Jimi Jamison and now original vocalist Dave Bickler both fronting the band. They each took turns on songs they are known for and both shared the stage on tunes “Feels Like Love” and the .38 Special cover “Rockin’ Into the Night.” Also, while the band played the biggest hit of their career “Eye of the Tiger,” Jamison joined Bickler and sang a couple choruses as well.
Up next was Winger, who are in tour in support of their 6th studio effort titled “Better Days Comin’.” The band opened up with the first single “Midnight Driver of a Love Machine.” This was an appropriate hard, fist pumping opener that set the tone for the entire set. The band seemed locked and loaded during their set which was shortened due to the festival time constraints, however, they were able to squeeze all of their hits in. Reb Beach was leading the way, moving all over the stage slinging the 6th string. A true representation from the entire Winger catalog was performed including a song from the album “Karma” called “Pull Me Under.”
Tom Keifer, who fronts Cinderella, was up next. I was really looking forward to his performance as I have yet to see him perform as solo artist. It was an amazing set! Keifer sounded better than ever and his band was a solid unit backing him. He performed songs from his 2013 solo release “The Way Life Goes,” and slew of Cinderella as well. His wife, Savannah, joined him for the first part of “Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)” as they did a slowed down version of the song before they kicked into “Night Songs.” A few fans created a banner made up of a couple of lines from Night Songs that he loved, and that he made known he wanted, so the fans tossed it to him. He ended the set with an interesting cover of The Beatles “With a Little Help From My Friends” and the fast paced “Gypsy Road.” This was one of my favorite shows of the year so far. He is a great performer and I’m so glad to see he is singing and healthy again!
Extreme is back and doing a few dates and this festival was one of the lucky ones to get the band on the bill. They are primarily doing their classic release “Pornograffiti” in its entirety but again, due to the time allotment, the band altered the set list. Nuno Bettencourt doubles as pop star Rhianna’s main guitarist/musician. Vocalist Gary Cherone (with his hair grown out since the last time I seen him), looked and sounded like the Cherone at the time the album first came out. Bettencourt was the focal point as he did a few guitar solos including his “Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee.” The band sounded tight and fresh. They breathed new life into the songs you know, including a different take on “More Than Words.” Cherone let the audience take part and sing some of the song. The harmonies between Bettencourt and Cherone is the basis of the band and they showed they still have it on “Cupid’s Dead.”
The headliner, Sammy Hagar and friends (Michael Anthony, Vic Johnson and Jason Bonham), took the stage at 9:30pm and kicked into “There’s Only One Way to Rock.” What an appropriate song to celebrate 4 decades of rock as Hagar referred this tour. Gone are the tiki bars and party like atmosphere. The stage was adorned with cannon like streamers that went off during “Heavy Metal.” A video screen projected various visuals while Hagar was performing a particular song. This show was all about the music and what a set list they put together. Besides playing a little too much Led Zeppelin (due to Bonham’s participation), I think the show was well put together. Hagar now 67, showed some early signs of vocal stress as he had issues hitting some high notes at the beginning, but eventually came around and was like the old Hagar that everyone has come to expect. Anthony provided killer harmonies and Johnson, who has been Hagar’s guitarist for quite a few years now, did a commendable job on the 6 -string. Hagar remarked before “I Can’t Drive 55” that former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin provided this very excuse when she was recently pulled over for speeding. She claimed this song was on. Hagar laughed it off and gave a hard pounding version of the anthem. I was glad to see “Little White Lie” make it into the set list, but disappointed that Three Lock Box didn’t. Montrose’s “Rock Candy” and of course Van Halen songs made it into the set. The band seemed like they were having lots of fun and that’s what you expect when you see any show Sammy Hagar is involved in.
The main focus of this wondrous event, that has now reached its 11th year, is raising moneys for charities including Bethany’s Hope. It’s a win-win for everyone involved!
Sammy Hagar setlist:
There’s Only One Way to Rock
Rock Candy (Montrose song)
Good Times Bad times (Led Zeppelin cover)
Poundcake (Van Halen song)
I Can’t Drive 55 (Van Halen song)
Bass solo
When it’s Love (Van Halen song)
Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin cover)
Little White Lies
When the Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin cover)
Moby Dick (Led Zeppelin cover)
Why Can’t This be Love? (Van Halen song)
Finish What ya Started (Van Halen song)
Heavy Metal
Guitar solo
Best of Both Worlds (Van Halen song)
Encore:
Right Now (Van Halen song)
Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin cover)
Extreme setlist:
Decadence Dance
Kid Ego
It (‘s a Monster)
Am I Ever Gonna Change
Guitar solo
More Than Words
Cupids Dead
Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee
Get the Funk Out
Whole Hearted /Crazy Thing Called Love
Tom Keifer setlist:
Nights Songs (Cinderella song)
It’s Not Enough
Somebody Save Me (Cinderella song)
Don’t Know What you Got (Till It’s Gone) (Cinderella song)
Nobody’s Fool (Cinderella song)
Solid Ground
Cold Day in Hell
Coming Home (Cinderella song)
Shelter Me (Cinderella song)
With a Little Help From my Friends (The Beatles cover)
Gypsy Road (Cinderella song)
Winger setlist:
Midnight Driver of a Love Machine
Easy Come Easy Go
Hungry
Pull Me Under
Down Icognito
Headed for a Heartbreak
Can’t Get Enough
Madeline
Guitar solo (Reb Beach)
Seventeen
Survivor setlist:
Feels Like Love
High on You
Rebel Girl
Search is Over
Rockin’ Into the Night (.38 Special cover)
Can’t Hold Back
Eye of the Tiger
We would like to thank Myriah Kay from Jones Entertainment Group for the credentials to review the show. For more information on Bethany’s Hope please go to: Bethany’s Hope
