This is an open forum for staff members, contributers, and fans alike to submit their reviews on the latest music releases and concerts. In an industry that is drowning with overprocessed, grossly overrated, unoriginal crap these days, this is our chance to allow the real stars to shine, if only on our humble, little stage; and expose you to some of our favorite talents.
Reviews are given 1 - 5 stars.
Lukas Rossi is a rock star. He doesn’t just play one on tv.
This fact was abundantly clear during Sunday night’s Rockstar Supernova show at the DCU Center.
The tour is a follow-up to the CBS reality show “Rock Star: Supernova,” in which musicians from around the world competed to win the job of lead vocalist for a newly formed “supergroup” comprised of former members of high-profile bands: Motley Crue’s Tommy Lee, Metallica’s Jason Newsted, and Guns N’ Roses’s Gilby Clarke. Toronto native Rossi beat out a stellar field of contestants for the win.
Given the manner in which this outfit came together, the tour, thus far, has served as the critics’ bitch, being largely panned in the press. With its reality show roots, it’s naturally an easy target for those who wish to automatically discount it as a joke. (Of course, these are probably the same critics who refuse to admit their secret devotion to “Project Runway.”) The naysayers would have been better served had they kept an open mind, however. That’s because regardless of the tour’s origin, what transpired Sunday night was a very entertaining live show.
Over the course of the evening, Rossi, clad in black and sporting a generous dose of eye makeup, proved himself to be a capable and charismatic frontman. The diminutive goth prince of reality show rock commanded the stage, so much so, that during Supernova’s set, he seemed to hold the audience’s attention exclusively. The other band members appeared to be simply a backdrop, with Gilby Clarke and Johnny Colt (formerly of The Black Crowes, doing his best to fill in for an injured Jason Newsted on bass) barely making their presence known. For those who watched the CBS show, one wonders if the infamous “grinding” incident with Jill Gioia scared Clarke off from any future possible guitarist/lead vocalist interaction. Tommy Lee did occasionally descend from his kit to greet the crowd, momentarily breaking from the merciless pounding he gave his drums throughout the night.
Rossi made the most of the material he was presented with, as the songs on Supernova’s debut album were largely completed prior to the band’s singer being named. While a few of the group’s originals fared well during the live show, overall, the material was a bit flat. The standouts of the night were “Leave The Lights On,” which, despite its dopey lyrics, worked rather well live, and “Be Yourself (And 5 Other Cliches,)” probably the band’s best tune. Rossi’s original composition “Headspin,” a moving song about his relationship with his mother, was delivered with a particular emotional intensity, with the singer growling its haunting “why, why, why” refrain. If the band releases a second album, it will be interesting to see whether a larger contribution from Rossi improves the quality of the material.
Despite the band members’ considerable back catalog of hits, no Motley Crue, Metallica, or Guns N’ Roses songs were included in the set. Instead, Supernova supplemented their original material with covers of “The Boys of Summer,” “Bittersweet Symphony,” and “Let’s Spend the Night Together.” The Rolling Stones classic worked best, as the all-female string section employed for “Symphony” was almost completely drowned out.
The show ended on a celebratory note, with a shower of white confetti falling from the arena’s ceiling. (Most of which, it seemed, ended up lodged in this reviewer’s cleavage.)
Leading up to their time on stage, Supernova had a considerable amount of assistance in getting the crowd revved up for their performance. Three other acts, also tied to “Rock Star,” set things up for them nicely.
Opener Dilana Robichaux started things off with her signature powerhouse vocals. The South African-born vocalist, who was the runner-up to Rossi on “Rock Star,” provided an all-too short acoustic set. Songs included covers of “Zombie,” a compelling version of “Roxanne,” and her original song from the show, “Supersoul.” Robichaux was supported by two guitarists, one of whom was especially well received by the crowd.
Iceland native Magni Asgeirsson, “Rock Star’s” fourth-place finalist, was originally scheduled to have his own slot in the lineup, as was fifth-place finisher Storm Large. Unfortunately, both performers, along with the House Band, which backed all of the contestants during the television show, were unceremoniously fired from the tour prior to its start. However, Robichaux then requested Asgeirsson’s services on guitar. So, while it was frustrating to see the supremely talented Asgeirsson relegated to a backing role, concertgoers were fortunate to be able to see him in any capacity. Indeed, the crowd reacted with a cheer in response to the sound of his voice during a backing vocal.
Third-place “Rock Star” finalist, Australian Toby Rand, appeared next with his band, Juke Kartel. The quintet charmed the crowd with a well-orchestrated, but again, much too short set that included the irresistible original “Throw it Away,” a song that Rand burned into viewers’ memories on the show with its extremely catchy refrain. The band also performed an appealing cover of “Burning Down the House” which worked very well. These boys should have a great deal of success on the U.S. club circuit.
The Panic Channel, Dave Navarro’s latest project, followed with a longer set. (The extra face time must have been part of Navarro agreeing to do the tour.) The guitarist, who served as “Rock Star’s” master of ceremony of sorts, has assembled a band including former Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins, and former MTV VJ Steve Isaacs on lead vocals. The band’s original material was stronger than Supernova’s, but they didn’t exactly break any new ground musically. Isaacs is a likeable frontman, interacting nicely with the crowd and working effectively off of Navarro’s quiet intensity.
Before Panic Channel left the stage, Navarro gave one fan a rather unique memory to take from the show. After walking down the steps to the floor, he grabbed a seemingly random woman in the front row and gave her a rather long-lasting, open-mouthed kiss.
Four entertaining performances for the price of one. And, you might get to go home with the taste of Navarro on your tongue.
Jaded critics be damned. Reality rocks.
Reviewed by: Heather Kobrin | January 2007
