Music fans wanting a little variety with their summer tour package are getting that very thing with the “Poison…Nothin’ But A Good Time 2018” tour. Iconic rock band POISON, with all original members, are joined by CHEAP TRICK and POP EVIL on its trek across the U.S. this summer and we caught the show in Chicago to witness some truly big rock icons in history.
The Midwest, and more specifically Illinois, saw the homecoming of Rockford’s very own, the
legendary Cheap Trick on Saturday at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater. To say that this was a show
of epic proportions would be the understatement of the year, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
Opening the night was the quintet out of Michigan that hardly needed an introduction! Pop Evil opened
the night with “Bosses Daughter” to start the crowd in the right mood, followed by “Ex Machina” and “Deal With The Devil”. One after another Pop Evil cranked out hit after hit to a roaring crowd of thousands, finishing their set with #1 chart toppers “Waking Lions” and “Trenches”.
Next to take the stage playing direct support was Cheap Trick. As stated before this was somewhat of a hometown for the boys from Rockford, and for this photographer was the first time I was able to see these icons of rock take the stage. They started with their traditional intro of “Hello There” and right away were off and running with the hits that have graced their four plus decade career.
Concluding their night with “I Want You To Want Me”, “Dream Police”, “Surrender” and their closer “Goodnight Now”, Cheap Trick most definitely had the crowd eating out of the palm of their hand and
still wanting more.
And last but not least the headliner of the night. The entire amphitheater goes black when
suddenly a giant screen on the back of the stage kicks on, and everyone knows it’s about to go down.
Entering the stage was the one and only Poison, with front man Bret Michaels leading the way.
Opening their set with “Look What the Cat Dragged In”, “I Want Action”, and “Ride the Wind”, the entire energy of Hollywood Casino Amphitheater felt like we stepped back into 1987 with the whole crowd screaming for more. Almost half way through their set, Poison invited local veterans on stage for their performance of “Something to Believe In”, a touching tribute to our troops past and present.
To finish out the night were the chart topping hits “Every Rose Has It’s Thorn”, and finally “Nothing But A Good Time” with a special chorus written for Chicago. Now, if you think that was it you would be sadly mistaken. Poison had time for one last song but decided to rock something that wasn’t their own with their encore performance of “Rock and Roll All Night” by KISS which not a single person was left sitting.
For the finale Poison was joined on stage by opener Pop Evil to send Chicago out with a bang! If you’re looking for a show this spring, you better get tickets now cause the tour is already well
under way and this is one that I can say with confidence YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS.
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Jay Matson Photography
Poison
Cheap Trick
Pop Evil
TOUR DATES
Tue 6/12 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
Wed 6/13 Syracuse, NY Lakeview Amphitheatre
Thu 6/14 Hartford, CT The Xfinity Theatre
Fri 6/15 Gilford, NH Bank of NH Pavilion
Sun 6/17 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live
Tue 6/19 Toronto, ONT. The Budweiser Stage
Thu 6/21 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach
Fri 6/22 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Sat 6/23 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
Sun 6/24 Allentown, PA PPL Center
