JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Rip Off Gigs, Bands on Tour Without Original Members

Andrew was loved by many and I had nothing but admiration for him. He was one of my favorites as a kid and one of the first of those types (after Alan O'Day) I became friends with. I still remember that particular show and feel it may have been the best one we ever did. Of course none of them were less than mind blowing to those who attended based on comments people STILL make to me all these years later.

Back on topic, I went to see Heart last year at the Indiana State Fair where I first saw them in 1977 at my first ever concert. Sadly they were opening for Journey. Their Faux singer may as well have been a recording as he sat on the drum riser behind the guitarist and keyboardists who were original members and who added completely out of place idiotic extended solo's into nearly all the songs while they musically masturbated and the Phillipino (I think) singer they found on YouTube (And who does sound like Steve Perry) sat disinterested behind them in some cases not even facing or noticing the audience. It was the worst professional famous artist concert performance I have ever seen and heard. Meanwhile Heart was treated like some local nobodies, with no lighting, no backdrop, pushed nearly off the stage in front of Journey's gear, but whom blew us all away and had fans cheering and singing along and offering standing ovations (even though only half of us were there yet) and they sounded just as awesome as they had in 1977 minus the two male guitarists stroking off to their songs, and instead using nearly all female musicians on stage in a small understated set up. And Nancy pointed out that Ann wasn't using any auto-tune or vocal effects on her voice unlike (fill in the blank). It was all REAL. Once Faux Journey came on to play and show off the two remaining members instrumental prowess, people were disgusted like I was and barely applauded anything they did and were as low energy as I've seen in a big rock show.

Buyer beware on these shows. Ironically many JPF members have joined up with some of these old bands like Ed Toth playing drums for the Doobies brothers and Bob Malone playing keys for John Fogerty or Marc VonEm singing and playing guitar with the Matchbox 21 guys, Bumblefoot who plays guitar now for Gun's and Roses among many others. (Interestingly enough Marc and Bob both won JPF Live Artist of the Year awards and the other two are also JPF award winners and nominees and have performed in our JPF Awards show house band last time out). So there are some good musicians out there doing these shows. But they shouldn't pretend to be the originals.

Brian