Rock band Skid Row continue on touring in the latter part of the summer after keeping themselves on the road for a great deal of 2014. Formed back in 1986, the band had a great deal of success early on with Skid Row (1989) and Slave to the Grind (1991), having both go multi-platinum. Originally fronted by vocalist Sebastian Bach, the band took a three-year hiatus between 1996 and 1999 then came back with strength having Johnny Solinger as their singer as they re-invented themselves. Based out of Toms River, NJ, the guys came back to their home state on Friday, August 15th to rock Starland Ballroom in Sayreville.
Opening up the night and setting the stage was hard-working Pottsville, PA based band Crobot. Having been working clubs around the country for the past few years, this throw back rock band signed with Wind-up Records in 2013 and are set to release their major label debut Something Supernatural October 28th. The band consists of Brendan Yeagley on vocals, Bishop on guitar, and brothers Jake and Paul Figueroa on bass and drums respectively. Possessing the vibes and hip swagger, the good old days of rock-n-roll, Crobot had everyone’s attention playing tunes like “The Legend of the Spaceborne Killer” and “Nowhere to Hide”. Fit with bell bottoms and a microphone stand with a dangling dream catcher, Yeagley unleashed a powerful range of vocals. For those that enjoy groovy jams with deep guitar riffs and hauntingly high-pitched vocals, then Crobot is well worth checking out. They will be on tour all of this fall in support of the new record.
Ready to kick off their weekend with a classic rock-n-roll show, the audience gathered on the floor waiting for Skid Row. Setting the tempo while paying tribute to punk rock legends, The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” played its entirety before the band arrived on stage to a roaring ovation. Kicking off with song “Lets Go”, guitarist Dave “The Snake” Sabo, bassist Rachel Bolanm, guitarist Scotti Hill, and drummer Rob Hammersmith all seemed lively and in sync with Solinger. Staying heavily interacted with the crowd and loving every minute of it, Solinger showed why he has remained the band’s frontman for fifteen years. Their set continued with “Makin a Mess”, “Piece of Me, “18 and Life”, ” Kings of Demolition”, and “In a Darkened Room.” Fans enjoyed each moment of the performance as they sang along with their favorite tunes and welcomed newer generation Skid Row rockers, like “Ghost.” Wrapping up the set with “I Remember You” and “Monkey Business”, the band had everyone locked in and begging for more. Skid Row graciously granted their fans’ wishes with an encore led by new track “We are the Damned” before blowing the roof off Starland Ballroom with “Slave to the Grind” and arguably the band’s most recognized song, “Youth Gone Wild.”
Skid Row are still a hard-hitting in your face rock-n-roll band that is a blast to see live after all these years. New Jersey welcomed their home town heroes back with open arms and will continue to do so each time they come around. At the end of their 15 song set you could tell the band is still as driven as ever and ready to keep up their climb to provide straight, American rock music for years to come.
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