Cinderella made a stop in Pittsburgh on their latest tour. Has it really been almost 30 years since these guys first got together and more than 25 years since Night Songs was released? Where does the time go? These guys haven't lost a step, though. They can still rock it like they did back in the day, and over they years, they have become one of my favorite live bands.
The Carnegie Library Music Hall is small, but it was packed with fans of all ages by the time Cinderella hit the stage. The acoustics are great and it is a wonderfully intimate setting to see a band. Tom Keifer's unmistakable, gravely voice and the band's bluesy style of hard rock filled the hall that was no doubt meant for a string quartet, not a long-haired, rock-n-roll band. Tom sounded great and interacted quite a bit with the crowd to get them fired up. His musical abilities never cease to amaze me, and when combined with guitarist Jeff LaBar, bassist Eric Brittingham and drummer Fred Coury, they comprise a well-oiled, musical machine without compare They ran thru a set of their biggest hits, including Nobody's Fool, Shake Me, Heartbreak Station and Gypsy Road. They even included Long Cold Winter in the encore, one of my personal favorites. At one point, Jeff LaBar jumped over onto a large amp in front of the stage to get closer to the crowd, and a guy in the balcony looked about ready to fall over the railing as he played along on his air guitar. That's what it's all about!
The tour continues after the 4th of July holiday, so be sure to catch them if they hit your town. You won't be disappointed!
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Icarus Witch opened for Cinderella at the 114 year old Carnegie Library Music Hall in Pittsburgh on 6.23.12. This heavy metal band, formed in Pittsburgh, PA in 2004 by bassist Jason Myers, has been compared to Crimson Glory and early Queensryche, and has toured with the likes of Paul Di'Anno and Y&T.
With three new members, Icarus Witch hit the stage in support of their new release Rise, which should be released on July 3, 2012. Rise has been getting fantastic reviews, noting that the new lineup has provided stronger musicianship and songwriting than seen in previous releases. That combined with the catchier and more melodic sound could give the band what they need to bring them to the forefront. The title track is certainly bound for regular rotation on my playlist.
Their usual vocalist, Christopher Shaner, was absent this night, and Jason Russo of Herod filled in. While I would have liked to hear Christopher live, Jason didn't disappoint. Besides songs from Rise, they ended the night with a cover Def Leppard's "Mirror, Mirror", providing a fresh twist to a great old song. My only complaint was that the set was much too short. I'll have to keep these guys on the radar and try to catch them at a headlining gig.
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Sick Sense - I don’t really have much to say about them. They were OK, but not really my cup of tea. Their sound was a hard rock style, with some blues influence, but more of a modern feel - Papa Roach comes to mind for me.
