Michaels Rocks
The Round House

Bret Michaels
North Fork Theatre at Westbury

       
Bret Michaels is a people pleaser. When he hits a stage, he explodes like a firecracker on the fourth of July, and he does it all with a grin. This winter, Michaels is flying solo as he brought his “Rock Of Love” tour to the North Fork Theatre at Westbury on February 23. The veteran rocker got Long Island’s juices flowing early, long before he returns in the summer with his other band, Poison.
Playing to more than a three-quarters house (no revolving stage), Michaels drew so well due to the popularity of his hit show on VH1, “Rock Of Love.” Ladies in leopard skin cowboy hats and dudes in bandana babushkas were plentiful as Michaels opened the show with the familiar sounds of “Talk Dirty To Me.” Slapping hands with everyone in the front row, Michaels smiled and said, “I can’t thank you enough for coming out. This is rock & roll right here. This, my friends, is a party!”

Poison fans were pleased as Michaels performed “Look What The Cat Dragged In” followed by the solo tune “Bittersweet” from his Songs Of Life album. In May, VH1 will release a CD compiling his solo material called Rock My World. Speaking of his show, Michaels said, “I get a chance to make an idiot of myself on TV every week and I have fun doing it.”
Michaels and his band electrified the house with their renditions of “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” Michaels was wigglin’ his hips and playin’ the harmonica with his lips. One woman in the crowd propositioned Michaels, causing him to say, “Let’s start right here – 'Rock of Love 3'!”
“We recently played for our men and women overseas for two and a half weeks. Those people give our country everything they got,” Michaels said. “They are truly the best of the best.” The next song, “Something To Believe In,” was dedicated in honor of the troops as fans waived their hands back and forth in the air.
“Unskinny Bop” and “Driven” from his Freedom Of Sound album, also to be featured on Rock My World, kept the evening going and the energy high. One of the highlights of the show was Michaels’ rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama,” including his announcement of “Long Island, turn it up,” delivered Ronnie Van Zant style.
The pairing of ballads “I Won’t Forget You” and “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” was a winner, as was the show closer “Fallen Angel.” Before exiting the stage, Michaels shouted, “Thank you for being fans of rock & roll and giving us your energy.”
Immediately returning to the stage, Michaels invited everybody to an after party at The White House in Hampton Bays, and then said, “We ain’t leaving until you have ‘Nothin’ But A Good Time.’” The Poison hit got many audience members riled up, and just as many could be seen leaving the auditorium with smiles on their faces. Michaels’ feel-good charm was contagious, and while his music is fluffy, it’s fun – and there’s nothing wrong with having fun.
– David J. Criblez.

Electric Avenue SPECIAL

       
Here we go again as Electric Avenue takes a look at area musicians and their visits to area music stores and emporiums. As these words are being typed, we're sure that area players are simply glad to be indoors – of late, snow, slush, sleet, and rain have been the rule. As we eagerly await the arrival of summer, we'll see how hot things are getting at area music stores.
The famed Looney Tunes record store in West Babylon will be the site of a "Guitar Hero III" tournament that will feature more than $5,000 worth of prizes.
Fans of the popular video game can take part in this tourney open to four divisions and skill levels: 7 and under, 8 to 12, 13 to 17, and 18 and over in easy, medium, hard, and expert levels. Trophies will be awarded to the winners, and electric guitars and Hartke amplifiers will be awarded to select winners. Entrants can compete on PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, or Nintendo Wii platforms.
Qualifying rounds are March 8 and 9 from 11 am to 6 pm, while the finals will be March 15 and 16 from 11 am to 6 pm. For more information on entry fees and other requirements, log on to the Looney Tunes website at LTCDS.com, or call the store at (631) 587-7722.

Scott Russ Music in Freeport claims to be the area’s only exclusive, full-line organ dealer, and they’ve been showing off some new products on the floor. Some notable items are Hammond’s XK3C and B3 models as well as their 300-watt Leslie 3300 portable speaker. Also newly available are the Leslie G37 and G27 speaker units. The G37 is equipped with a 100-watt solid-state amp and a vacuum tube pre-amp, which is the only difference between the two models. For more information, call Scott Russ Music at (516)-377-7908.
The only authorized Gibson dealer in southwestern Nassau County is Monster Music, with locations in Levittown and Rockville Centre. They’ve both been busy with local musicians this month, with Mike Zagel of A Farewell Fire and James Miller from Blameshift both stopping by for instruments and accessories. For more information on this popular store, call (516) 735-3594.
The East Rockaway Music Center recently added Fabrizio Francese, a popular Long Island bass player, to its instructional staff. Terrence, also teaching full-time at East Rockaway, is in a cover band called A Witch’s Brew that will be playing dates in Oceanside, Rockville Centre, and East Rockaway during the first half of the year. To find out more about the female-fronted band, visit their MySpace page at myspace.com/awitchsbrew. Dianne, Paul, and Paul Jr. from East Rockaway Music will also showcase their acoustic trio this year with shows at The Fishery. For details on these shows as well as music instruction, call The East Rockaway Music Center at (516) 599-6693.
Murphy's Music in Melville, an institution in the area for more than 30 years, recently added the full line of the popular Orange Amplifiers to their product line. Learn more about Orange by calling Jeff at (631) 549-4510.
Finally, Chris at Music Emporium in Bellmore reported that new gear from Gibson and Ibanez is arriving often as products from NAMM make their way onto store shelves. Music Emporium is a full-line, full service music store; for more information, call them at (516) 221-4888.

Know of any exciting recent news about local musicians or the stores where they shop? With the wealth of talented artists in the area, it’s always a possibility that they’ll drop into a store near you. If you know of an appearance – or if you’re a music shop owner, proprietor, or employee with news to share – we want to know about it. Contact Good Times to be featured on Electric Avenue; write to us at gtmag@optonline.net,or give us a call at (516) 280-2100.