REO Speedwagon Blows the Red, Off The Redrocks of Southern Utah At Tuacahn
– By James McFadden –
The year was 1981 and the first girlfriend I ever loved, also loved REO Speedwagon. To this very day, every time I hear Keep On Loving You, Can’t Fight This Feeling, or Time For Me To Fly, I think of her. Hi Infidelity was the new album and unfortunately for both of us, heartbreak was in the air.
You see, I had planned to take her to see them that year but the Universe had other plans for us and by the time REO was coming to town, we were no longer together; so, the story goes. It only took another forty-one years for me to finally see them in concert and Holy S#*@, What A Concert It Was! – Yes, you can quote me on that in its unedited form…
Insert additional colorful metaphors here! Hereinafter referred to as (CMs).
This is southern Utah after all, I know you get it…
Now, I think it’s important to preface this so you have some essential context as you assess these thoughts I’m sharing with you. For starters, the concert was completely sold out, standing room only. What’s more incredible is this, you see Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon’s lead singer, recently turned seventy years old. Would you like me to repeat that? Ok, I will… Kevin Cronin is Seventy f(cm)ing Years Old!
I even imagined Dave Amato, just two years younger, hitting the couch when the concert was over, looking at his fellow bandmates and saying ‘We’re really too f(cm)ing old for this s(cm)t!’ and frankly meaning it! Even if that’s true, I’m thankful, as I know hundreds of thousands of other fans are, that they are still getting up to do this s(cm)t for all of us.
When Hi Infidelity came out in 1981, Kevin was just turning thirty. That was forty years ago so as my daughter and I were heading to Tuacahn to see them, my expectations were not very high. So much so, I initially figured I would be writing this article more about Tuacahn than the band but that expectation didn’t take long to be squashed… No, obliterated!
At one point during their performance, Keven even yelled out, and I quote. “We’re going to keep you mf’s(cm) young!” — You nailed that one for sure Kevin.
I have seen several artists perform over the last few years who were also in their prime, not going to mention those bands, but what I can say is this, a few of them really shouldn’t be out there singing anymore, sorry, not sorry. However, this cannot be said for the boys of REO Speedwagon. I don’t think there was a single note on one song that they didn’t all nail. I mean, Holy S(cm)t was I in for a surprise!
As of last Friday night, any worries I had were forever transformed and I now consider Keven and the band, some of the greatest rock stars of this century, at least since I saw RUSH, also in 1981, with the same girlfriend I mentioned earlier.
I have now seen well over 30 of the greatest rock and roll bands perform since that first live Rush concert, so I hope that’s saying enough. Eat your heart out Klause Meine, Charles Roger, Ronny James Dio, and oh god yes, especially David Lee Roth!
Note: I actually love Klause, Charles, and Ronny, but Kevin just bumped them down a notch and David shot himself in the foot a long time ago so that’s on you, Dave…
That being said, in all fairness, I did say they were now some of the greatest rock stars, but for me, that’s saying a lot because before last Friday, in my heart of hearts, I loved their music but never put them in the same class as the others. Now, I sincerely see Kevin up there with Klause Meine, Joe Elliott, Geddy Lee, and Brian Johnson, just to name a few. I hope the top 5 is ok Kevin.
REO Speedwagon really is in a class unto itself, I’m really sorry I missed you guys all those years ago and this is where I get to brag my a(cm)s off – front row seats and a special pass to take some of the most amazing pictures of my life! I guess you could say this is my disclaimer since I was treated to this opportunity through Tuacahn but as I said, I figured I would be writing more about the incredible venue Tuacahn has to offer and the amazing artists that are yet to come perform, but no, everything I have to say here about the concert and the band comes from a very unexpected place.
The whole experience really could be summed up in one short sentence. If you want to have your ass blown completely away, get off yours and go see them before they announce they’re done touring! I mean, get the f(cm) off your a(cm) and go see them!!
Before I wrap this up, I would be amiss and seriously chastised by my daughter if I didn’t also mention the opening act since the lead singer is Kevin’s son, Shane Cronin.
Sir, Please opened the night and my thirteen-year-old daughter, who reluctantly came along with me I might add, became an instant fan of the boys from Los Angeles.
From their website: Sir, Please is an L.A.based, indie-rock band, with a psychedelic edge. Their moving lyrics and unique sound creates a vibe that resonates with any crowd. Singer Shane Cronin’s powerful vibrato naturally fuses with Michael Leese’s crisp rhythm guitar and the driving grooves of drummer David Kohn and bassist Josh Cronin. The result is a contemporary sound, with hints of old.
If you happen to catch this article and you’re looking to see REO Speedwagon before they truly exit the stage, you can see where they will be performing 53 more shows this year alone, a staggering schedule even when compared to their early days! Tour Dates.
In the meantime, I hope you have enjoyed these thoughts and the pictures, there are also a few more below. We’ll see you in the wild my friends!
In the immortal words of REO Speedwagon, I leave you with this… Live Every Moment, Roll With The Changes, and Keep The Fire Burnin’…
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