Rock the Bayou - Day 2
Sunday, August 31, 2008 at 10:00AM 
Day two of Rock the Bayou - and the heat persists. I'm thinking that an industrious person could make a fine living by having a giant festival in October or early November. I bet the crowds would be huge and beer sales spike. Think about it: enjoying your favorite bands and not sweating your entire body weight? Good times. I think me and my husband spent around 30 bucks on water and Gatorade yesterday alone- I consider that money well spent.
Yesterday, I arrived during Enuff Z' Nuff and also saw Great White, Dokken, Lita Ford and Sammy Hagar.
I am not a huge Enuff Z' Nuff fan, but I have to admit the band sounded really good. Of course, me and about 100 other people saw them - I guess because of the heat. The low attendance at this event is blowing me away. Houston is a world-class city, but it seems even the locals are not coming out to party. I've been watching the shows with regular Bring Back Glam! reader Kari - she came from New Orleans and brought a ton of friends with her. So, every person I've met and spoken with at this event has traveled for the fun. Where are the locals?
Back to Enuff Z' Nuff. The band played a track off their new album called "High" as well as "Fly High Michelle" and "Baby Loves You." Donnie Vie wasn't playing his guitar - at least not during the parts of the show that I saw. He did continually say "Where are all the people?" Donnie also said "Let's all go to one of this little side stages and this whole thing will look a little more professional." I guess he didn't like performing for just a handful of people. I don't blame him.
Great White were awesome as always. Sadly, they played right at the apex of the heat of the day - so again, the crowd was sparse, although the seats did fill in a little toward the end of their set. The band played every song you would expect, including "On Your Knees," "Rock Me" and "Once Bitten, Twice Shy." Great White didn't stick around very long. Their set started right around 4:15 and they were showered and left the venue via 15 passenger van by 6:45. I guess waiting for a hurricane in the oppressive heat wasn't in their rider!
Dokken was next. I've seen Dokken more times this summer than I could ever imagine. First at Rocklahoma, then with Poison and now here at Rock the Bayou. Their Rock the Bayou performance was easily the worst of the three - but that was not the fault of the band. No, the sound was absolutely heinous and it seemed that no one knew how to correct the issue. Don Dokken spent the entire set annoyed - and again, I don't blame him. He repeatedly said "We've got a million dollar PA and a five dollar mic. This is amateur hour!" Dokken soldiered on and performed "Tooth and Nail," "Into the Fire," "Breakin the Chainz," "Dream Warriors," "Just Got Lucky" and more.
The sound wasn't fixed from Dokken and the crap audio continued for Lita Ford. Now, I'm not a big Lita fan but I think it's great that a woman can get on stage and rock with the boys. I love that she plays guitar while singing and looks beautiful while doing it, too. I wasn't that 100% impressed with Lita at Rocklahoma - but her show was during the pouring rain. I figured she was holding a little back then because of the bad weather. Last night, I felt just found plain bad for Lita. The venue - I think - botched her introduction tape. It sounded like it skipped a little and she didn't have her pyro show, either. So far, no one has had pyro, so I am guessing the stage isn't equipped for this. Lita also lacked some personal enthusiasm - and the sparse crowd mainly ended up sitting down for much of the set. Lita did complain about not being able to hear the bass or drums in her monitor - and I believe her. The sound was absolutely atrocious. A bizarre keyboard solo didn't help the show. I swear, that solo sounded like Halloween music on crack. At any rate, Lita did get a little more excited toward the end of the set when she performed "Close My Eyes Forever" and then "Kiss Me Deadly." I do remember looking behind me right before the conclusion of this performance - and was stunned at how empty the seats were.
Sammy Hagar headlined night two of Rock the Bayou. I figured the crowd would be bonkers...but still, not many people in the seats - even for the headliner. At least, no one was shoved up against me. Perhaps more people decided to stand on the lawn because this was a little cooler. Anyway, Sammy was awesome (as I expected) and here was his set:
I Can't Drive 55
One Way to Rock
I'll Fall In Love Again
Three Lock Box
Whole Lotta Love
Why Can't This Be Love?
Sam I Am
Rock Candy
Where Eagles Fly
Serious Juju
Right Now
Heavy Metal
Mas Tequila
(You Gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)
I've only ever seen Sammy Hagar with Van Halen - but I knew his show with the Waboritas would be good. I was right. Sammy sounded great last night and put on a nice, high energy show. Even though he played in the dark, Sammy even commented on the extreme heat - and this guy plays in Cabo San Lucas! Even still, I envied the people lucky enough to stand behind Sammy during his set. My guess is that those people were a) festival sponsors or b) fan club members. Whatever the case, they were average joes and seemed to be having the time of their collective lives.
Sammy didn't get political, but he did say to do some work "in your communities." This was promptly followed by "Right Now." The band didn't exactly do the Van Halen version of the song - it was more of a breakdown - a little slower, with more soul.
Sammy shot some confetti into the crowd, wore his big Cat in the Hat red hat and played the hell out of his guitar. Mercifully his sound was fixed. I'm guessing someone from his crew took over - and thank goodness. Sammy was a great choice as a headliner. I just wish more people had come out to support him - and live music.
Reader Comments (13)
just 2 more days love!!
I know you can make it ;P
can't wait to see & read day 3
i am a local & my husband & i did go days 2 & 3
it was hot, but so are other fests
ACL annually in september isn't much better temp-wise
but indoors can't accomodate what RTB had here at the old astroworld complex (emotional for me since i grew up with season passes), so i say enjoy the music & have some fun, come equiped. we had a great time, the worst part we experience was at the office band hotel - hotel derek . . . had 2 wait nearly 2 hrs after check in time to get a room (yeah, we're local, but made a wknd of it w/o the kids & LOVED seeing the band members there). i feel bad for the security detail, all bussed in from new orleans & cannot return home now, even offered up our guest room to our guard. the bands were awesome & yes, the sound sucked, but hopefully they'll have RTB again next yr & improve on the hotel service & sound. good availability of food & drinks ($$$ of course), plenty of space, good coverage of the muddy areas, medical tent - had to use on minor incident, clean, fresh restrooms, mattress tent with 2 a/c blowers & free iced down towels, friendly vendors & patrons & security! keep up the good work & please have again, i'd even volunteer to help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!