Darren: Blaksmith opened with some old-school metal and had a very charismatic delivery. Head-banging riffs and shredding guitar solos made this band a blast to rock out to.
Florinda: Although I agree with what Darren said, just a bit to add from a female perspective: This guy was hot! He had a set of guns on him and was a treat to watch.
Darren: The Cauze played a very entertaining set. The band has catchy tunes, excellent showmanship, and tight vocal harmonies – not something you hear a lot of these days. But the best part about watching them is that they seem to be truly having fun. Combine all that with solid musicianship from every band member, and the result is a good time for all.
Florinda: I have seen this band play a few times and I was expecting more of the same, but in this show there was a whole lot more energy and it seemed to me they had tightened up their set and were playing better as a unit. Bobby Richards, the drummer, was a recent addition to the band. Compared to seeing them before in different venues, this by far was the most enjoyable for me.
Darren: George Lynch played an interesting set. Unfortunately it didn't seem much like a band, more like some guys getting together to jam. There were moments of brilliance and moments of train wrecks. But hey, rock and roll isn't always supposed to be pretty!
Florinda: I had heard all the hype about George Lynch being so great… and to be completely honest, I wasn't that impressed. Every musician in the band seemed to be “in their own little world.” One guy in the back shredding on his guitar wasn't even given credit, but the band wouldn’t have had such a full sound with just the guys up front playing. I did, however, like one guitar George came out with for one song. It was specially made for him with skulls all over, and it was hot. George played to the right of the stage the whole time so I didn't get to get a picture of the guitar; it bummed me out, but no loss.
Darren: As for The Michael Schenker Group, well, I was actually a little nervous about seeing Michael Schenker. I had heard stories about his inconsistency and wasn't sure what to expect, because I had seen him play with UFO on the “Walk On Water” tour and that was an amazing show. I was hoping for the same thing this time, and I got it. From the moment the band walked on stage, you could sense you were in the presence of a group that had real chemistry, fueled mainly by the haunting melodies and methodical guitar playing of the original mad axeman. The whole band put on an excellent show. Something I realized while watching the show is that Schenker knows how to be in a band. Even though the band sports his name, he is not a showboater and has no problem sharing the spotlight. We even got a special treat when Schenker 
called Robin McCauley out of the crowd to sing the UFO anthem, "Lights Out." It's not every day you get to watch a guitar legend from 5 feet away, and this was my lucky day!
Florinda: I had heard so many stories about Michael Schenker that I didn't know what to think, so I was listening and seeing without a basis of comparison. I was impressed by his performance, which showed he is an excellent guitarist. Even though I hear he has had problems with arthritis, in this show you could not tell.
All Access Magazine thanks Darren and Florida for sharing their thoughts on this show with our readers, and the Key Club for ALL of their support! The Cauze, MSG, George Lynch, and especially Robin McCauley, YOU ROCK!
For a complete calendar list visit www.KeyClub.com.
