New Years Eve 1995. I was 4 months into being 16 and having my driver’s license. That night there was no other place my long haired, hard rock lovin’, stupid teen self would have rather been then in Detroit seeing the Motor City Madman, Ted Nugent, perform at his 10th annual Whiplash Bash concert.
Many things made this show special. First, my friends and I drove ourselves to the show. It was one of the first times we were able to do so without having the embarrassment of our parents dropping us off. Second, this was probably the first time any of us teens had been around so many drunken fools in one place (which made for great people watching). Third, we were seeing a local legend at a legendary local venue, Cobo Arena.
Like the Nuge, Cobo Arena was iconic with Detroit music history: Concert albums by KISS (Alive!- Including the iconic arena photo on the album's back cover), Bob Seger (Live Bullet), Journey (Captured), Yes (Yesshows), The J. Geils Band (Blow Your Face Out), and The Doors (Live in Detroit) wereall recorded, in whole or in part, in the arena. We were thrilled to be seeing a show there ourselves. Chills.
When the Nuge took the stage, the first thing that surprised me was the length of his massive beard. As he explained some point into the set, we were many months deep into Michigan hunting season, and as any Midwestern man knows, you grow a beard to keep your face warm during the snowy months. Ted was just following protocol.
To everyone’s pleasure Ted pulled out all the stops those who love him have come to know and expect. He only had some 30 years to perfect his stage craft at that point including : Shooting a hanging guitar with a flaming arrow, swinging from a vine in loin cloth, and riding a goddamn buffalo out on stage while ripping a shredding solo! It was basically a Nuge greatest hits show, so every song you wanted to hear was played… at ear bleeding volume! Even the Damn Yankees showed up at one point and took the stage to play a song with Ted. (bummer part of the night). Yet the crowd ate it up. That’s Michigan for you.
Right before midnight the countdown took place and as soon as the clock struck 12 fireworks shot off for what seemed like ten minutes straight. When the smoke cleared Nuge busted into Stranglehold and my face was crushed. What a time.
Wow, it was almost 18 years ago!
Many things made this show special. First, my friends and I drove ourselves to the show. It was one of the first times we were able to do so without having the embarrassment of our parents dropping us off. Second, this was probably the first time any of us teens had been around so many drunken fools in one place (which made for great people watching). Third, we were seeing a local legend at a legendary local venue, Cobo Arena.
Like the Nuge, Cobo Arena was iconic with Detroit music history: Concert albums by KISS (Alive!- Including the iconic arena photo on the album's back cover), Bob Seger (Live Bullet), Journey (Captured), Yes (Yesshows), The J. Geils Band (Blow Your Face Out), and The Doors (Live in Detroit) wereall recorded, in whole or in part, in the arena. We were thrilled to be seeing a show there ourselves. Chills.
When the Nuge took the stage, the first thing that surprised me was the length of his massive beard. As he explained some point into the set, we were many months deep into Michigan hunting season, and as any Midwestern man knows, you grow a beard to keep your face warm during the snowy months. Ted was just following protocol.
To everyone’s pleasure Ted pulled out all the stops those who love him have come to know and expect. He only had some 30 years to perfect his stage craft at that point including : Shooting a hanging guitar with a flaming arrow, swinging from a vine in loin cloth, and riding a goddamn buffalo out on stage while ripping a shredding solo! It was basically a Nuge greatest hits show, so every song you wanted to hear was played… at ear bleeding volume! Even the Damn Yankees showed up at one point and took the stage to play a song with Ted. (bummer part of the night). Yet the crowd ate it up. That’s Michigan for you.
Right before midnight the countdown took place and as soon as the clock struck 12 fireworks shot off for what seemed like ten minutes straight. When the smoke cleared Nuge busted into Stranglehold and my face was crushed. What a time.
Wow, it was almost 18 years ago!
-Rollin’
Geoff
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