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Review: Bret Michaels, Poison give Jones Beach ‘Nothin’ But a Good Time’ (Includes first-hand account)

They shared the stage with such rock groups as Pop Evil and Cheap Trick. An iconic rock band, Poison is made up of all original members: Bret Michaels on lead vocals and guitar, Bobby Dall on bass, Rikki Rockett on drums and C.C. Deville on guitars.

Poison’s set began with an animated video of the band that displayed in the giant televised screen. “Long Island, New York. Are we ready to party?” front-man Bret Michaels asked, and they began their set with the upbeat “Look What the Cat Dragged In,” which was met with an enormous response from the Wantagh crowd.

Michaels showcased his tremendous energy level, running and jumping around the stage. “Are we ready to party New York?” he asked, and the answer was a resounding “yeah.” They immediately broke into “I Want Action,” where he encouraged the fans to sing it back to him, and they gladly fulfilled his request.

“I am fired up tonight,” he said, and expressed his sincere gratitude to everybody in the audience. “Tonight is an awesome night. We have three generations of awesome fans ready to party,” he said, and Michaels complimented Pop Evil and Cheap Trick for opening for them. They continued with “Ride the Wind,” which was the song that he claimed as one of his personal favorites.

“Are we ready to keep this party rolling?” he asked. They went on to perform the fan-favorite and sassy “Talk Dirty to Me,” which featured neat silhouette images on the televised screen. Michaels proved to be in top-notch physical shape, and did not look a day over 30 years old.

“Oh shit. It is awesome to be in New York City,” he acknowledged. “It is going to be one big party tonight, and we will have a good time,” he said.

Without getting political, Michaels noted that he is the son of a veteran father, and he praised all of the veterans and first responders for the hard work that they do. He dedicated his chart-topping single “Something to Believe In” to them, as several of them were brought out on the stage. Michaels, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, sang this song in honor of our “freedom.” Moving images of military families and the American flag displayed on the screen. “You look awesome tonight,” he complimented the crowd.

Michaels invited the Long Island audience to slip on their dancing shoes for “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” and lead guitarist C.C. DeVille nailed a killer guitar solo, thus proving that his prowess on electric guitar is unparalleled.

Equally superior were “Fallen Angel” and “Unskinny Bop.” Bobby Dall displayed his skills on bass with his bass solo, and Rikki Rocket rocked the drums. It was followed by the song that the entire venue was waiting to hear, Poison’s signature song “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” which was sheer perfection, as everybody’s cell phones lit up the venue, which was a beautiful sight. Michaels’ vocals were rich and rumbling, and they delivered a powerhouse version of this rock classic. “You sound awesome tonight,” he told his fans. “Boy, you sound good,” he exclaimed.

They closed with “Nothin’ but a Good Time,” which ironically enough, was the namesake song of the tour, and it earned them a lengthy standing ovation.

For their encore, Poison returned on stage for an electrifying version of KISS’ “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

The Verdict

Overall, Bret Michaels and Poison were fantastic at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island with a high-octane, rocking performance. Michaels embodied his lyrics like no other, and the connection he had with his fans and listeners was superb and palpable. They epitomized the heart and soul of rock and roll. The esteemed front-man commanded the stage for the entire 80 minutes duration of their show; moreover, Michaels’ talent in the music industry could only be surpassed with his humility and charity work that he does outside of the music business.

Poison proved that they deserve to be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the near future, and for anybody who has any doubts, all they need to do is see a highlight reel of Poison’s spectacular live performance at Jones Beach. This is a band that delivers every time, and they will blow all naysayers away. Poison’s live show at Jones Beach garnered five out of five stars.

To learn more about Poison, their new music and touring schedule, check out their official website.

Read More: Bret Michaels chatted with Digital Journal about their music, and “Nothin’ But a Good Time” Tour.

Markos Papadatos
Written By

Markos Papadatos is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for Music News. Papadatos is a Greek-American journalist and educator that has authored over 20,000 original articles over the past 18 years. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, lifestyle, magic, and sports. He is a 16-time "Best of Long Island" winner, where for three consecutive years (2020, 2021, and 2022), he was honored as the "Best Long Island Personality" in Arts & Entertainment, an honor that has gone to Billy Joel six times.

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