Michaels played for an excellent turnout of fans. “The party starts now,” he exclaimed, and he was running and hopping on the stage. “Are we ready?” he shouted, and kicked off his set with “Talk Dirty to Me.” “Raise your hands. C’mon,” he said. “This is old-school Poison.” He noted that it was good to see his friends on Long Island.
“How are you doing, New York?” he asked. “Are you ready to party?” he inquired, and the answer was a resounding “oh yeah.” He immediately broke into Poison’s vivacious “Ride the Wind,” where he had the crowd clapping along with him, and he went on to introduce his talented band members.
“Let’s keep is it going,” he said. “It’s good to be back in Huntington, Long Island,” he added, and he took his fans on a trip down memory lane to the first song he ever wrote with Poison, and that was the uptempo and fun “Look What the Cat Dragged in,” which featured electrifying guitar riffs.
“I’m fired up tonight,” he admitted. “Last year, it was an awesome night at The Paramount. I’m in ho hurry to go anywhere on a Saturday night on the Island with my friends.” He went on to wish everybody “Happy Holidays” from himself and his Poison bandmates (Rikki Rockett, Bobby Dall, C.C. DeVille), all of which he spoke to earlier today.
Michaels shared that he is stoked about the “Stadium Tour,” which kicks off in the summer of 2020, Poison will be sharing the stage with Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard, as well as Joan Jett & the Blackhearts.
He went on to dedicate the poignant song “Unbroken” to his late father, Wally, who passed away in August. He described it as one of his personal favorite songs since it’s about overcoming adversity and going through the hard times. This song struck a chord with his Long Island audience, as many of them were moved to tears.
On a lighter note, he picked up the pace with the infectious “Your Mama Don’t Dance.” “It never gets old New York,” he acknowledged.
“Is everyone having a good time,” he asked, and of course the audience erupted with cheers. He went on to perform “Something to Believe In” on his acoustic guitar, which he dedicated to all the men and women that are fighting for our freedom, which “allow us to party tonight.” He encouraged everybody to light up the venue with their phones, and it was quite a beautiful spectacle. Particularly impressive about this tender performance was that there was “zero politics” and everyone was “one big family.” “You look amazing,” he said, complimenting The Paramount audience.
Equally incredible songs were his signature song “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” where everybody was singing along with him, and of course, “Nothin’ But a Good Time,” which was the theme of the evening. He deserved every standing ovation he received tonight, and then some.
The Verdict
Overall, Bret Michaels was amazing at The Paramount on Huntington. He engaged with the audience throughout his set, making them feel at home, and commanded the stage the entire night. He has the energy level of a 20-year-old and that is really inspiring; moreover, his entire band was exceptional and rocking as well. Michaels’ live set at The Paramount earned five out of five stars. Michaels proves once again, that he deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with Poison.
To learn more about Bret Michaels and his forthcoming tour dates, check out his official website.
Read More: Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos chatted with Bret Michaels about the “Stadium Tour,” his future plans for 2020, family and his dedicated fans.