All Photos By Travis Failey/Rocket Sports & Entertainment
George Lynch and LYNCH MOB played to packed State Theatre in Saint Petersburg on Saturday night. Unfortunately, some disappointed fans were turned away due to some safety concerns which caused the State Theatre's balcony to be closed. The fate of the long time Saint Petersburg rock-house is in the hands of the owners: get things fixed or the city will have to close down the facility. It would be a shame because the State Theatre has been a staple in this community since 1949.
As one of Tampa Bay's best local bands, 5 STAR HOOKER, closed its set with a great rendition of ACCEPT’s "Balls To The Wall", it occurred to me that I haven’t seen George Lynch live since the Monster’s Of Rock Tour in 1988. Not that I haven’t wanted to, but timing has always been an issue.
It was a tale of two stages as the multiple stacks of Marshall and Ampeg amplifiers of the past were replaced with a much more subdued but still highly effective backline of equipment. Come to find out after the show that LYNCH MOB didn’t travel with their touring gear to St. Pete but rented it locally. George mentioned that the band had enjoyed the local beach and downtown Saint Petersburg haunts as they were in town for a few extra days due to the cancellation of the 80’s In Ihe Park Festival because of Hurricane Irma.
As the hundreds of mostly male spectators packed the floor elbow to elbow, white brimmed drummer Jimmy D’Anda and bassist Sean McNabb took the dimly lit stage. Vocalist Oni Logan followed shortly as George Lynch made a couple of fine tunings on his ESP guitar. George switched between two different guitars throughout the night, one the ESP LTD and the other, a Gibson, with neither resembling the Dem Bones ESP signature that was played during the "Dream Warrior"’s video.
Lynch took the crowd on a smooth ride into Logan belting out the opening lyrics to “Street Fighting Man”. The crowd got a dose of LYNCH MOB’s debut album early with a trifecta of songs from it with “She’s Evil But She’s Mine” and “River Of Love” following the opener.
Lynch then addressed the crowd and thanked them for their continued support and Oni Logan introduced the single ”Main Offender” from LYNCH MOB's recent release The Brotherhood. Lynch commented on the release "We wrote this album as a band and the name of the record reflects what the band is about and what all my bands have been about since I've been a kid. This is my second family. These are my brothers. You go through a lot together and have a lot of experiences together. And that then becomes a part of the music."
Lynch asked the crowd if they wanted to hear some DOKKEN and of course the crowd replied with a roar. Two classics, “When Heaven Comes Down” and “Into The Fire” from Tooth And Nail started off the three pack of DOKKEN faves with “The Hunter” from Under Lock And Key completing the mini-set.
LYNCH MOB didn’t let the crowd get into a lull by playing unfamiliar songs but when they did, they knew the next song should be a DOKKEN song or one from Wicked Sensation. An example was when they concluded with “Testify” from 2015’s Rebel, LYNCH MOB followed up directly with “Sweet Sister Mercy”. Throughout the evening’s discussions prior to their set, the crowd couldn’t wait to hear George Lynch’s signature solo in “Mr. Scary” and Lynch obliged after “Where Do You Sleep” from 2013’s Smoke And Mirrors.
After the solo, LYNCH MOB finished the night with their biggest hit, “Wicked Sensation”, and the band said their goodbyes to the crowd, the house lights went on but the crowd didn’t leave and the band decided to play on.
It was bonus night at the State Theatre as the house lights dimmed once again as LYNCH MOB played the opening notes to the DOKKEN classic, and fan favorite, “Just Got Lucky”. To close out the encore, LYNCH MOB went with the recent single from The Brotherhood in “Dr. Jekyl And Hyde”. At first it seemed to be an odd choice, but as the song progressed, the track really showed how tight of a unit this version of LYNCH MOB is and how well Logan & Lynch write and perform together. Speaking of Oni Logan, he seems to be at the top of his game as he was a powerhouse all night on vocals. His voice is a combination of rock, soul and blues and it’s a rarity in today’s rock music environment.
As the band departed the stage and the house lights came back on and you saw satisfaction in the departing crowd’s faces and after tonight’s performance, one thing was obvious; George Lynch and his LYNCH MOB brotherhood are indeed back. Back for the Attack.
Check out some more photos from the show!
All Photos By Travis Failey/Rocket Sports & Entertainment
