Red, White & Blue Oyster Cult

In Columbus, we have one of the largest fireworks displays in the entire midwest called appropriately enough ‘Red, White & Boom’. This year, local radio station QFM96 hosted a ‘Red, White & Blue Oyster Cult’ show on the night of ‘Boom (7/3/08) that my entire family attended. Sounded like a great combination - RWB & BOC. It was.

Cincinnati Blues guitarist Scotty Bratcher started the evening. I’ve been hearing about this guy for a while now and knew that he opened for Eric Clapton when Slowhand was last in town. So he must be pretty good, right? That would be a tremendous understatement - he proved himself to be a talented fret burner capable of emotional blues riffs as well as razor edge rock pyrotechnics, sometimes in a single song.  Very entertaining performer who I hope to see again soon (probably will, he’s playing a few more shows in town over the next few weeks).

BOC came out next and gave the admittedly older crowd exactly what they wanted; a healthy dose of the classic Cult sound.  Some surprises in the lineup to me, where original members Eric Bloom (Vocals/Keyboards/Guitars) & Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser (Guitars) were joined by guitarist/keyboardist Ritchie Castellano, drummer Jules Radino and legendary bass god Rudy Sarzo (Quiet Riot/Ozzy Osbourne/Whitesnake).  What a pleasant surprise!  At one point in the show, the band even fooled around with Sarzo’s history by playing a few seconds of ‘Metal Health’ and ‘Here I Go Again’ as a mock medley tribute.

With any band that’s been around as long as BOC, you’ll never hear every song you hope.  Such was the case this night as they didn’t play ‘Black Blade’ or ‘Joan Crawford has Risen From the Grave’.   Otherwise, we did get the staples of their show such as ‘Burnin’ for You’, ‘Don’t Fear the Reaper’ and of course, ‘Godzilla’.  Thanks to a great site called Hotrails to Hull, I can provide you with a complete setlist as follows;

• Summer of Love
• OD’d on Life Itself
• Before the Kiss (A Redcap)
• Burnin’ For You
• Me262
• Golden Age of Leather
• Shooting Shark
• Buck’s Boogie
• Cities on Flame
• Perfect Water
• Godzilla
• Don’t Fear the Reaper
• The Red & The Black

It was a fun & well played show, not some group of tired old men squeezing the life out of a legendary name.  I also appreciated Eric Bloom’s request to the crowd to contact the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame and demand that Alice Cooper be inducted.  I agree Eric. . . well said and kinda classy that you mentioned it.

After the show, the fireworks (and drunken tomfoolery) began, rounding out a great night.  But before leaving the LC Pavilion, you just know I had to pick up the COOLEST CONCERT T-SHIRT EVER (pictured)!  I pretty much wore it for the next two days straight (yes, there was a washing in there).  I’m even thinking of getting it tattooed onto my chest.   

Will most likely see BOC one more time this summer as I’m going again to the Rock N’ Resort Music Festival at Clay’s RV resort.  I may yet get to hear ‘Black Blade’.

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