Lynch Mob brings an all-night party to the music-lovin’ metalheads of Mt. Clemens, MI with help from AON and XYZ.
It’s been three long years since the mighty mitten has had a visit from the metal-fueled power squad, the Lynch Mob… and the iconic Emerald Theatre is the perfect venue to host such an epic gala. Tonight, the Mob has brought with them a killer lineup in support of their current US tour, including the new young guns of the hair metal revival, All or Nothing (AON), as well as the mighty LA rockers XYZ (with founding members Terry Ilous and Paul Monroe).
First to the stage on this memorable night of metal madness are the young lads from Birmingham, Alabama, AON. The quad roll out quite a powerful set, opening our night with the fist banger, “Mauled By Jackalopes.” 25-year-old, lead singer phenom, Brett Carlise (also the vocalist for Great White) steps to the mic and unleashes his golden pipes of rock godliness… energizing our crowd with his perfect pitch and the charisma and presence of a seasoned veteran metal man. AON feeds this crowd exactly what they came for…a heapin’ hunk of hard-hittin’ hair metal. Tunes like “Keep Up,” “One Big Party,” and “Big Deal” check all the boxes for future platinum releases and are received well by the capacity crowd.
Mid-set, Brett turns the spotlight over to drummer Skylar McCain who proceeds to beat thunderbolts out of his drum kit for an incredible five-minute drum solo that runs ALL of those rudiments ragged. Fans lose their metal marbles when they launch a tasty cover of the Motley Crue classic “Live Wire.” Guitarist Jacob Mann and bass player Ian Smith work their rigs into a fretboard frenzy that shows that they have the skills and the synergy that makes this team of musical prodigies the next big deal in the metal music scene. AON closes the night with my personal favorite “Benjamin Franklin.”
Our next squad to center stage… the almighty L.A. rockers XYZ, led by founder and frontman Terry Ilous (who was also a former lead singer for the band Great White). They give our crowd a generous set full of hits, including “Maggie,” “What Keeps Me Loving You,” and the steamy little tidbit “Face Down in the Gutter.” Terry always brings incredible energy to the stage… striking his kung fu poses while hitting those glass-breaking high notes. OG drummer Paul Monroe and bass master Sean McNabb keep the night’s groove tight and deep in the pocket. Guitarist Jake Faun, former guitarist for David Lee Roth (and often hailed as the fastest country guitar player), poured out a guitar-iffic night of speedy chops that had all guitar geeks wide-eyed. XYZ closes their performance with the 80s metal classic “Inside Out.” Ilous steps to the mic and announces a brief intermission, “We will be right back with a special surprise!”
Moments later, the party goes to 11 when none other than the lead lick-Lord George Lynch struts on stage wielding a scary version of one of his custom guitars. Lynch is followed by the members of AON, and a grinning George greets a crowd of screaming fans. The band fires into the Dokken classic “Kiss of Death,” and vocalist Carlise is up to the task and skillfully nails the vocals… just like he owned them! Lynch… nearby, rips his riffs and leads the young lads through a fun romp of Dokken classics, including “Lightning Strikes Again,” “Tooth and Nail” and “Into the Fire.” George steps center stage and goes Godzilla when he unleashes “Mr. Scary” on the frenzied fanatics in the front row. As “Scary” comes to a close, we see Terry Ilous has returned to the spotlight to take a turn fronting the jam session. This line up rocks out even more killer Dokken hits… including “The Hunter,” “It’s not Love,” and a powerful version of the hit “Alone Again.” Terry introduces the new single collaboration featuring George Lynch on guitar and backed by team AON. The crew proceeds to perform this new tune “Dead or Alive,” and the crowd loves it! The squad join forces center stage for a congratulatory bow, concluding the first half of this amazing night.
This monster metal mash-up is far from over… and at 11:15pm, our featured act Lynch Mob storms the massive stage of the Emerald Theatre. The crowd of sweaty headbangers is ready for more, so the Mob obliges… BRING ON ROUND FOUR! Wasting no time, Lynch leads his crew into the opener “She’s Evil but She’s Mine,” and vocalist Gabriel Colon marches right up to the front row and begins a fist-bumping buffet, reaching out to dozens of smiling fans. “River of Love,” “Rain,” and “Street Fighting Man” are next and George Lynch shows no signs of fatigue despite monster solos he has fired from his fretboard throughout the night. Mr. Scary himself hits all those classic pinch harmonics, slams that Floyd Rose to the deck, and makes that Seymour Duncan scream for mercy as he tortures all six strings with the ferocity of a six-string samurai.
The band fires off the hit “Testify” (from their sixth album), before a steamy, extended play version of “Hell Child.” Bassist Jaron Gulino (who you might recognize from Tantric, Heaven’s Edge, and The Life Project), and drummer Jordan Cannata make an incredible rhythm section, giving the Mob a huge low-end footprint that hits you right in the face the way metal should! Cannata is quite an inspiration to watch beat the hell out of his drum kit. Truly, the living embodiment of the Muppet “Animal” as he slams, twirls, and jumps up and down on top of his throne like a caffeine-infused chimpanzee wreaking havoc on the Human Benchmark Test (google the dude!).
The George Lynch song “Flesh and Blood” is next (originally featuring vocalist Ray Gillen), followed by “All I Want,” and then a moody rendition of “Sweet Sister Mercy.” The Mob closes the epic night with an XXL version of the band’s mega-hit “Wicked Sensation” that features GL burning his fretboard to smoldering ashes with those flaming fingers of fortitude. Mid-song, we hear Colon sneak in a well-played snippet of the funkadelic classic “Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Agin)” by Sly & The Family Stone.
“Sensation” comes to an end, and the Mob takes center stage to give a last bow of victory to the roaring crowd. And with that folks… this all-night bash that extended into the wee hours, has come to end. Such a great example of ticket money well spent… so don’t delay, get out there and catch the Lynch Mob on tour… today! Lynch Mob and George Lynch come as a highly recommended Loud Hailer concert experience. Be sure to check the band’s official website for upcoming dates, details, and announcements.
AON
EMERALD THEATRE
