Loverboy A Concert Review	February 3, 1998 House of Blues Chicago, IL A Review and Photos by The Dude on the Right

The place was the House of Blues in Chicago, and Loverboy made it one of their stops in support of their latest CD, "Six." I was a little hesitant going to the show, I guess mostly out of my own selfishness, hoping they weren't going to pull one of those "We have a new CD out so we're not going to play any of our old stuff" shows. They didn't, and I was happy.

Loverboy, even making new music, seem to be realistic that classic rock is as important to their survival as selling new CD's. Paul Dean probably stated this most quaintly by coming to the microphone and commenting how he is only allowed to say one thing to the crowd, and he uses it to say "Thank you, Lord, for classic rock!"

"Alrighty then," I can hear you thinking now, "Enough commentary, how was the show?" Well, Loverboy may have gotten a little older, maybe a tad, hmm, slower, but they can still rock. Opening with "Hot Girls In Love," Loverboy blasted through a 14ish song set that touched on, selfishly for me, most of their hits, and showcased a few of their new songs that don't suck, but you probably won't hear them unless you buy the CD. You had guitar solo's, you had keyboard solo's, you had Mike Reno holding the mike stand over the audience for the proper audience participation lines, and you had hot girls in tight shirts up at the front of the stage - What more could you ask for? Well, at least that's what I asked for!

  Mike Reno was sounding great as ever. Songs like "Lucky Ones," "Workin for the Weekend," and "Turn Me Loose" still had that sound that is unmistakable by anyone who turned to a rock station in the 80's, and he still knows how to work the fans. And the fans, well, they responded to it all, singing along with the songs that made the band a household name as well as, for some of them, being surprised that Loverboy had some new head-bouncin' music for them to search for. No complaints from me on this, hell, I was one of those singing along and bouncin' my head, too.

I guess my only complaint, maybe not really a complaint but an observation, and maybe it's just the way he has always been, but not having ever seen them in a live show before, I was disappointed in Paul Dean. I wasn't disappointed in his playing, his solos were great, but as he worked those solos he almost always drifted back, away from the front of the stage, and the crowd couldn't really work off the energy of the guitar solo with him lost in the background. I don't know, maybe it's just me.

You know, it was kinda strange seeing Loverboy at the House of Blues because as much as it is a concert hall, it is also a tourist trap. Along with girls in tight shirts, guys trying to hit on them, and fans having a good old time, you also had these people in suits, straight from the convention, seemingly caught wondering "What is Loverboy doing in a blues club?" Well, Loverboy was treating their fans to an hour and a half of classic songs as well as a few new tunes, and even taking requests, deviating from their set list with a great version of "Notorious." I had a good time, the fans seemed to have a good time, and even some of those suits seemed to have a good time. It's TWO THUMBS UP from me for Loverboy! Yea, that's right, I said two thumbs up, and for all of you critics who call them lame and washed up, I for one am happy that they are lame and washed-up. Here's to more bands being lame and washed up, rather than just falling off the face of the earth.

That's it for this one, I'm The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!