Ted Nugent & Bad Company A Concert Review	May 20, 1995 The New World Music Theatre Tinley Park, IL A Review by The Dude on the Left & The Dude on the Right Photos by The Dude on the Right

Ted Nugent

The season kicked off in a big way with the return of a man named Ted - Nugent that is. Yep, he opened up the "New World Music Theatre" on May 20th with a show only Ted could.

Mr. Nugent has a new album coming out, and the show spotlighted a few of the hits that radio won't play, especially the "Kiss my Ass" song directed at Janet Reno (boy I'd like ta...). And you know, between the new and old, Nugent still wailed.

The hits were still there, and his kick-ass rock and roll attitude was prevalent all night. Yea, you know 'em, your "Free for All," Cat Scratch Fever," "Wang Dang Sweet Puntang," "Stranglehold," and the list goes on. Oh yea, and where would the show be without "Great White Buffalo," the climax to a great night. I still think those boys in Minnesota or Wisconsin - one of those northern states - where the white buffalo was born, should have given it to Ted for his ranch. Who better than a lover of the wild to deserve to get it. Oh well, it's just my humble opinion.

Well, you know, with Terrible Ted, there's really only one rating to give him, and that's the proverbial TWO THUMBS UP!!! I almost thought of only one thumb, because I was ready and rarin' to go after he finished with "Great White Buffalo," but, thinking about it, he was probably the best way to kick off the summer - Ted Nugent. So, my rating stands.

Alright, technically Ted didn't open up the summer season. It was the opener of the opening bands called Slick Lilly? At least I think that's who it was. They rocked out, were pretty good, and if they get the right exposure might make it out there. Hell, I give them TWO THUMBS UP!!

Bad Company

Alright, technically Ted wasn't even second opening the summer season because opening for Ted but following the Slick boys was the old boys of Bad Company. What can I say about a band that had hits before I was born? Well, they kicked butt too!! They highlighted their hits - you know, you're "Rock and Roll Fantasy," "I Can't Get Enough of Your Love," and the self-titled tune Bad Company. They were great, supposedly have a new album coming out, and might even make it to the next century if they stay as polished as they were. The Bad boyz get TWO THUMBS UP as well!!!

And that wraps up the beginning of what is shaping up to be a very busy summer. Some big bands are coming, and some small bands are coming, and we'll do our best to be there for as many of them as possible.

Yep, that's all for me today. You know the ending - Party Smart, and as always, Rellim Reeb, Rellim Reeb!!!!

 

Ted Nugent

The Dude on the Left
Howdy Ho everyone. It feels like it has been ages since I have gotten to sit down and write an article with my partner, but I guess being out of school will do that. But with Bog nights gone, at least for the summer months, we have figured out ways to keep ourselves busy. Yepper you guessed it, we are back out on the summer tour. And this year's summer tour starts out nice and crazy and loud. "Terrible" Teddy Nugent came to the World Music Theatre.

Now, as many of you may well know, The World is not my most favorite place to see a show. As a matter of fact, I think that it might be my least favorite. But supposedly this was the "New" World Music Theatre, so I was at least interested to see what had changed. And upon further investigation, I found that there was only a few changes. And the one that was supposed to be the most important, the addition of acoustic padding, was only but part complete...

But enough of that, Ted had an old friend of his, well at least a previous touring partner from the times when he was with Damn Yankees, with him and them being Bad Company, and they opened for Nugent. They did pretty well for themselves, and promoting a new album didn't really hurt them either. It was refreshing to be able to see some new material as opposed to getting the same ole greatest hits concert that I have witnessed them play on occasions before. As a matter of fact, I think that is my newest pet peeve, catching a show that I could have been better suited just sitting at home and listening to my CD. But alas I stray again.

Bad Company didn't do anything really spectacular but put on a pretty entertaining show none the less. So I am gonna give them ONE THUMB UP! That gives a total of THREE THUMBS UP for Bad Company (in case you couldn't count)!

Bad Company

Next up was what everyone was waiting for. That wild and crazy guy Ted Nugent. And he didn't disappoint, or at least not in my opinion. He did some of the oldies, Cat Scratch Fever, Wang Dang Sweet Puntang, and Great White Buffalo. And mixed in with all the songs he played were some incredible displays of guitar work. I am always glad to be able to see someone that has totally mastered his instrument and can bring out things from that hunk of wood and strings that you would never see at any other concert. Nugent is up there as far as guitar favorites of mine, among people like Eddie Van Halen, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Steve Vai. You just can't get much better than that. And yes, I know that I am leaving off numerous others that are greats with guitars, but if I tried to list them all, my article would be pages upon pages long.

So, to try to wrap this up, I want to say that I am sure that Nugent pushed the envelope of what the surrounding area of the World could take for music levels and I am sure that those big babies are gonna cry about it the rest of the summer, but hey, it was one hell of a way to kick off the season at "The New World Theatre"! So I give Ted Nugent TWO WHOOPING BIG THUMBS UP! I don't regret forgetting my earplugs. And yes, for all you math majors out there, Ted Nugent kicked off the summer season with a grand total of FOUR THUMBS UP!!!!

Until next show......