Review for February 27, 1991

AT STABLER, POISON SUITS HEADBANGER ELITE'S TASTE

                                                                    by MELANIE NOVAK, The Morning Call

An intimate evening with two bands dear to young American hearts -- what could be more enjoyable? If the bands are Poison and Slaughter and the crowd is mostly adolescents wearing self-conscious sneers and music video-inspired outfits -- lots.

Actually, many scowling kids among the 5,200 members of the Valley's headbanger elite at Stabler Arena on Wednesday night might have been 10 years old when Poison hit it big in 1986.

But even though Poison attracts a perpetually young suburban audience, the Los Angeles band with Harrisburg roots seems determined to grow up. On the group's latest record, "Flesh And Blood," there are some really heavy songs (for peroxide metal bands, anyway), like "Something to Believe In," which deals with important subjects like empty evangelists and Vietnam vets. And on 1988's "Open Up And Say Ahh!" LP, there's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," which is lush with weighty symbolism (for Poison, anyway).

However, the crowd wanted "Nothin' But a Good Time." And Poison was quite willing to oblige, offering up the simple, stupid sex song "Unskinny Bop," which is not only an integral part of "Flesh And Blood" but Poison's chart-topping MTV hit.

Lead singer Bret Michaels, who worked the crowd with all the flair of a professional wrestler's manager, seemed more concerned with deep thrusting, gyrating hips than with deep lyrical moments. He was as pretty as Steven Tyler, too, with ribbons and tatters and chains dangling from his hips.

Waxing patriotic was a big part of Poison's show. It didn't take a lot of imagination to know what the band wanted to do to Saddam Hussein. And in case anyone couldn't guess, there was a nice expletive that fit really well above "IRAQ" on Rikki Rockett's bass drum.

Slaughter, whose opening set lasted just under an hour, was sweet with exuberant energy. But the real teeth-gnashing, fist-shaking, foot-stomping, good-time metal guys were Poison. Believe that.