Metal Jam Concert Fills House

QUIET RIOT - Quiet Riot performs one of their hits from the 1980s. (Staff photo by Paul Davis)

Standing Room Only For Energy Filled 5-Hour Band Fest

By SACHA CHAMPION ~ DAR Staff Writer

With the crowd on its feet, Poison rushed on to the stage to give an amazing final act to an already phenomenal concert. As flame towers shot from the stage, the crowd, barely containing their excitement from the other bands, erupted.

With hands in the air and screams of approval, the crowd let the bands in the Grand Slam Metal Jam Tour know that they definitely have fans in Southeast Missouri.

Approximately 4,186 tickets were sold for the four-band concert. Among those were a few hundred standing room only tickets. Although the approximately five-hour concert didn't end until nearly midnight, few of the thousands there opted to leave early.

"They (the bands) put on a wonderful show," said Coliseum Director Calvin Rutledge. "I was extremely pleased that the house was full. We were selling standing room only tickets. I feel that everything ran smoothly and was extremely impressed by the bands' performance. We are always looking for more acts like this for the Coliseum."

Enuff Z'Nuff opened the concert, followed by Quiet Riot. Quiet Riot and the crowd lit up the room with the use of lighters and a song dedicated to the memory of Randy Rhoads, an original member of their group.

Warrant performed next and the energy from the band seemed to work its way into the crowd. These three bands set the stage for the Poison performance.

With flame throwers, holograms, explosions and the unlimited energy of Poison, there was hardly a person in the auditorium not on their feet.

"This concert has been absolutely awesome. I definitely recommend that more groups of this caliber come to Poplar Bluff," said Jeff Chapman of Van Buren, a guitarist for Mystery Machine.

Don Tubb of Corning, Ark. said "It's a pretty good concert. Lots of loud music. I have been listening to heavy metal and rock and roll for 20 years and my favorite here tonight is Warrant."

"Poison is my favorite," said Christy Vandermark of Poplar Bluff, "I have been listening to this (music) since I was a teen-ager. I would definitely like more of these concerts in Poplar Bluff."

Thanks to the combined efforts of the Poplar Bluff Police Department, the Butler County Sheriff's Department, the Missouri National Guard and the security team of the Black River Coliseum, there were about 50 law enforcement officials on hand to see to the general safety of all present.

Many of the law enforcement officials thought the concert and the crowd ran pretty smoothly.

"This concert has been a lot quieter for the law enforcement officials than the last one (concert)," said Officer Doug Randall of the Butler County Sheriff's Department.