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Monday, July 23, 2001

By John Young

"The '80s are not just a decade but a state of mind we all share tonight," said Quiet Riot singer Kevin DuBrow. The Riot performed as part of the Glam Slam Metal Jam Tour, which stopped at the Post-Gazette Pavilion last night and featured Poison as the headlining act.

So what is the '80s state of mind? Being politically incorrect, partying and banging your head, according to DuBrow. His tour mates couldn't have backed up his words any better if they tried.

Warrant, in particular, offered an eye-popping train wreck of a set. Singer Jani Lane stopped and started tunes on a whim, suffered through microphones that kept cutting out and made an unscheduled trek into the crowd that sent Pavilion security scrambling. Lane also delighted in pouring a fishbowl of beer down a woman's blouse and wearing another woman's underwear around his neck. In between, Warrant haltingly offered fare like the metal ballad "I Saw Red," the hard-rocking "Cherry Pie" and the new, almost punkish "Subhuman."

Quiet Riot wasn't nearly so over the top, save for DuBrow's sparkling gold vest and star-dotted pants. If anything, the foursome sometimes sacrificed hooks in the name of indulging their chops. Big choruses remained intact for "Metal Health" and "Cum on Feel the Noize," but they felt rushed and chaotic at times.

Enuff Z'Nuff opened the show at 6 p.m. with an inspired set of power pop. Pop culture and music buffs, the band members delighted in peppering their set with Spinal Tap references and Beatles' quotes and covers. "Fly High, Michelle" was the song most audience members recognized.

It felt odd seeing words like "glam" and "jam" used in describing a show by the 2001 version of Poison. Gone are the make-up, scarves and much of the hedonism associated with the band's early days, and the group has always been more about tightly played rock 'n' roll than lengthy, noodling solos.

In fact, singer Bret Michaels talked during the show as if the concert were a homecoming, giving nods to his family members and friends in attendance.

Poison's set was particularly spirited, while also being professional and well-planned. Flames and fireballs punctuated the beginning of almost every song, and the band rolled through all its big hits. Even the obligatory new tune, "Rock Star," was fun, as was C.C. DeVille's "I Hate Every Bone in Your Body But Mine."

Michaels almost spoiled the '80s vibe with a serious introduction to "Something To Believe In," dedicatingit to his dad, uncle and other U.S. veterans. That moment was just a quickly extinguished spark, though, as silliness and spectacle reigned.

John Young is a free-lance music reviewer.