RATT Returns to the Sunset Strip (April 2010)

RATT – April 20th –  The Key Club – Hollywood, CA

So I get to the Rainbow Bar & Grill to meet up with the employees that invited me to see RATT next door at the Key Club. While I’m waiting, I see two of the most tragic stereotypes comes to life. I wish I had a picture, but its really not needed. You know the history of the Rainbow, right when you walk in, to your left is the like the table right in front of the fireplace. It’s almost like a display for famewhores to flaunt, something right out of a movie. I’m standing there waiting, and there is this dude that is cartoonish in his that guy status. He’s sitting at the big table, alone wearing those silly goggles/shades, over 50, overweight and has ordered a spread for 10 people, including several bottles of Dom Perignon. He’s looking at me, and I think he was about to ask me to sit down, just so he would have someone to share it with. The other was the cigar-chomping, morbidly obese guy that only talks to one person, and then that person handles all his needs. Silly really.
Ok so, this is RATT’s first show on the Strip in in 20 years?, because they have gone on to fame and fortune and they are slumming it now, or doing that, giving it back to where they came from thing? Hardly, if you know their story than you know that they have been in pieces for most of that time, and their heyday long surpassed. But I have to give it to them, this reeked of legitimacy. Instead of playing the where are they now? fest down the road, just doing the hits, this was a release party/show for a new record, Infestation, that is actually pretty good. Meaning, it doesn’t sound like RATT 2010, its sounds just like RATT did in 1984, which is pretty impressive feat. And get this, fucking money was spent, a full billboard, and press line, and a sold out show. This was about as back as this band is gonna get.

 

 You get the impression that singer Steven Pearcy has zero self-awareness, as who’s idea was the press line? Probably his, but I couldn’t help but feel sorry for them when they walked down it outside the venue and their were all of five people taking photos, and four of them were wives/girlfriends taking pictures with disposable cameras, pretty embarrassing.

 

 Something else kinda funny happened, like a loser I was parked at a meter and didn’t have enough change so I had to run out and put more in before the show started. Right up the corner is a liquor store, so I bought an obligatory pack of gum, so I could get change. In line in front of me is a short dude with wet hair, that was a dead ringer for Pearcy, buying a bottle of somthing…cheap. We were both walking back to the club and I wanted to get in front of him to confirm that I just saw Pearcy buying his own booze from the corner store, after he just walked a press line. This dude was dodgy and clearly didn’t want to be recognized, and as I went straight, he ducked down the alley and into the side door of the club, totally had to be him haha.
Carlos Cavazo of Quiet Riot has replaced deceased guitarist, Robin Crosby, and they came out guns-a-blazing. 

 Alright! I thought, but Pearcy is such a turn-off, he does that thing Vince Neil does, where he only sings about every third lyric, but this was still about as strong as a showing that we were gonna get from these guys, and the crowd seemed really ready for it, so that was fun. One thing happened that was probably not so fun for those involved was, this dude in front of me and his girl. Dude, had taken the 80s Hair Metal thing to new heights with an Emo twist, I mean full on Halloween style. He was wearing more makeup and hair product than she was. This was probably considered hot by her and a few others, but was considered fodder for gay-bashing by this dude next to me. The next thing I know, gay-basher is literally cracking a bottle over emo-kid’s head! Now, I had observed the emo couple for a bit, and found reasons to find them nauseating other than their attire, but dude didn’t deserve that shit. The thing I remember most, was her taking off her, what looked like a really expensive jacket and using it to clean his face that was bleeding profusely. Either she had alot of money or really loved this dude, regardless I was sorta moved by it. Even more so, that they didn’t leave the show, and just kept on rocking!
After the show we went back to the Rainbow and it was insanely packed. In the smaller bar downstairs I run into these two girls that were standing in front of me at the show that were dressed like anime characters. They recognize me too, and we start talking. One of them is so wasted that I was kinda frightened of her, but the other one was pretty sober and ok. The sober one for whatever coincidental reason starts talking about the band Clutch, and telling me she is dating the merch guy, unbeknown to her my relationship with the band. So I said “you mean Shawn?” – and she was startled like “how do you know that?” – so we kinda bonded and we all hung out at the Rainbow until closing, then we went to the famous Denny’s on La Cienga, and then finally I made it back down the canyon and home safe.