Dead Daisies – Montage Hall, Rochester, NY – 08/22/2018

Review by John Jeffrey, live photos Diana Lyn

Rochester, NY – As the summer is winding down, and the temperatures here on the East Coast are getting cooler, the Dead Daisies set the city of Rock-chester ablaze, on what would have been normally a quiet Wednesday night, at the Montage Music Hall. While often referred to as a “supergroup,” to me, the Dead Daisies are more like the Heavy Metal band that would have come from the “Island of Misfit Toys.” While the majority of band members weren’t an ‘exact fit’ in the previous bands they played in (John Corabi – Motley Crue, Marco Mendoza – Thin Lizzy, Doug Aldrich – Whitesnake & Deen Castronovo – Journey), in the Dead Daisies, the guys fit together like a well crafted rebus, with band leader David Lowy drafting up this ever clever, rock and roll puzzle.

Beginning the night with a free, fan appreciation, “Daisyland,” acoustic concert at the downtown Rochester Guitar Center, this well oiled machined showed that whether it’s stripped-down, quiet acoustic guitars or Marshalls on 10 (they might go to 11), the Dead Daisies deliver. Influenced by 70’s and early 80’s hard rock, the Dead Daisies sound is soulful and accessible, as the band describes themselves as “equal parts of The Faces, Aerosmith and Foreigner,” complete with “muscular vocals, bluesy riffs, big choruses, powerful melodies and strong hooks.”

After a lackluster opening set by the Dizzy Reed (of Guns ‘n Roses fame) fronted band Hookers and Blow, the Dead Daisies played for almost 2 hours to a small, but appreciative and enthusiastic crowd at the Montage. Their 17 song set consisted of songs spanning their discography (which includes 4 LPs, 2 EPs and a live record), and also included 5 cover songs (played in full). Although the sound at times at the Montage was questionable, the Dead Daisies put on a great performance. Not only did they play well, but the band just seems to have a great time onstage, as infectious smiles were shared by the band and their fans alike.

As the show was coming to a close, it was apparent that Dizzy Reed was having a little bit, too much of a “good time,” as when he joined the Daisies for the last 2 songs of their set (“Midnight Moses” and “Helter Skelter”), he clearly seemed inebriated, as he banged away on the keyboards, sounding like a drunken monkey. Regardless, the fans loved seeing Reed perform with his former band, as vocalist John Corabi put out, “Once a Daisy, always a Daisy.”

Perhaps one of the last legit rock and roll bands from our era of ‘excess,’ the Daisies proved that although they are “Dead,” rock and roll is still far off from being out to pasture.

Setlist –

Resurrected
Rise Up
Make Some Noise
Song and a Prayer
Dead and Gone
What Goes Around
With You and I
Last Time I Saw the Sun
Fortunate Son
Devil Out of Time
Band Intro snippets: Highway to Hell / Rock and Roll All Nite / The Boys Are Back in Town / Smoke on the Water/ Heaven and Hell
Leave Me Alone
Bitch
Mexico
Long Way to Go
We’re an American Band

Encore:
Midnight Moses
Helter Skelter

For more on the Dead Daisies, please visit www.thedeaddaisies.com