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Starland Ballroom, Sayreville, NJ

August 7, 2004

    Let me start off this review by stating the fact that I have been a fan of Sebastian Bach since the Skid Row days about 15 years ago.  However, since 2000 I have followed his career a lot more closely.  In those 4 years, I have seen numerous concerts of his and I have to admit, this show along with last week's show at Mulcahey's in Long Island have been the absolute best!

    Their were three opening bands for this show and the first was Severed Hand which featured Sebastian Bach's son, Paris Bierk.  The other two are not worth mentioning, so I won't. 

    Around 11:30 p.m. Mark "Bam Bam" McConnell took his seat behind the drums, Randall X. Rawlings walked on stage and grabbed his guitar, Brian "Cheeze" Hall followed with his bass and new comer, Ralph Santolla (Iced Earth) grabbed his guitar.  Sebastian Bach stood off to the side jumping up and down before he ran out on stage swinging his mic and head banging.  Completely full of energy!  The audience went absolutely insane! 

    What made this show so outrageously great was the fact that Sebastian and fellow band mates seemed to be having an absolute blast on stage!  We all know what an amazing front man Sebastian Bach is, but the rest of his band is just as incredible.  You have Randall X. Rawlings on guitar with the amazing faces and eye contact that he makes with the audience, not to mention his outstanding guitar playing.  The ever so beautiful to look at Brian "Cheeze" Hall on Bass that head bangs with hair down to his ass and I'm still trying to figure out how he gets the hair to whip back and forth so quickly!  The incredible drumming from Mark "Bam Bam" McConnell who stands to acknowledge fans that he has gotten to know over the years of drumming for Sebastian.  And new comer, Ralph Santolla on guitar proving that he can keep up with Sebastian Bach and fellow band mates, while keeping a close eye on the audience's reaction! 

    The one thing that I've gotten to notice and know about Sebastian over the years is how he always acknowledges the fans that he has gotten to know through out the years.  It's either a point, a wave, or in my case at this show, his hand messing my hair and my make-up!  And all this is what makes Sebastian the incredible front man that he is!  Well that and his voice, energy, incredible big eye faces, and the fact that he's not sore on the eyes!

    The audience was extremely loud, which Sebastian noted during his set, and going nuts jumping up and down and throwing their horns (\m/) in the air!  This had to be one of the best audiences I've seen.  The place was completely rocking.  They were rocking so much that Sebastian did not want to leave the stage and did a cover song of "Train Train" by Blackfoot.

    The set consisted of old and new songs.  You had the typical songs, "Slave To The Grind", "18 & Life", "I Remember You", "Youth Gone Wild", "Piece Of Me", "I'll Never Turn My Back On Rock N' Roll", and "Monkey Business" which during the song he throws in a little "Time Warp" from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  In between those songs and more he threw in some new material of "Angel Down" "Always and Forever The Same" and others.  One of my favorite Skid Row songs that was added to the set was "In A Darkened Room" which led the audience to pull out their lighters and start waving from side to side!  In between the set, Sebastian would talk some and introduce the new material.  He was having such a great time on stage and with the audience that they stayed on stage without doing the typical encore thing of walking off stage to only come back on.

    If you have ever been to the Starland Ballroom, you know that there is always a barricade in front of the stage.  The nice thing that Sebastian had done was have the barricade removed so he could be closer to his fans!  During his whole performance he would slap hands with the audience, wave to them, sing to them, he even pulled a girl up on stage to dance with.  It's always a fun night when you see a Sebastian Bach show! 

    After the show, all the band members were roaming the club meeting fans, posing for photos and signing autographs.  They have to be one of the nicest bands around.  Sebastian did a meet and greet and signed everything and anything while chatting and posing for photos with the fans.  It proves how incredible he is and how he makes himself accessible to his fans.  There aren't many people out there that will take time out to meet their fans, however, I've never gone to a show where Sebastian did not do a meet and greet after a show.  He may take a bit to come out, but he comes out and does not leave till the last person receives his attention!

    This was Sebastian's first time playing the Starland Ballroom, I'm quite sure he will be returning!  Be sure to check out www.sebastianbach.com for all news "Bach"!  You can also pick up Sebastian Bach's first ever DVD, Forever Wild at your local music store or online at http://www.merchdirect.net/x2/c/product.php?productid=3553&cat=&page=1

~Becky