Blue Öyster Cult at Mystic Lake Showroom, Prior Lake (22 Aug 2015)
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The second annual motorcycle rally came to Mystic Lake Casino over the weekend, a free all-ages event featuring bike contests, slow bike races, hot rods, games, a charity bike ride, vendor village, and more.
In addition, Blue Öyster Cult was to perform an outdoor concert, but the thunder, lightning, and rainstorms had rolled in, forcing the event inside where the classic rock band still flexed its rock muscle, instead inside the Mystic Lake Showroom.
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Erik Estrada
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After an introduction by CHiPS star Erik Estrada and Miss Illinois Tyler Suess (an odd couple to do the duty, but…) the venerable rockers took to the stage for an 80 min set that played the handful of everyone’s radio favorites, as well as some deep cuts that more than appeased the faithful diehards in the crowd.
Opening with the 1973 song about a Canadian Mountie, ‘The Red and the Black’, the band came out charging, led by guitarist Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser and singer/keys/guitarist Eric Bloom, who have been musical partners for over forty years.
1977’s ‘Golden Age of Leather’ seemed more than appropriate for a biker-themed event, “This song is all about motorcycles, women, partying, and beer”, Bloom noted before the song began with acapella harmonies from the band.
Bassist Kasim Sultan (Utopia, New Cars, Meat Loaf), Jules Radino (drums, percussion), Richie Castellano (keyboard, rhythm guitar, backing vocals), and Danny Miranda (bass, backing vocals) rounded out the solid lineup with Sulton shining on several songs and Castellano proving a utility player, as he switched playing several instruments with ease, depending on the song.
Setlist
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1981’s ‘Burnin’ for You’ received the most early applause, as it still remains a classic rock radio staple, and Dharma unleashed on his signature instrumental, ‘Buck’s Boogie’. “I think I hear something big coming this way now…” Bloom teased as growls and footsteps could be heard getting louder, “tell me who is it?!” he asked the crowd as drums and the familiar riff of ‘Godzilla’ kicked in.
An instrumental bridge linked that song, to their most famous cut, 1976’s ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper which got phones in the air and people dancing wildly out of their seats (with a few of the overzealous even getting escorted out), though no additional cowbells could be seen from my vantage point.
“We’ve got time for one more quick one”, Bloom said as the band re-emerged for the single song encore of ‘Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll’, a 1972 burner dating all the way back to their self-titled debut that had some exceptional fret work from Dharma in its solo.
“Good night Minnesota people!” Bloom cried afterward as the band took a well-deserved bow, and the crowd let them know that they weren’t deterred at all, by any northern thunder chasing them indoors.
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Blue Öyster Cult at Mystic Lake Showroom, Prior Lake, MN (22 Aug 2015) |