By Lisa Burke
September 4th 2016, The Rainbow Bar & Grill, West Hollywood CA: Twice a year, the Rainbow Bar & Grill opens up the back parking lot that extends behind the Roxy and sets up their outdoor stage for live music, and usually adds a row of outdoor mini-bars along the pathway as well to accommodate the large swarms of loyal patrons who usually attend such events. On Sunday September 4th, 2016, the Rainbow put on its Labor Day Weekend Backyard Bash with bands on the outdoor stage consisting of headliners Buckcherry along with Iron Butterfly, London, Hirax, and All Hail The Yeti. The bands all played decent set lengths from three in the afternoon to around nine in the evening, and patrons attended for “free” with a $16 purchase of redeemable drink tickets, so if you are of the sober variety you may have sacrificed a little, although even still, for such a long show with at least five bands you got your money’s worth.
This particular event was packed to the max around the time London started. I missed Hirax‘ set because of the long entry lines at the gates, and I was granted my official access almost midway into London’s set. Immediately upon hearing them I was able to leave my past outside the gate and enjoy the classic glam metal tunes presented to me. The band London has changed lineups at certain moments of their career as often as properly hygiene-informed women change their panties, yet vocalist Nadir D’ Priest remains the longest standing member in all of his sequin-wearing glory. He definitely carries that larger-than-life glam presence in stamina as well as outfits, and has just as much professionalism to show off as well. The current lineup successfully holds their own weight as if they’ve been around since its birth over 30 years ago. The small TV in front of the keyboardist was interesting as well, with its clips of old hair metal videos among other images, and towards the end bringing up the dancing girls to the stage was another appropriate glam touch. London has played a few shows in the last couple of months including the Ultimate Jam Night at the Whisky-A-Go-Go as well as at the ever popular Hollywood strip club Crazy Girls, and has always enchanted the evening.
Next up in the line was an almost completely new reincarnation of a classic late ’60s psychedelic rock band Iron Butterfly, whose main lineup, with the exception of one returning guitar player, joined the party in 2015. The only true classic original member remaining is drummer Ron Bushy, but due to his failing health, he has been absent on medical leave for most shows in recent years, and Ray Weston has been the substitute drummer. The set turned into a bunch of great classics that lost their original flair along the way and succumbed to average musicianship at times, despite the band looking the part and the interest of keyboard and bongos for extra flair. The vocals are a valiant attempt, however, and overall it was a commendably interesting performance, especially since Iron Butterfly is the kind of band that once you hear some of their hits you are immediately taken back to the time and place you first heard them. There were some diehard fans in attendance, and of course, these guys have a great reputation, but to see them as almost a completely different band despite having never seen any older versions live still fell short a step or two, as I could still tell what I was missing.
Now that the place was completely packed and I literally couldn’t walk five feet without running into someone I knew for a quick chat, it was about to get nuttier as the anticipation for Buckcherry ensued around me. On a personal note, I of course find the catchiness of some of their popular late ’90s and early 2000s songs to be digestible and at times even fun, yet I’ve never put them on any pedestal as a favorite band of mine. I’ve also never attended a live show of theirs until now. I therefore, opened my mind and my ears as I listened to and watched vocalist Josh Todd give a pretty stellar performance while the rest of the troops obliged. I not only had nothing to complain about, but I actually started to enjoy myself. It really goes to show you that seeing a band live can make or break them in a way you never would have suspected otherwise. That whole saying of experience makes you wise is truth at its finest.
While this whole show was a bit of a hodgepodge of styles, it served up an interesting mix and after all was said and done, amends were amended, and labor was carried out while celebrated against. The Labor Day Weekend Backyard Bash proved, as is always the case with outdoor Rainbow shows, to be a success in both turnout and tunes.
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