Visiting the Birthplace of Rock and Roll, Admiring Cleveland’s Guitar Mania, and Getting Caught up with Detroit ‘Rock City’

It's not your usual twin-city break.  At this particular time, Desolate_Angel_Fearless_Rock Girl – yes that’s me in case you hadn’t already figured, decides to do something crazy.  Now there’s a surprise!!!  Yes I decide it would be rather a good idea to flit across the pond to America for a long weekend of live music which somehow manages to cram in Static-X, Megadeth, Machine Head plus Heaven and Hell.  So far so good, but this little lot appears in two different cities, over three consecutive days, conveniently located in two different states! Well? Why the hell not?  Ask me a silly question later! They say all the world’s a stage – or at least Rush did, and quite rightly so, however forget Rush for now, this weekend is mostly about Heaven and Hell and what with the British Government’s convenient aviation tax there’s no guessing as to what part of Hell we’d like to banish them to! The government that is! Nonetheless I digress… First stop is Cleveland, Ohio, before moving swiftly on to Detroit ‘Rock City’ in Michigan. 

      Upon reaching destination New York, I’ve now parked my butt on a connecting flight to Cleveland, in fact at this point things are not showing great promise.  We are literally parked up on the runway, waiting for clearance as apparently there’s a thunderstorm somewhere on route between here and Cleveland.  In fact, you guessed it, it’s turning out to be one hell of a wait and I do believe I have upgraded to status ‘running late!'  Now for anyone who knows me reasonably well -  there's another surprise!!!  And of course I say that with sarcasm!

      A couple of hours later and it’s all happening.. so to speak.  Desolate_Angel_Fearless_Rock Girl makes her grand entrance to Cleveland!! 

Okay, less of the grand entrance, Jus drags her cute ass off the plane and heads wearily through the terminal, but hey, it’s not all doom and gloom.  The terminal is rather cool, you could literally have a night out in here – I’ve been through about thirteen different US airports in the last few months and Cleveland definitely does it for me - it rocks a biggie as far as the world of airport terminals go. 

It actually doesn’t take long to realize the whole vibe is buzzing here - it’s a great city and immediately I have to say I love it here.  Home to the ‘Guitar Mania’ community arts project as well as the legendary ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ its definitely got stuff going for it. Cleveland is also home to Playhouse Square Center, the second largest performing arts center in the United States behind New York's Lincoln Center. 

Arriving in Cleveland for the first leg of my long (and no doubt tiring) weekend, the plan is a dash of sorts off the plane to the Static-X gig at the House of Blues, located nr Public Square,  all this via the hotel of course. 

The House of Blues is a pretty awesome venue and Static X took to the stage about 1am! Crazy! Needless to say I didn’t see much of the show – I’m afraid the tiredness kicked in. It’s not the only decent venue in town however – the Beachland Ballroom is another eclectic favourite.  I almost saw Blue Cheer there last year but decided the 4hr flight from my location would put me in a bit of a rush (never).

My induction, of sorts, into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame occured on Friday when I headed over to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, unmistakable by it’s huge glass pyramid structure. Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum has firmly established itself as official home to the celebration and study of rock and roll music.  I can’t believe it, relating the words ‘study’
and ‘rock’ in the same sentence proves this town has to be buzzing.  

Back in 1986 ‘USA Today’ ran a poll for its readers, asking where the proposed Hall of Fame should be located.  Cleveland ranked first in that poll and on May 5th 1986, Cleveland was chosen as the museum's permanent home.  World-renown architect I.M Pei was chosen for the design, and on 2nd September 1995, the museum officially opens with a whole host of rock and roll greats performing. 

Ever since those first days there’s been many treasures housed here.  There’s the annual tribute to the black roots of rock and roll, while each Fall there’s the American Music Masters series which celebrates the life of one of the inductees.  Throughout the year there’s the Hall of Fame Series, featuring inductee interviews and performances. 

So many amazing gifts have arrived here – Pete Townsend donated the Gibson J200 guitar used to compose ‘Tommy’ while Yoko Ono Lennon presented the museum with John’s guitar from the 1965 Beatles concert at Shea Stadium.  It’s such an amazing experience to see so many rock and roll treasures!  There’s a wing that honours all those artists, songwriters, and industry professionals who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Monitors at the entrance to the wing play a film featuring high lights of past induction ceremonies.

From the theater, a walkway leads along a series of glass panels etched with the signatures of inductees. My favourite exhibit however, was a huge re-construction of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ from which I read the words as illustrated by Waters in 1995.  A truly engaging exhibit!

1 of 100 giant Fender Stratocasters making up the Cleveland Guitar Mania pubic art project

Today the weather is pretty hot and its laced with glorious sunshine.  Walking around town and the malls I get to see what ‘Guitar Mania’ is all about. And oh yes indeed.. the city is showcased with guitars – that is.. giant 10 foot models of Fender Stratocaster guitars – which became canvases for local artists with nearly 100 of them placed throughout the region.  It’s without a doubt a trademark public art project in this undisputed city of rock and roll. Amazingly, the project has raised more than $1.6 million for its two benefiting charities - United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's education programs.

Later on that evening it’s time to catch Megadeth plus Heaven and Hell at Cleveland's Tower City Amphitheatre. There’s a street, a street I named ‘crazy street’ – on which the Hard Rock Café sits, which was about 6 lanes wide and was a nightmare to cross.  More or less opposite, but tucked neatly away within some urban industrial landscape – making it a fair trek, is the Tower City Amphitheatre.  I meet a crazy guy who insists on having his photo taken with me but the girl he’s singled out to take the said photo does not seem to be able to work the camera - but some time later and we appear to have a result my old rocker guy is happy with.  It’s a venue that’s not great.  The ‘blocks’ for the seating are marked out in chalk on the ground – you can imagine how visible that was midway through the evening and the plastic chairs do not maintain their uniform layout – a combination that results in a bit of a free for all.

   In addition to the seating issue, I discover how cold it is to sit practically perched on Lake Erie, resulting in me having to plead with security to allow me to leave the venue to go back to the hotel and grab my coat, before the main show.  The lake isn’t such a bad thing though for those on boats who lingered to witness the might of the rock show…

      The following day I hit the highway, heading out of Cleveland on I-90, the beginning of an estimated three hour drive to Detroit where it all happens again tonight at the famous Cobo Hall. Alongside its car manufacturing heights, Detroit has always been pretty well known for it’s music.  In the 1940s, Detroit's blues scene saw the long-term residency of John Lee Hooker.

During the 1950s, the city became a center for jazz, with Motown Records rising to epic prominence during the 1960s and early 1970s.  Later on, rock was injected with artists such as Alice Cooper, Ted Nugent, Iggy Pop & The Stooges and Kiss – who managed to capture the true spirit of the place with the track ‘Detroit Rock City’.

      Amazingly, I was recently getting into some Lester Bangs literature featuring a piece on Black Sabbath in 1974 which saw them performs at the very same Cobo Hall.  The venue has certainly been around for a good while; hosted some famous performers, and has that raw rockability about it – its certainly rough, ready, and pretty pre-historic too!  After loitering around outside early afternoon taking pictures of Detroit police vehicles (yep crazy things happen) it’s finally show time!

Following on from a fantastic show with an excellent view – a show which topped last night's Cleveland event by a fair mile,  I spend a good 40 minutes wandering round Detroit, then meeting up with a bunch of crazy Heaven and Hell fans while one of them explained the merits of owning a gun in the neighbourhood and insisted on inquiring as to "how crazy do you wanna go?… this is America man!” He follows with a kind offer of accommodation next time I’m in Detroit!  Thankfully, as I had hoped, Tony Iommi’s guitar technician Mike comes to rescue me,  and after a few questions relating to his involvement with Iron Maiden from other fans, we head back inside the venue where I find myself backstage in the company of Tony, Geezer Butler and Ronnie James Dio! Vinny Appice kindly makes me feel most welcome and Tony Iommi chats about his latest guitar set up.

It’s a little while later when the evening finally draws to a close and we all make our way out of the venue and once outside – we part company as the guys hop onto their respective tour buses (yes they have a bus each!).  After wishing them all well I head back to the main entrance to get my bearings once again.   My lift does not appear to have turned up so I hang around on the street pondering the next course of action.  A guy asks me if I have any change.  He reeks of alcohol and guesses I’m from England.  He tells me how he is originally from Chicago but was deemed a ‘menace to society’.  Just what a girl needs to hear on a lonely Detroit street some time after midnight or thereabouts.  Okay so this bit wasn’t that well planned.  I take that on board.  Indeed, the city's crime ridden areas have brought it notoriety - reported to have had the sixth highest number of violent crimes among the twenty-five largest cities in the United States.

Moving on - arriving at Detroit Airport the following day, I can’t help but reflect on what a perfect weekend it’s been and if reading this makes you feel somewhat tired, then you're in a perfect place to be able to imagine how I felt on my flight back to the UK!  But then.. this was never going to be a trip for light-weights!  Rock and Roll does not always land on your doorstep – least not when you want it too, nor in the right order! But sometimes.... it’s just a case of going out and getting a fix!  Aside all that.. doorsteps are a tad boring.

*     *     *     *

Jus Forrest - 2009

Megadeth and Heaven and Hell

Metal for the masses? Indeed! I’m watching the crowds punch the air with their fists - they're pushing apart those air molecules and relishing every minute of Megadeth’s presence.  Although Megadeth fill a support slot to ‘Heaven and Hell’, the band goes down in a fashion which could easily lead you to believe they were the headliners here tonight. Regrettably, there’s nothing ‘over spectacular’ about their performance and despite playing some new material, it's clear that in a musical sense, they’re not tending to veer too much off the beaten track.

Plenty of squeaky lead breaks with speeds resembling a passing sports car on a nearby freeway - kind of robotic, but sadly lacking in melody but hey,  they do what it say's on the tin - refer back to my opening comment! Don't get me wrong, it's good background metal mayhem, but as a show it’s all a bit predictable and generally follows a prescribed pattern.  You're pretty safe with this lot… there’s no new territory or thrills here, hence.. I'd urge you to move on quickly!

Jus Forrest - 2009

Heaven and Hell

Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Saturday May 12th 2007

Detroit 'Rock City' couldn't be a more appropriate reference as tonight the Cobo Arena hosts some of the greatest pioneers in Heavy Metal history.
 
Suddenly the arena is submerged in that heavy down-tuned guitar tone, and there is no mistaking the doom laden clangs of 'After All (The Dead)'.  The Godfather of metal and inventor of the riff, it’s no surprise that Iommi’s signature sound, totally unlike no other, stamps its authority right here and now. 

Already it's something to write home about!  

From here on in, the energy of this unique quartet is abundant on a universal scale, giving off the most intense discharge possible at normal voltages, as each masterpiece unfolds in a fresh vibrant form. Dio has an enormous presence coupled with an equally huge voice which is in fine fettle, confirming he sounds as good as he did 30 years ago. In fact his razor sharp delivery makes his peers of yesteryear pale into insignificance. 

Geezer Butler attacks his bass, producing a non-stop pulsating rhythm and a fierce fat wave of sustain, while retaining a rounded warmness.  The drumming is as solid and reliable as the last time I saw Vinny Appice perform with Sabbath at 1998's Ozzfest. Aside an expressive drum solo, which concludes with Vinny's name in lights, there’s more surprises tonight with the new material from ‘The Dio Years’. 'The Devil Cried' and 'Shadow of the Wind' are dark heavy cuts with sinister lyrics blending nicely with the rest of the set.

Iommi’s solo spot during the intro to 'Die Young’ packs maximum effect - the guitar work very reminiscent of the great solo parts on 'Warning'. There's an equally tasteful extended showcase of 'Heaven and Hell' before they close with the much anticipated ‘Neon Knights’.
 
Tonight the veil between the worlds is indeed a thin one and clearly hell hasn't frozen over just yet.  Whether that's due to the illusion of flames leaping from the rear of the stage in the form of an impressive light show (against an equally appealing gothic style backdrop) - or the emissions from the furnace of sheer heat generated by almost two hours of metal meltdown. Take a guess!

Jus Forrest - 2009