After 15 years of not so patiently, Extreme has finally released a new album, SIX, and are on the road in support of it.
If you ever want to get the feel of how a show is going to pan out, check out the openers first. Living Color were special guests for the evening, and for 45 minutes straight they rocked the socks off the ample-sized crowd at the Hard Rock Live in Gary, IN. Corey Glover exudes everything a frontman should – style, confidence, stage presence, and the talent to back it all up. From the moment they took to the stage, they had the entire audience on their feet and fully engaged. Performing their hits “Cult of Personality” and “Glamour Boys,” it was impossible to stand still and not feel the groove. Their style incorporates metal, rock, funk, hip-hop, and punk; all of which were on display at various points throughout their set. If you need any pointers on how to open a show, look no further than this performance as they absolutely nailed it!
You’d be excused for thinking that after 15 years of waiting for new music, it’s never going to happen. But Extreme‘s fans kept hope as the band has been teasing for several years now that something new was in the works. Back in March, it was finally announced that SIX would be released on June 9th. Just a month later, the long-awaited tour dates were announced and since then, it’s been a waiting game until the tour kicked off on August 2nd. Their last tour outside of the east coast was back in 2015, so to say the fans across the rest of the country have been waiting a long time for this tour to happen is an understatement. Was it worth the wait? Let’s see..
To kick the night off, Extreme started as they meant to go on with one of their new songs “#REBEL” before performing their setlist staples “Decadence Dance” and “It(‘s a Monster).” With their second album Poronograffittibeing host to so many hits, it’s not surprising a large portion of their set comprised of songs from it, however, there was a decent number taken from III Sides To Every Story too, more than usual. These included “Am I Ever Gonna Change,” “Cupid’s Dead,” “Tragic Comic,” and “Rest In Peace.” All eras of their lengthy history together as a band were covered as there was at least one song performed from each of their albums.
Just like Corey Glover earlier in the evening, Gary Cherone was every bit the frontman. He worked every inch of that stage, twirling his microphone stand and interacting with the audience. His voice still holds some impressive power and range. It was a performance that made you feel like you’d been transported back to the 90s.
What can we say about Nuno Bettencourt that we haven’t said before? Mind you, it’s worth saying again. This guy is a pure wizard on the fretboard. How he plays with such speed and precision while also making it sound good and not superfluous is one thing. But to also be able to play with one hand, while yawning, and simultaneously looking like the coolest guy on earth is another. Pat Badger made his presence known and had more time in the vocal spotlight than seen previously. Watching the interplay between himself and Nuno is always fun. Kevin Figueiredo was a force to be reckoned with as he pounded the drums into submission. By way of a change of scenery, at one point during the show, a mini drum kit was brought up front for him to get in on the action.
The evening ended the same way it started, with a song from their new release, “Rise.” This song showed Nuno still has a few tricks up his sleeves when it comes to writing jaw-dropping solos.
Here’s hoping we don’t have to wait so long for a full tour again. If you happen to reading this, it doesn’t matter if we have to wait another 15 years for another album, just please come back soon!