Review by Rock Over America – by Taylor Carlson, Photos by Leah Burlington
It has been four decades since a little band called Yesterday and Today started up in the Bay Area. And while mainstream success for them has paled in comparison to a number of the more popular bands of the era, their music is some of the best of all time, as any classic hard rock fan will tell you. The group still regularly tours the worlds and plays to crowds of all sizes and demographics. Y&T is now touring to celebrate their four decades together as a band.
Y&T started off in the mid 1970s under their original band name, Yesterday and Today, releasing two albums under that name before being signed to a major label in the early 1980s. It was the band’s mid 1980s output, including the In Rock We Trust and Down for the Count albums that brought them their greatest mainstream success, though they seemed to vanish from the spotlight after an all too brief prominence. Through there have been sporadic reunions and lineup changes, the band has continued to go strong for years, even if not in the spotlight. Their most recent studio effort, Facemelter, was released in 2010.
Tragedy struck in 2011 when classic bassist Phil Kennemore passed away from cancer. But that has not stopped the band from continuing to move forward with the things in this world they do best, namely rocking the world! Guitarist/vocalist Dave Meniketti remains the band’s one constant, consistent member over the years, with the group’s current lineup also featuring bassist Brad Lang, guitarist John Nymann, and drummer Mike Vanderhule. This version of the band released the Live at the Mystic live album in 2012, marking the group’s first post-Kennemore release.
Anyone who is a fan of Y&T knows full well that they are a band that puts on excellent live shows, and they continue to keep their reputation strong. The true fans know that there is a true classic hard rock band out there well beyond their biggest hit, the pop-flavored Summertime Girls. Those who take the time to get to know the band’s catalogue are impressed with the sheer variety of music they have recorded over the years. On average, Y&T has played Vegas once a year for the past several years, almost always playing Vamp’d.
This tour was a bit of a departure compared to other more recent Y&T tours, because they are focusing on their fortieth anniversary as a band together rather than the thirtieth anniversary of a specific album (2011 was thirtieth anniversary of the Earthshaker album, 2012 was thirtieth anniversary of the Black Tiger album, etc.) Of course these differences just made me all the more eager for the night!
The first thing I noticed when I got to Vamp’d is that it was a PACKED HOUSE. These guys always bring in a massive crowd every time they hit up Vamp’d and this was certainly no exception. When there are fewer tables set up in the venue than normal to accommodate the large standing crowds, you know they have anticipated a large turnout. And right they were indeed. Despite the fact that Vamp’d and Y&T were competing with another high demand show in Vegas, Metal Church, the crowds were still impressive, and you would not have known there was another show going on in town if you did not know otherwise!
As soon as the lights went down, crowds were treated to an “audio reel” that played highlights of the band’s multi-decade career, clearly getting them pumped up for everything that was to come. As soon as the quartet hit the stage, everyone was reeling and ready to rock out! One thing I noticed throughout the show is that these guys are a band that keeps the between song banter to a minimum, but they still manage to have a great sense of humor throughout, and clearly enjoy doing what they do.
You could more or less call this a “greatest hits” tour for the band, clearly they wanted to celebrate all of their triumphs together as a band. Obligatory hits like Summertime Girls, Don’t Stop Runnin’ and Contagious were a part of this legacy setlist, but the group also included songs from all facets of their career, including older tunes from the Yesterday and Today era, and songs that were recorded after the band’s heyday as well. This is one of those setlists that was thorough and definitely impressed the crowd. You can tell this is a band that has no shortage of die-hard fans all these years later. The performance itself was spirited and full of energy throughout; vocalist/guitarist Dave Meniketti remains one of rock’s most endearing frontmen, not to mention one of the most underrated.
The one minor complaint I have here is a few missing tunes that I thought would have been nice for the setlist. Seeing as how this is the thirtieth anniversary of In Rock We Trust, I was disappointed to see one of the biggest and best songs from that record, Rock and Roll’s Gonna Save the World, missing in action. Also MIA was one of the biggest hits and best songs from the Yesterday and Today era, Beautiful Dreamer. Still, this was an excellent night of rock and roll overall, and I can definitely forgive these minor slip-ups. It was an improvement overall to see much of the band’s newer material excised in favor of lost classics; the Yesterday and Today era seldom gets the proper recognition.
Overall though, this is one of the best Y&T shows this music fan has seen to date. Having caught many of their Vamp’d shows in recent years, I can safely say that has been one of their finest. No fan of the band out there was disappointed. Should the band come to your town, do not pass up an opportunity to see them live. They will blow you away, and give you one of the best concert experiences of the year!