Mötley Crüe was in Connecticut on 8/31/24. My buddy Scott asked me the day of the show if I wanted to go if we could buy some last minute cheap tickets. So naturally…I said no! I haven’t seen the Crüe in probably 15 years, but the last time I saw them I had scored free tickets and I still felt ripped off for the time spent getting there and back. So of course, I was a bit hesitant to spend any cash on these dudes.
A bit later in the day, another friend said they could get two extra FREE tickets if I was interested. Well at that price, I said yes. The show was at the Mohegan Sun arena which is a good venue and easy to get to. So I figured if Vince Neil totally sucks as usual, I could just leave and do a bit of gambling if I desire.
Heading into the show, I had the lowest of expectations. However…
They started right around 8:15pm with no opening band. Some prerecorded videos, crazy sounds, and boom! Time for Primal Scream. The reason why I hated the Crüe last time was because of Vince. He barely sang, mostly made noises on occasion and otherwise held the mic out for the crowd to sing instead of him. Watching concert clips online over the years told me not much had changed and the feedback from others generally confirmed he was useless. But tonight? I have to say he beat expectations. This is also a different Crüe than I was used to. Perhaps a bit more mellow.
For this show, there were no pyros which is odd because pyros have been a staple of theirs for years. There was also no Tommy Lee drum solo. Tommy always had an elaborate drum kit and solo, with crazy tricks, spinning cages, roller coasters, etc. But not anymore. Of course, there was also no more Mick Mars after their bitter split and ensuing lawsuits. It was just a rock show. So, a lot was missing from previous shows, but what was new?
John 5 replaced Mick on guitar and brings a different vibe to the band. He’s younger, and he also doesn’t have the near crippling health issues that Mick has. This makes him able to run around the stage. With no drum solo, John 5’s guitar solo is a standout moment in the show. Yes it’s true, he’s not Mick Mars, and I know the Crüeheads love Mick, and I love Mick too! But John 5 can play the songs, and his solo was pretty damn cool. I saw John 5 last summer when he was still playing guitar for Rob Zombie. He was great. As a guitar player, he’s awesome. As a founding member or songwriter of the Crüe, well…he’s not. But if you just want to hear someone play the songs, the dude can play.
Bassist Nikki Sixx didn’t get all chatty like I recall in the past. He was just there, playing bass and lending backing vocals without trying to be a front man. I preferred this for sure. Shut up and play!
Tommy Lee still beats the hell out of his drums, and gets to be front man for part of the show. He’s still got a ton of energy and takes time to talk to the crowd, though mostly “where them titties at?” while the camera operators find the flashers in the crowd and show them on the big screen. Then Tommy plays the piano portion of Home Sweet Home and runs back to the drums when it’s time.
Vince? Oh Vince. He’ll never sound like 1985 Vince again, but what band/singer can? Now remember, I said he beat my expectations. This doesn’t mean he was great. But he actually seems to have slimmed down a bit, and might actually be trying to sing. Trying is a good start Vince! I’m still not sure if he remembers all the words, but he does attempt to make up a noise or word that mostly works. I would say Girls Girls Girls was probably the song he knew all or most of the words to. But when it came to all their hits, there was enough effort made to make it work and the crowd could follow along.
When they played their new song, Dogs of War, I couldn’t understand a word he sang. Is this because I’m unfamiliar with it? Or perhaps the sound was poor? Or maybe he is still trying to remember the lyrics himself. Who knows?
One of the best parts of the night was the medley of cover songs they did. It started with Gary Glitter’s Rock n Roll part 2 which turned into Smokin’ in the Boys Room. It then turned into Helter Skelter, Anarchy in the UK, Blitzkrieg Bop, and Fight for Your Right to Party.
As I said, Vince’s performance beat my expectations. The overall show itself had a much different energy than their previous shows I’ve seen but the crowd liked it. The two dudes I was with loved it. Pyros have been replaced with lights and video screens, but that’s ok. Indoor pyrotechnics aren’t always the best idea. The place was packed, so they still draw a crowd regardless of the recent videos of Vince just sucking.
If you just want a night of rock and roll, and can find decent price tickets, I guess I’d say go check it out.
Seeing them in 97 just as Vince rejoined the band was still my favorite Crüe show ever. Perhaps I should tap into the memory bank and write that one down sometime.
Setlist:
- Primal Scream
- Too Fast for Love
- Wild Side
- Shout at the Devil (1997version)
- Live Wire
- On With the Show
- Dogs of War
- Guitar Solo
- Looks that Kill
- Medley of covers
- Tommy’s titty cam
- Home Sweet Home
- Dr. Feelgood
- Same Ole Situation
- Girls Girls Girls
- Kickstart My Heart
No Encore
On a personal note, with so many shows in the books, it’s important to wear ear protection. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s “not cool.” I usually use the old school foam ones you roll up, stick in your ear, and then they expand. But I tried these for this show and they were pretty great. The sound wasn’t muffled, and the ears weren’t crap after the show.
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