Artist: Ted Nugent
Title: “Motor City Mayhem” [Blu-ray]
Label: Eagle Vision
Release Date: 6/30/2009
Genre: Hard Rock
Rating: 4/5
Having reviewed this DVD when it originally was released on standard edition DVD and finding no real difference other than the presentation on the Blu-ray medium I am re-presenting my words about this issue for those fans who might not own it yet. Please continue.
While it’s probably safe to say that if you have seen one Ted Nugent live video concert then you have seen them all since many follow a particular standard when it comes to the set list and one can always count on Uncle Ted being at his audience appeasing best with the guitar and his electric dialogue. That being said this particular DVD is yards ahead of the many that have preceded it and that’s because this is one of total celebration of a life lived and breathed in the fires of Hard Rock & Roll. Presenting “Motor City Mayhem”, the 6000th official show ever done by the musician, filmed in front of a hometown audience on July 4th 2008. It doesn’t get any more American if you ask me and the show starts off with a bang as members of the US Armed Forces greet the musician and as he enters and performs “The Star Spangled Banner”, an absolutely stunning young bikini clad model pops out of a giant cake. Talk about getting a party started right, and through it all Ted is his humble self telling the audience to wish him a happy anniversary before he kicks the show into gear. Of course no one seemed to be complaining by the looks of the crowd in the video. The live performance comes released to the masses a few short months after the CD that bore the same name and presented the full set on two discs for his fans to enjoy. Now the Nugent completist can properly see just what the audio teased them about by showcasing it on a nice big TV with the speakers pumping at full volume.
Having reviewed the CD already I had to say that I really preferred the video side of the release more than just the audio one and that was based on the special nature of the shenanigans and guest stars that Ted puts forth during this particular show. Hearing someone announce a guest star on an audio release is nice, but when the musician calls to the stage the guitar player who gave him lessons fifty years ago it just snares you by the heart strings. He jams with Joe Podosek on “Honky Tonk” and it’s definitely a special moment to see happening during the show. A little later in the set after more jokes and more ripping selections from the Ted archival and recent catalog we get treated to the tale of how he once saw Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels and was so impacted by them that he was proud to have drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek up there on the kit doing his thing for “Jenny Take A Ride”. This is a classic even today and one can find numerous cover bands attempting to do justice to the original number and only a few managing to come close. As expected during this tune, drummer “Wild” Mick Brown (Dokken) sits out while Johnny “Bee” does his thing. The band is later joined by original Nugent singer Derek St. Holmes who helps Uncle Ted by belting out a number and sticking around for a couple of more. Truly this show was one of the most fun that I had ever seen from the Nugent camp and one that looked as if the audience would be leaving with lifelong memories of being a part of.
Nuge is clearly having a blast during the show and talking up a storm whenever he is not too focused on his guitar work; with bassist Greg Smith and drummer Brown providing a solid back end to his wildfire playing the show seems to go off without a hitch and is exciting from beginning to end. I would have to say that if you still don’t own the CD and can live without it that the only purchase you really need to make is on the DVD. I still wish that these kinds of releases were packaged together for a reasonable price but that day has not yet come and at the end of the day I felt much more satisfaction after watching the film than simply hearing all of the fun on the CD. Congrats on your 6000th show Uncle Ted and also for being 60 years old and still at the game like a young dude whose just getting his first go at it. You are an inspiration to all players who wish to make a career of a life in music and you show that one only gets better with age as opposed to needing to sit in a chair complaining about the day.
If you don’t already own this release and you have the means to view the upgraded aspects of the Blu-ray medium then I suggest that you invest your money wisely and buy this one. Should you already own the standard edition version and be over the roof about it, then perhaps you should give this edition a look at and put your original one on Amazon.com for sale or make a present of it to someone special.
Track Listing:
1. Ted Nugent Intro
2. Star Spangled Banner
3. Motor City Madhouse
4. Wango Tango
5. Free For All
6. Stormptroopin’
7. Dog Eat Dog
8. Need You Bad
9. Weekend Warrior
10. Love Grenade
11. Honky Tonk
12. Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
13. Bo Diddley/Lay With Me
14. Baby Please Don’t Go
15. Geronimo And Me
16. Jenny Take A Ride
17. Soul Man
18. Hey Baby
19. Cat Scratch Fever
20. Stranglehold
21. Great White Buffalo
22. Fred Bear
23. Outtro
Official Website: http://www.tednugent.com