by photojournalist Allison Davis
The night of Friday, July 17th, was met with severe thunderstorms that ultimately caused the cancellation of local favorites Pitbull Toddler. But storms or not, the house was packed. Thankfully, the weather decided to cooperate for the rest of the night, and we were dropped right back into a true, humid Florida sauna summer.
Since Ferg’s is always so incredibly good to us photographers, we always know the usual gang we are going to shoot with in the pit, but every once in a while we get some new faces which was the case on Friday. This show also brought out people that I have only ever known via social media, so it was amazing to finally meet face-to-face.
ON TO THE SHOW!
With Pitbull Toddler out of the game, we had a brief but highly entertaining introduction to Banjoe Steve a one-man show with nothing but his banjo to join him. The crowd absolutely loved his unexpected, renditions of popular songs. He was a fun/chill way to get the music going.
This brought us to FireHouse. We all know and love classics like “Don’t Treat Me Bad” and “Reach for the Sky”, but seeing them live right now is extra special. New vocalist Nate Peck is doing an incredible job filling the shoes of the late, great C.J. Snare. The overwhelmingly positive comments from the crowd were proof of that. Many in attendance were seeing him for the first time; I was too, but having followed him for a bit on Instagram, I already had a sneak preview of what he was capable of!
In a beautiful moment during their set, the band brought a couple up on stage who were celebrating their marriage. By the end of the song, it was crystal clear these two had genuinely “Found the Love of a Lifetime” (yes, that pun was completely intentional). While many of these 80s rock bands only have a few OG members left, the fans here proved they are completely on board with the next generation keeping the music alive.
This brings me to “The Down Boys” Warrant. As a kid, I was the one who listened to all of these hair metal bands which was very unlike most of my friends and there was even one memorable time we put together a full dance performance to a Warrant song. So, there you have it.
On Friday night, I did not present my dance skills from back in the day , but I did have the opportunity to put my talent to work behind the lens. With this band, we are working with the complete classic lineup, with the sole exception of legendary frontman Jani Lane, who sadly passed away in 2011. Robert Mason has since taken the reins, and he commands the stage beautifully.
I know I always talk about energy, but it IS the lifeblood of live music If the band doesn’t have it, the crowd won’t either. Warrant had it in spades. They kicked the night into overdrive with heavy-hitters like “Down Boys” and “Big Talk”, keeping the energy high with deep cuts and fan favorites like “Mr. Rainmaker”, “32 Pennies”, and “Blind Faith”.
The crowd was pressed right up against the barricade, completely ready to go. One woman was even taking every single opportunity to catch a feel of singer Robert Mason every chance she got, and yes I have a photo to prove it!
They kept the night rolling with a perfect variety of tracks from across their discography, leading into the massive, emotional sing-alongs for “I Saw Red” and “Heaven”, before tearing the house down with “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and, of course, the ultimate finale: “Cherry Pie”.
After I finished photographing from the pit, I perched in a nice little spot right against the stage. At the very end of the night, I was popped a guitar pick from the band. Let me just say: people get absolute tunnel vision over that stuff! Fans want any little piece of memorabilia they can get their hands on.
Personally, I am loving all of these legacy rock bands that Ferg’s has been bringing through lately. Some I saw back in the day, and some I am seeing for the very first time, but I know and love them all. I absolutely adore the world of rock music. Every single show is an unforgettable experience, and a creative opportunity that I’m grateful for in every way. So keep them coming Ferg’s, and a big thank you to not only Ferg’s but Tampa Bay Music News for the opportunity to cover these shows!
