By John Johnson, photos Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography

There are plenty of places to catch live music around Florida, but on this night, Ferg’s Sports Bar in downtown St. Petersburg transformed from a sports fan’s paradise into a full-blown rock and roll playground. What Tommy and crew started just blocks from the Trop, called the Concert Courtyard has turned into one of the coolest places to catch live music. And this past Friday night was certainly no exception.

The slightly muggy evening kicked off with local favorites Saints of Saturn, and they wasted absolutely no time getting the crowd moving. The hometown rockers, that channel Humble Pie, Zeppelin and the like, came out swinging. Their all original set was packed with energy, attitude, and enough guitar battling to rattle the glasses. Standout tunes, in my opinion are “Broken Crown” and “Decay”, and the hook in “Pile of Ashes” is hard to ignore. I was singing it Saturday as I mowed the lawn. Charismatic frontman Nik Wilson, shirtless with a leopard jacket and skin tight slacks, whips his hair as much as he changes out guitars. Some of those he fashioned himself, shout out to his black Flying V with the left-handed neck. The backend boys Cory Bernardi and Christopher Erickson, on drums and bass respectively, pounded away through their short eight song set, with panache as always. Newcomer Julian “Jules” Mason looks and sounds like he’s been a Saint since they were the Dirty Janes, and has honed his pick slinging well enough to hit me 30 feet away. There’s always something special about seeing these cats on a big bill, and they absolutely played like they belonged there. By the time they wrapped, the crowd was warmed up, and if they were unaware of SoS or not fans, the four lads I call friends, left the stage with new followers.

Then came Vixen.

Having done my due diligence, I discovered the only original Vixen was drummer Roxy Petrucci. But that mattered little as they looked and sounded great, and Petrucci was near animalistic behind the kit. Britt Lightning shredded on a pink leopard guitar and matching bedazzled boots while flipping her blonde locks nonstop. The fetching, brunette, Julia Lage thumped on the bass and sang backup all while smiling and flirting with, seemingly, each member of the audience. But it was Rosa Laricchiuta on vocals that really brought these four talented performers together. Having sang with Trans-Siberian Orchestra clearly helped her hone her theatrical chops as well as her vocal range. From the moment they hit the stage, Vixen delivered a set full of hooks, harmonies, and hard-rock swagger. The band’s chemistry, although not original, was undeniable, and they looked like they were having just as much fun as the middle-aged men ogling them. In the middle of their 12 song set, they crushed a medley that included a mix of Van Halen and Whitesnake as Petrucci squeezed in an impressive drum solo. The set closer, and biggest single of the bands, “Edge of a Broken Heart” brought a wave of nostalgia through the crowd, but there was nothing dated about the performance. Vixen sounded sharp, powerful, and completely at home under the downtown St. Pete sky.

Truth be told, while Vixen was playing, we were lead to a Meet and Greet with the headliners Quiet Riot. Ferg’s staff was super accommodating and couldn’t be more professional and friendly. Regardless of how tight Tommy’s troop is, it couldn’t help how awkward meeting Quiet Riot felt. From my perspective, the three hired guns on guitar, drums and vocals were less friendly than the rock icon bassist Rudy Sarzo. Not to completely diss them as I’m sure their minds were already set to perform and going through the motions of a meet and greet can sometimes be tedious. But Sarzo was personable and extremely approachable and made up for the energy the other guys lacked. For a guy that goes all the way back to the Randy Rhoads days, he’s extremely humble and super cool.

The meet and greet aside, the pioneers of ’80s metal delivered exactly what the fans came to hear, a loud, unapologetic celebration of rock. From the opening notes of “Run for Cover” and “Slick Black Cadillac”, fists were pumping, heads were banging, and every chorus became a sing-along. Not being too aware of their catalog myself, it was difficult to truly appreciate their performance, albeit pretty solid. The crowd seemed to be having a good time and dozens of skullet rocking dudes seemed to know every word. One of the two Slade covers that made Quiet Riot famous was recognizable however, “Mama Weer All Crazee Now” (third song in) and the unmistakable “Cum On Feel the Noize”. Clearly the guys in Slade were not able to conquer the states like Quiet Riot did with those tunes, but also lacked the ability to spell properly. I know, it’s a metal “thing” to have bad grammar and add umlauts to random letters. I digress.

“Noize” was the second to last song as Quiet Riot’s own anthem, “Metal Health (Bang Your Head)” closed out the evening’s trifecta. By the end of the night, Ferg’s Concert Courtyard, once again, proved a worthy locale for live music with three bands that “brought it” in their respective ways. Saints of Saturn showed why they’re one of the area’s strongest acts, Vixen reminded any possible doubters that chicks can f’ing RAWK, and Quiet Riot delivered a headlining performance packed with classic metal muscle.

Thanks again to Tommy and team for their hard work and dedication. It’s not easy to juggle all the moving parts involved in a massive sports bar and concert venue combo, but they’re a well oiled machine. I’m looking forward to the next show there.

Now. Go Out and See, Hear and Feel Live Music!