On a chilly night this past Saturday 80’s rock metal legends Dokken took the stage in support of Queensrÿche. It was a clear and chilly night at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater this past weekend, but that didn’t stop the several thousand fans from enjoying great rock-n-roll from two of metals longest running bands. The stage setup was minimalist to say the least, it looked as if the show was produced by the school of rock, which is fine, but not what was expected from either band. In their defense, I believe both bands just spent the past week at sea on a rock cruise.

That being said, both bands still put on a great show and played their hits to a more than appreciative crowd. With Don Dokken singing his namesake bands greatest hits, the crowd was into it. His voice is not as strong as it was in its heyday, but that was no matter for the throngs in the crowd singing along to every word.  After a short pause, Eddie Trunk of That Metal Show on VH1 introduced Queensrÿche, as he did for Dokken. Eddie has been an MC for many metal shows, and this was no different. He has been a staple on the metal scene for decades, and after recently losing his show on VH1, it’s good to see he is still in demand.

Queensrÿche took the stage with current lead singer Todd LaTorre and they just killed it. The legal wrangling between the band and their former lead singer didn’t matter. Fans of the music still came out to support the band, and they had a great time.  Queensrÿche, which is known for their ear splitting high notes and melodies hit every mark. The show was simple from a production standpoint, which is maybe a good thing. As a fan of both bands, it was good to be able to just enjoy the bands for their music, without any of the theatrics and bullshit that can easily overwhelm the audience. Rock-N-roll at it’s purest sometimes works better.  Always support live music!