KIX/L.A. NOOKIE
HOUSE OF BLUES SUNSET STRIP – 8/27/2010

As I ventured into the House of Blues, I had a pretty good idea what I was in for – a great night of kickass rock & roll. KIX was playing their first Hollywood gig in almost two decades and there was an electricity in the air I hadn’t felt since seeing Michael Monroe in San Francisco six months earlier.

Opener LA Nookie (featuring the amazing Lorraine Lewis on vocals) was powering through a set of covers and the nearly sold out crowd was loving it!! Lorraine – hell, the entire band - Alex Kane (LIFE SEX & DEATH), Brian Tichy (LYNCH MOB, BILLY IDOL, WHITESNAKE), Lisa Leveridge (COURTNEY LOVE) and Mike Dupke (W.A.S.P.), along with special guest Jeff Young (MEGADETH) for a song or two - was all over the stage whipping the fans into a frenzy. We were treated to some AC/DC, some Ramones, Anita Lee guesting on 'Cherry Bomb', a little Elton John and of course some Femme Fatale (“Waiting for the Big One”).

I recently saw KIX perform in their hometown of Baltimore, MD at the M3 Rock Festival last June, but I had a feeling tonight was going to be something special. There was no 100+ degree heat or other bands to worry about – the stage belonged to the Bad Boys of the Underground! Anyone that has had the pleasure of seeing KIX in concert knows frontman Steve Whiteman is thoroughly entertaining and a total wild man onstage. On this night, Steve’s voice was well rested and in damn fine form. KIX hit the stage with “Hot Wire” and didn’t let up until they slowed things down with “Don’t Close Your Eyes” five songs later (which Steve facetiously calls “The Hit”). I had hopes they would add a couple songs to the set since there were essentially no time constraints (such as “Tear Down the Walls” or “No Ring Around Rosie”) though I did get treated to “She Dropped Me the Bomb” for one of the encores.

We were all treated to a pleasant surprise when a slim and healthy-looking Jani Lane (WARRANT, SAINTS OF THE UNDERGROUND) joined the band onstage for the crowd participation portion of “Cold Blood”. He was looking and sounding much better than the last time I had seen him (his horrendous final performance with Warrant at Rock the Bayou in 2008) and while Warrant has been given new life with vocalist Robert Mason (LYNCH MOB, CRY OF LOVE, BIG COCK), Jani is an amazingly talented performer & songwriter in his own right. I just hope he can exorcise his demons once and for all.

When all was said & done (and during the nearly 20-minute version of “Yeah Yeah Yeah”, just about everything was), KIX showed once again why they are one of the best live bands anywhere. Rock & roll fans across the globe can only hope they venture outside of their home turf of Baltimore more often.

-Aaron Rockpit

SETLIST
• HOT WIRE
• RED LITE GREEN LITE TNT
• SEX
• THE ITCH
• GIRL MONEY
• DON’T CLOSE YOUR EYES
• MIDNITE DYNAMITE
• GET IT WHILE ITS HOT
• SAME JANE
• COLD SHOWER
• COLD BLOOD (with JANI LANE)
• BLOW MY FUSE

ENCORE
• SHE DROPPED ME THE BOMB
• YEAH YEAH YEAH