Ted Nugent
Toad’s Place
New Haven, Connecticut
June 19, 2010
Tony Pijar
Setting aside Ted Nugent’s unwaveringly extreme right-wing politics, his penchant for hunting, killing and eating basically any animal that moves, and his over the top opinions on…well…just about everything, the man continues to be an exemplary showman and musician. Toad’s Place was a sweltering, heaving mass of sweaty, beer-soaked humanity. I’ve never seen it so packed, and all were there to see the Nuge on his appropriately titled “Trample the Weak; Hurdle the Dead” tour! Given this, the stage looked like an artillery bunker with two large machine guns perched high above on large tripods – both equipped with lengthy bullet belts; several machine guns were placed on the amps and drum riser; grenades were strategically placed about the stage, steer heads were strung up by the amps, and of course two American Flags flanked either sides of the drum riser as well.
Nugent appeared from the dark with his ‘American Flag’ guitar slung over his shoulder and burst into the “Star Spangled Banner” while his band mates, ‘Wild’ Mick Brown on drums and Greg Smith on bass, watched on enthusiastically with declared admiration. The band then ripped into “Stormtroopin” and followed, surprisingly, with “Wango Tango” where the man launched into one of his patented mid-song diatribes. “Free for All” and “Wang Dang Sweet Poontang”, both legendary songs, ripped into the masses face first; since I’ve never seen Uncle Ted live, hearing these gems was immense! Ditto for “Need you Bad” from “Weekend Warriors.” “Love Grenade”, the title track from Nugent’s last studio album, was killer live as was “Hey Baby.” This Motown-ish shake up would’ve benefited from Derek St. Holmes’ soulful voice, but alas Ted doesn’t like to keep band members around that long. An absolute scorching version of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode” followed, and then two classics from Nugent’s debut followed with “Just what the Doctor Ordered” and “Snakeskin Cowboys.” “Fred Bear”, from the highly underrated “Spirit of the Wild” was aired, before the band closed with “Cat Scratch Fever”, “Stranglehold” and “Great White Buffalo.” Nuge donned his well-familiar Indian headdress as he ripped through this Amboy Dukes’ classic.
Two hours of face-melting, guitar-oriented classic rock is…just what the doctor ordered!
Set List: Star Spangled Banner, Stormtroopin’, Free for All, Wang Dang Sweet Poontang, Rawdogs and Warhogs, Need you Bad, Love Grenade, Klstrphkme, Trample the Weak, Soul Man, Hey Baby, Johnny B Goode, Just what the Doctor Ordered, Snakeskin Cowboys, Fred Bear, Cat Scratch Fever, Stranglehold, Great White Buffalo.
