Concert review: Sebastian Bach, Quiet Riot & Great White | 10.03.26, The Family Arena (with photo gallery)

Photo of Sebastian Bach by Laura Jerele

Let me just say it: the Family Arena was PACKED for this show, and when I showed up and saw the huge lines to get in, I actually wondered if I would, in fact, get in!. It’s like it turned into a hair metal paradise with wall-to-wall, shoulder-to-shoulder, denim-and-leather-clad ’80s music lovers. 

If you ever wondered whether Sebastian Bach has lost a step, the answer is a big, sweaty, screaming NO. Dude does not lack for energy and will obviously never stop making music and touring. He ran around that stage like a maniac the whole night, swinging his mic around like a lasso, which is just true Sebastian Bach fashion. He even played frisbee with the crowd. Yes, frisbee. At a metal show. I actually loved it! He’s also the self-appointed general in the fight against A.I., and he made it loud and clear, casting out one giant, glorious “Fuck you” to the robots and bad A.I. band flyers that “look like they’re dipped in piss.” Fighting all the A.I., he made sure we know that this was a real band. Real guitars. Real drums. Real humans making real noise. Take that, algorithms! Glam rock wants to save the creative arts!

Between songs, Bach chatted up the crowd like an old friend, never afraid to laugh at himself. After plowing through Skid Row songs like “Piece of Me,” “Slave to the Grind,” and “18 and Life,” he cracked up about still playing these songs 38 years later, and you could tell he’s still having an absolute blast up there. He worked the crowd like only an ’80s hair metal frontman can, and he even worked ME. He swiped my trademark hat right off my head while I was photographing, plopped it on his own, and rocked out in it like it was custom-made for him. Best and funniest hat-based concert moment of my life, no contest.

Backed by a very young, very talented band that includes his son, Paris, on drums, Bach tore through a killer set of the hits plus really heavy newer tracks that proved he’s not just living on nostalgia. He sang his heart out and poured sweat, joking that it was basically “sweating to the oldies.” Classic. His passion for performing and being in front of a crowd is never going to die, and thank God for that because it’s great to see artists not giving on what they love to do.

Here’s the amazing thing about Quiet Riot tonight: they’ve got a new lead singer, John Torra, who’s a mere twenty-something, and he SLAYED, sounding like a reincarnated Kevin DuBrow! High energy, running around, wearing those trademark stripes, and this felt like so much more than some blast from the past. These are songs that still freaking rock and the high energy from these players was infectious and totally fun!

Bassist Rudy Sarzo blazed and smiled the entire time he was on stage (also, he’s a freaking rock icon, in case you needed the reminder). He even spoke to the crowd, paying homage to former bandmates like Ozzy and Frankie Banali, and of course, guitar legend Randy Rhoads by calling out a song for them, “Thunderbird.” This was a fabulous iteration of Riot, with a massive dose of fresh life breathed right back into the band. High energy, high vibes and a young kid getting his chance at the big leagues!

Great White kicked things off next with a set that proved their trademark blues-soaked rock sound still hits. These guys have been at it since 1982, and they’ve endured a lot changes, but this hasn’t faded them one bit. I admire the few guys that have been in this band for the long run and wish to keep going. They brought the crunchy, bluesy riffs they’re known for, and they sounded really damn good!

Brett Carlisle has taken over vocal duties, and he fronted the band with plenty of grit and charisma, belting his way through hit after hit like he’s always been in the band. His energy was fun, and he definitely knows how to work the audience and the stage, even if there are a few technical glitches here and there. Guitarists Mark Kendall and Michael Lardie traded licks with teamwork that seemed effortless, but not in a been-there-done-that way. Then came the moment the whole arena was waiting for: “Once Bitten, Twice Shy,” and yes, the entire building sang along. My, my, my…Great White sounded brilliant, and they reminded everyone that great songs don’t age, they just get louder.

So, there you have it. Three bands, one packed crowd, zero A.I., and all the rock and a lot of hairspray AND receding hairlines. Long live real music, and long live my hat that got to be on Sebastian Bach’s head for one glorious night. | Laura Jerele