Halfway Jam - Stephen Pearcy

I'll be honest, I went to "Halfway Jam" to see Stephen Pearcy and having seen Ratt before as well as his solo act earlier this year, I was excited to travel to Royalton, MN for just that reason.  What would make a man travel so far to see a show that he has seen previously?  Its Stephen Pearcy (weren't you following that?).

I think its interesting to see your idols as you mature (or get old in my case) because you can reflect back to what you thought they would be like and then see how they have changed themselves, their persona really and how you have adapted to that change if any.  What I mean by that is is the perceived change for the good or the bad, and does that reflect your current perception.  With that in mind, I have a decent interpretation of the work of Mr. Pearcy and that does include that concert I saw when I was younger, as well as the show I had seen earlier this year.

Ratt always had tremendous energy, they were always larger than life it seemed and then when I had seen Stephen Pearcy earlier in the year, that energy was still there, and the person with all of that energy was indeed, Pearcy.  Anxious would be the proper word used to describe how I was as I entered the field that was transformed into "Halfway Jam" because this show wasn't a confined stage at a casino, this was wide open, why you could almost hear the deer and the antelope playing (antelope?) and I was betting that I was going to be blown away.

When Stephen Pearcy was announced, the energy level was palpable and as that first note was hit, I felt it.  The show I had seen back in the '80s in a large arena was that way, as it was in the Mississippi Moon Bar but this one was extreme.  I was facing the stage, and I was probably 25 to 30 feet from said stage but when that first note hit, I felt it on my BACK.  My shirt moved, and I almost felt like the guy from the old Maxell ads (guy sitting in a chair with his hair blown back by a recording on a Maxell tape), I was blown away.

The energy that everyone in the band has is remarkable, and that energy took a crowd that was looking toward the heavens in fear of rain and brought their eyes to center stage.  Its nice to see when a performer actually feels it as well, and Pearcy was engaging to the crowd, he was funny and he showed that he is still a master of his craft.

I have no idea how many fans were at the show (I haven't enough fingers and toes to count) but its safe to say that everyone I had seen were singing along with the maestro (Pearcy, stay with me) and as the show progressed it became obvious that the music meant something to everyone there.  Sure if you are a fan of the band you can sing along, but you also sing along with "Happy Birthday" to a child you have never heard of at some pizza place too, but it doesn't mean that the song means anything directly to you.

For me, Stephen Pearcy was the best band I saw on the third day of "Halfway Jam".  I said this before, I'll say it again, I will emphatically tell you to go see Stephen Pearcy, in any capacity, get there and enjoy the show.

Next up: Kix