E-BEAT C.C. Deville Bret Michaels Poison Kills in the Heartland By Jake Feldman Who: Poison When: August 4 n an age where most music is Where: Iowa Speedway, Newton, IA Imanufactured like junk food and Grade: A- has a shelf-life all of ten minutes long, only a few artists of the moment will be around recorded throughout in five years, let alone 25—and still have any their quarter century drawing power. Poison—a band synonymous career. Their set with hair metal—has managed to survive predictably closed addiction, trends, and reality TV to remain one with the Poison power of the top touring party bands still around. The trifecta: “Unskinny Bop,” “Talk Dirty band, led by the consummate performer Bret to Me,” and “Nothin’ But a Good Michaels, made its way through the heartland Time.” The massive cell phone and transformed “America’s Place to Race” “lighter” singalong of the evening into “America’s Place to Rock.” was of course “Every Rose Has its From the first strains of “Look What the Cat Thorn,” an anthem so huge that its the windows down and Open Up and Say… Dragged In,” it was clear that guitarist C.C. effects are still being felt on FM at least twice Ahh! blasting from your speakers. Back in the Deville, bassist Bobby Dall, and drummer a day in every major market. day, there was music that made you think and Rikki Rocket still possess the same chops The real appeal of a Poison show, however, there was music to make you drink, dance that put them on top of the LA scene in the is the pure unadulterated fun that permeates and…well, you know. The nerds were into new mid ‘80s and thrust them into the national everything from the pre-show tailgating to wave; Reaganomics was in and Bret Michaels spotlight a short time later. The main set the guy passed out at the end of the show, was encouraging us all to talk dirty. Fast- consisted of singalong hits like “Fallen Angel,” three rows down. The whole time you are forward to 2007, on a warm summer night in “Somethin’ to Believe in,” and “Ride the Wind.” surrounded by hard-working, fun-loving Iowa…Bret and Poison made it 1988 all over Interspersed were tracks from their new reminders of a time when life was easier and a again. M studio album Poison’d, a collection of covers vacation consisted of a drive around town with mobile:beat september 2007 13.