COHOES, N.Y. – More than four decades from when he first became a hard rock icon, Stephen Pearcy, former frontman of seminal ‘80s L.A. hair metal outfit Ratt, showed he still has it.
A large part of the “it,” in this case, was Pearcy strutting on the Cohoes Music Hall stage with the same edgy rock n’ roll attitude he’s always had. At 66, he still loves what he does.
Playing in a smaller venue than the massive arenas Ratt played regularly in the ’80s, Pearcy didn’t seem dismayed, but rather seemed to enjoy being able to see the crowd; to reach out, touch them, and interact. And the fans responded well. He and his solo band – guitarists Johnny Monaco and Erik Ferentinos, bassist Matt Thorne, and drummer Scot Coogan – had clearly come to rock.
“The other guys want to sit home on their asses, but I wanna play. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Pearcy said during the set, referring to his current inability to push the original Ratt members to rejoin forces and hit the road again. He otherwise avoided discussing any of the long-running legal and personal issues surrounding Ratt during the show, avoiding the drama and focusing on giving the crowd what they wanted: A trip back to metal’s glory days.
Pearcy and co. treated disciples to a 13-song set of Ratt classics that was, admittedly, condensed in run time, but hit all the major highs. Opening with the bombastic “Wanted Man,” Pearcy’s tight band of backers kept the energy high from the get-go, as the frontman settled in and worked the room. Pearcy seemingly rolled from one Ratt favorite to the next, from “Way Cool Jr.,” to “Lay It Down,” to “You Think You’re Tough.” The fists and devil horns were high in the air throughout.
As for the crowd, it was not surprisingly a predominantly male audience aged 34 to 50, but there were exceptions, of course, as fan Shawn Boschelli showed, bringing along his young son, Enzo, who’s now a diehard fan. It’s easy to see why: As Pearcy and the band closed out the set with two of Ratt’s best—“Back for More” and the massive hit “Round and Round”—it was clear there’s an energy to the songs that transcends generations and still kicks ass, all these years later.
Given the tensions surrounding Ratt and its legacy, Pearcy’s solo show is naturally going to come under some scrutiny from fans and media alike. But any doubts among those in attendance quickly evaporated once the set began and it became evident that this was going to be a sincere celebration of Ratt’s music. It’s a win for fans young and old, perhaps including some who never had a chance to see the classic Ratt lineup perform.
The Stephen Pearcy experience didn’t end there: After the show, the singer even held a meet and greet individually with the fans. It was a long line!
###
Set List:
Wanted Man
I’m Insane
Slip of the Lip
Lovin’ You’s A Dirty Job
Way Cool Jr.
You’re in Love
Lay it Down
Lack of Communication
I Want a Woman
You Think You’re Tough
Body Talk
Back for More
Round and Round
###
Stephen Pearcy – The Voice of Ratt – Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, NY – 2/26/23 (Photos by Stephanie J. Bartik)
