NAMM week brings the best of the best to Orange County every year; this night was proof. Extreme graced us with their presence on Jan. 27 at the House of Blues Anaheim.
Boston based Extreme doesn’t hit this part of Southern California often. The last time the fans had the honor of seeing them live, was at the Cathouse Live Festival at Irvine Meadows August of 2015. I like all the other excited fans were ready for Extreme.
The fans started to get a little restless, as you see a spotlight run across the backdrop which reads “EXTREME” behind the drum riser. Drummer Kevin Figueiredo, bassist Pat Badger, guitar virtuoso Nuno Bettencourt hit the stage as frontman Gary Cherone is standing on the drum riser wearing sunglasses with an “X” across one lens, opening with It(‘s a Monster), followed by Lil’ Jack Horny and rounding out the first three songs with Get The Funk Out off the Pronograffitti album. Could it get any better? Oh yes!
Extreme released five studio albums, most recently celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Pronograffitti with a tour in 2015. Is there something up their sleeves, are they warming us up to something big? Rumors are Extreme is to release a new album the first half of this year.
Frontman Cherone has moves that make everyone jealous; as he poses and struts from one side of the stage to the other working the fans and his bandmates. Bettencourt is multi-talented as he drummed a duet with Figueiredo on Play with Me. Also playing effortlessly during his guitar solo’s on the instrumental Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee. Every band has one strong, silent type; bassist Pat Badger wears this hat, you take notice.
Every show I cover I am amazed how they choose the setlist, every song is worthy of being played. Tonight was filled with one hit after another, the main body of the set included seventeen songs.
After a brief pause, two stools are set onstage; the cheers erupt as Cherone and Bettencourt take a seat for More Than Words off the album Pronogaffitti. As they sat there silently, the sold-out crowd sang all the words, such an amazing moment, still giving me goosebumps as I write this. Followed by Warheads then Peacemaker Die off lll Sides to Every Story.
Ending this phenomenal night with a tribute to Queen reminding us of their performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wimbley Stadium in 1992, We are the Champions to the fans standing ovation.
This was two and a half hours of awesomeness!!
Connect with Extreme online: Website Facebook Twitter
Setlist:
It(‘s a Monster)
Li’l Jack Horny
Get the Funk Out
Rest In Peace
Hip Today
Kid Ego
Play with Me
Tragic Comic
Hole Hearted
Midnight Express (Snippet of Wanted Dead or Alive)
Cupid’s Dead
Am I Ever Gonna Change
Take Us Alive
Stop The World
Flight of the Wounded Bumblebee
He-Man Woman Hater
Decadence Dance
Encore:
More Than Words
Warheads
Peacemaker Die
We Are the Champions (Queen Cover)
All photos by Tammy Greene
©2018. Please DO NOT copy or use without permission.
