Rock and roll is good for mental health.
Just ask Jason McMaster, the leader of the metal band Dangerous Toys in the ’80s. He gave his opinion on the topic from the Sunday, June 12th stage of the Orange Loop Rock Festival at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City.
“My therapist says if I leave the mic down, I’m a grumpy (empty) son,” McMaster said. “I think my life sucks without you in it, and without a microphone in it. I get (blur) Amen? Amen for mental health because I need help!”
He committed the crowd with all his heart, and then Dangerous Toys broke into their closing song, “Scared.”
Stone Temple Pilots, Hoobastank, Puddle of Mudd, L.A. Guns, Treach from Naughty by Nature and mostly performers performed hard rock with a grunge influence and metallic hair in two stages on Sunday, the last day of the three-day festival.
Treach was the wild card. He rocked condensed versions of Naughty by Nature classics on Showboat’s Bourbon Room. The spot was the former main stage of the House of Blues before it closed.
“I’m out tonight,” Trench said as he took off his sweatshirt to reveal the Rolling Stones 75’s jersey in North America.
His music was “Summer Breeze”, apparently paying homage to the newly departed James Seals of Seals and Croft.
The festival was primarily a local show of Stone Temple Pilots, with members Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo from Point Pleasant. Their festival closing group gained momentum as they played rock classics, including “Vasoline”, “Big Bang Baby” and “Sex Type Thing” with forward Jeff Gutt.
Original striker Scott Welland died and was succeeded by Chester Bennington. Gutt has been in the band for five years or so.
“This is one of my favorite STP songs,” said Gott while introducing the song Plush. “I’m just like you – I was a fan before all of this.”
Gutt is a former contestant on “The X Factor” and lead vocalist for the band Dry Cell. His voice has the same range, and graphics of the shattered soul, of the late Weiland. It’s similar to him, too.
“This is a great lineup, watching the bands of the ’80s and ’90s together,” Chris Hallett, 50, of Northboro, Massachusetts, said of the festival. “We see a lot of ’80s stuff and a lot of ’90s stuff, but that’s one of the few things that brings ’80s and ’90s bands together. You don’t see Stone Temple Pilots with LA Guns.”
The L.A. Guns played a loud and boisterous set at the Beast Stage before STP took the stage in the main room.
“Are there any alcoholics tonight? What about perverts? Any perverts out there?” LA Guns head Tracii Guns said to a cheer while introducing the “sex movement.”
In the off-swing, fans had plenty of diversions at Showboat, which replaced slot games with card games, pinball machines, and more.
“I wish the karts would stay open so I can race later – looks great,” said Katie DiPetro, 28, from Vernon.
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Hallett made the trip to Showboat primarily for Dangerous Toys.
“It’s the least known band here,” Hallett said. “I proposed to my wife on stage at one of their shows.”
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There were no proposals during the hazardous games scheduled for Sunday, however a proposal was made during Hoobastank in the main room.
Overall, I like what a crowd of 2,000 people watched on Sunday. They came in all shapes, sizes, and ages, from young women with a T-shirt that read “music and sex” to old people with sticks. Organizers said the measures were moved indoors for the weekend due to the risk of bad weather.
The day also included a teaser for the upcoming Bamboozle Festival comeback, which will come in May 2023 from producer Orange Loop LincStar Events at an unknown location: Boozle the clown out to AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” just before Treach’s performance.
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Jersey Shore native Chris Jordan covers entertainment and features for USA Today New Jersey. Call him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]