Kasim Sulton - a light tasty opener, Kasim's pure vocal tones while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar flavored three songs: Don’t Hold Me Back, from his days with Todd Rundgren's Utopia, and Before She Was Gone and Sacrifice from his forthcoming Quid Pro Quo CD.

Salad
Patti Russo - tart, but a little bland, Patti's opening song - Queen's Tie Your Mother Down (and two further songs) showed that she's better suited to the backup/co-singer role.

Entrée
Meat Loaf - served iced, but still hot and spicy, you could ask for seconds, but filling nonetheless.

The Show
After Russo/s three songs, the stage darkened and roadies quickly brought drums out onto the stage as a recorded percussion rhythm started through the PA system. On a drum-crash cue from Meat Loaf, with a flash of light, the drummer picked up a rumbling jungle beat. With rotating white jobo lights behind them, the backup singers, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist all joined in on drums on further cues until the place was shaking with this rolling beat. With a final drum cue, the lead guitarist and bassist turned the beat into Life Is a Lemon, one of the epic songs from Bat Out of Hell 2 - Back to Hell. The band - two guitars, keyboards, drums and two singers, Russo and Meat Loaf's daughter Pearl, are led by bassist Kasim and they play together tightly. Even when Meat would extend or change songs in the middle they wouldn't miss a beat. Running from one side of the stage to the other repeatedly, Meat had the audience in his hands from the start. Departing from previous tours' song lists, cover versions of Crazy About A Mercury and Warren Zevon's Lawyers, Guns and Money followed, but it was the old Meat Loaf hits that the audience came to see, so the response was subdued until All Revved Up, from Meat Loaf's first album. The light show accompanied the music perfectly, changing colors in time to the music changes, dimming for dramatic effects, or strobing in laser-like rotations.

Constantly talking to the audience between songs, Meat talked about the weaather at one point and that it was so cold his "headlights" were showing! His unstoppaable energy are what makes this show what it is. His pantomime, over-emoting and hysterics are all just in fun, and the music is the same - all just for fun.

Anything For Love and Paradise By the Dashboard Light, both epic-length songs, showed why Russo should stay away from solo work and stay as co-singer for Meat Loaf. Their familiar gibes, cuts and shouts at each other are now classics. Towards the end of Paradise it was becoming obvious that Meat's voice was getting tired, but the band kept things going strong with 5-strong harmonies.

With the long-lasting ovation after the song, it could have been the finale, but instead stools were brought to the front of the stage and an "unplugged" set started with Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad. The audience was encouraged to sing along on this song, and the following quick renditions of Tommy James' Mony Mony and the Rolling Stones' Honky Tonk Woman (first verse sung by a surprised Kasim), along with a short blues-jazz song, sung by Pearl, gave Meat's voice a break. The break was needed as the epic-length song, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth was next, followed by Bat Out of Hell.

It took just a few minutes for everyone to return to the stage for a long jamming version of Johnny B. Goode after which everyone lined up for bows. Meat Loaf seemed reluctant to leave the stage, thanking the audience, still running from side to side, as appreciative of the audience as they were of the concert.

For a fun time, go see Meat Loaf's "Just for Fun" Summer 2002 Tour - don't forget to eat something first!

Back to Kasim Sulton's Meat Loaf Summer 2002 Tour