Review by Darren Bennion
Photos by Ron Lyon
It was a large gathering of fans, friends and some of the greatest musicians of our time, joyfully and passionately joining together to honor and rejoice in the music, memories and spirit of one of rock’s most iconic guitarists, the late Ronnie Montrose. Singer Keith St. John, who worked with Montrose for 13 years, was the guy behind the Ronnie Montrose Remembered tribute concert. He decided it was time to revisit the music that he and so many others love over this very special NAMM weekend, and the whole night exceeded all expectations.
As for myself, I have a lifelong connection to Montrose that came full circle tonight in a way I could never have imagined on May 2, 1974, when I saw the original Montrose band play for what was my very first concert as a 13-year-old from Salt Lake City. From that moment on, the very first Montrose album became the most cherished hard rock album that ever spun on my turntable. There were thousands of playbacks during the 70s and it’s never strayed too far away from any other audio player I’ve owned since.
I know I can speak for most everyone who was there — from the people in the upper balcony to the players on the stage — Ronnie Montrose Remembered was a special show. Everyone was on their feet, rocking to those legendary Montrose riffs, locked in to the music. Every musician who stood on that stage felt it — a perfect storm for anyone with a mutual love, respect and gratitude for the legendary Ronnie Montrose.
St. John wasted no time in rounding up the best of the best, including Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Steve Stevens (Billy Idol), Gilby Clarke (Guns N’ Roses), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), Tracii Guns (LA Guns), Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake), Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Derek St. Holmes (Ted Nugent), Marc Bonilla (Keith Emerson Band, Toy Matinee), Carmine Appice (Vanilla Fudge), Jimmy Degrasso (Black Star Riders), Travis Davis (Keith Emerson Band) and Brad Lang (Y&T).
Everyone who came up to perform was having the time of their lives and it certainly showed. Standing from a few feet from the stage, I couldn’t help noticing the smiles all around and bobbing heads. Many were silently mouthing the lyrics to all those great Montrose songs we all savor so much.
I was fortunate to step backstage and visit with one of the most brilliant and dynamic guitarists around, Marc Bonilla. He and Montrose had a very special bond and played on each other’s albums. Notable is a show I saw in 1998 with Bonilla, Montrose, Keith Emerson, Glenn Hughes, and others in what I can only describe as one of the rarest and most powerful gatherings in rock history.
Back inside the venue, Leighsa Montrose (Ronnie’s widow) and her mother said a few words, and that was followed by a five-minute video of vintage Montrose footage, covering the span of his career. I found my way near the stage where hundreds of happy Montrose fans gathered to witness what we all knew was already on its way to becoming a night to remember.
Early highlights od the show included thrilling versions of a couple songs Montrose recorded with The Edgar Winter Group — ”Frankenstein” and “Free Ride,” featuring Jeff Scott Soto on vocals and Mitch Perry on guitar. Bonilla reunited a band he formed in the early 90s called The Dragon Choir (guitarist Mike Wallace, drummer Joe Travers, bassist Travis Davis, and keyboardist Ed Roth), and together, they ripped through “Starliner” from Paper Money and “Fight To The Finish” from Gamma 1.
Afterwards, St. John took over, and was joined by a number of guitarists for burning versions of the Montrose material. Whitford and St. Holmes came up for “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and “One Thing On My Mind,” both from the classic Montrose debut. Staying with the first album, Clarke lent his six-string prowess to “Make It Last” and Stevens roared on “Rock The Nation.”
Gillis went off and gave us one of the hottest guitar performances of the night during “Town Without Pity” and “Voyager.” Animated and very much into sharing his passion for both instrumental pieces, Gillis definitely brought his A-game. Another exceptional combination was St. John, Aldrich (a band mate of St. John’s in Burning Rain), Ellefson and drummer Jimmy DeGrasso. They totally raised the stakes with “I Got The Fire” and “Space Station #5.”
Leighsa Montrose returned to the stage and announced two younger guitarists — Jess Araten, 17, and Geddy Franco, 15 — as the winners of the Ronnie Montrose Rock The Nation Award. Both were presented with Epiphone Limited Edition Les Paul guitars.Afterwards, the two teens joined St. John, DeGrasso, and bassist Brad Lang for a heartfelt version of Montrose’s “Spaceage Sacrifice.”
Guns and Appice joined Ellefson and St. John for a thunderous “Rock Candy” before the singer thanked the crowd and suggested, “We should do this again next year.” The night ended with Gillis, Aldrich, Clarke, and former Megadeth guitarist Jeff Young trading licks on “Bad Motor Scooter.” When Gillis simulated a shifting race car on his ax, recreating one of Ronnie Montrose’s most famous riffs, the audience lost their collective minds.
Tonight was an experience that certainly will be a memory to always remember. the music and legacy of Ronnie Montrose should never be left behind, and I can only hope that more celebrations of his legacy will take place in the future. Those who saw Montrose play live or knew him personally would agree that his music should be kept alive and performed for years to come. Tonight, we all “Rocked The Nation” at Ronnie Montrose Remembered.
