Front Row Pics: Heavy Montreal ~ The 80s and 90s Are Still Going Strong
Lita Ford
This year’s line-up of bands at Heavy Montreal (including Grimposium, the string of parties/shows/events leading up to the main festival weekend) included some of the most recognizable names in everything from heavy metal to punk to hard rock (I don’t think I’m alone when I say that with each passing year, the concept of a band needing to assign itself ~ or be assigned by the music industry ~ to a particular genre and adhere to it and it only, never incorporating any other styles, has greatly diminished in importance, allowing for music to evolve as bands relish the artistic freedom to experiment with and release infinitely more interesting songs and incorporate a much wider range of influences and collaborations, and this weekend was a perfect example of bands who have done just that.) ~ and the festival producers’ choice to mix artists whose popularity is at an all-time high right now, those who first topped the charts decades ago but have resurfaced with great success many times since, some who had an extended heyday years ago but then left the public eye almost completely, and some who have maintained fiercely niche popularity throughout lengthy careers without ever becoming the “in” thing together over the course of the memorable three day event made the entire experience even more fun.
Extreme
Many of the bands who took the stage could easily be associated with several decades, but yes, I’m proud to be a product of the 80s (big hair, ripped jeans, the works) with a little 90s thrown in, and getting to see some of the groups who were just gaining momentum or who were already radio and video mega darlings “back then” and, mock me if you will, whose cassettes…that’s right, cassettes, I still have…was a a total blast, so although we’ve got a ton of pics of additional multi-decade bands coming your way (and stay tuned for a link to a video slideshow on Extreme, a band who’s particularly special to those of us from the Central MA area for many reasons and who put on a show that blew the audience away!), here are some shots of the groups that will forever help define my musical Memory Lane.
Warrant
Extreme
Lita Ford
Dokken
