At a recent concert at the beautiful Arcada Theatre just outside Chicago, Steven Adler and his band Adler’s Appetite proved what a true rock n’ roll experience is supposed to be like.
Considered one of the greatest drummers in hard rock history, Steven Adler was a founding member of mega band Guns N’ Roses. Adler’s trademark drum sound is tattooed in the memory of every hard rock and heavy metal fan of the 1980s and 90s.
THE ADLER BRAND
Signature recordings featuring Adler’s adrenaline charged beating of the skins encompass all the biggest Guns N’ Roses hits. These include Welcome to the Jungle, Paradise City, Mr. Brownstone, Sweet Child O’ Mine, Used to Love Her, and Civil War among others.
The iconic drummer is still at the top of his game. As Adler said in recent radio interview on It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee on WHRU, he still plays every day. In fact, playing the drums gives Adler a natural high that has him in love with life and thrilled to be performing to cheering crowds around the world.
Now on tour with his band Adler’s Appetite, Steven Adler is still one of the greatest drummers on the planet. And you can tell, he is in love with the audience and playing live.
As great of a drummer as Steven Adler is, to do his music justice requires an exceptional group of musicians. Adler’s Appetite more than fits the bill.
GUITAR HEROES
Guitarist Michael Thomas is everything a rockstar should be. First of all, Thomas is a masterful musician. His fingers fly over the fretboard with a magical fluency as he shreds song after song, each one more memorable than the one before.
Michael Thomas is more than just a guitarist with great technical skill. More than any other guitarist in the industry, Thomas is the total package. With his long raven hair, muscular tattooed arms, and embrace of onstage dramatics, Michael Thomas knows how to sell the total rock n’ roll experience. Not only does he speak volumes with his guitar, he also sells every moment with the emotions on his face as well.
Playing rhythm guitar in Adler’s Appetite is the calm and cool Alistair James. James is the perfect compliment to Michael Thomas’s theatrical command of the stage. James has a vibe about him that is reminiscent of such great guitarists as Izzy Stradlin of the original GNR, Brad Whitford of Aerosmith, John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the legendary Les Paul. Simply put, there is a fluidity to his playing that is hypnotic.
IDEAL FRONTMAN
For a band to be truly great, it has to have a front man capable of commanding the spotlight. Adler’s Appetite has exactly that in Ari Kamin.
Kamin knows how to command the stage and strike stunning poses. He knows how to play to the audience and hold them in the palm of his hand. He knows how to share the stage and give each of the other musicians their time in the sun. And his voice? 100% excitement.
Adler discovered Kamin when he went to Argentina to appear as a guest at a concert featuring Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan on their GNR reunion tour. Kamin hits all the same notes Axl does, but with just enough of his own style to make it unique. Between his incredible voice and his youthful good looks, Ari Kamin might well be the future of rock n’ roll. As Adler put it in his interview with It’s Showtime with Rikki Lee, Axl Rose will always be the king, but Ari Kamin is making a name for himself as a true crown prince.
BAD TO THE BONE
No band is complete without a bass player pounding out the rhythm. Tanya O’Callaghan recently departed Adler’s Appetite to become Whitesnake’s first female bassist. Todd Kerns has been filling in on bass until a permanent replacement can be found. However, this concert featured Daniel Spriewald who also plays with Phil X. Spriewald is a very talented musician who flawlessly captured the necessary groove. He fit right in so well with the other stellar rockers in the band, I didn’t even realize he was a replacement until after the fact. He is super talented.
In their current tour, Adler’s Appetite recreates all of Steven Adler’s biggest hits with Guns N’ Roses. The renditions are faithful enough to the original recordings to please any GNR fan, but unique enough to keep the show exciting. Each moment on stage builds to the next. By the time the show ends, both the musicians and the audience are in a state of exhaustion and euphoria.
In addition to GNR hits, the set list also includes songs from Steven Adler’s solo albums under the band names Adler’s Appetite and Adler. At one point in the show, Kamin even launched into an acapella version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, delighting fans with his mix of reverence and vocal grit.
EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT
The band Adler’s Appetite accomplishes a rare achievement – they provide a salute to hard rock history while still being relevant to modern music fans. Simply put, they are a phenomenal band. If you get the chance to see Adler’s Appetite – even if it means driving to another city or state – do it. You will have the hard rock experience of a lifetime.
Of course, the Steven Adler experience would not be complete without the proper tools of the trade. Adler uses Soultone Cymbals and DW Drums – both of which he credits as the best in the industry.
No successful tour happens by magic. Not only does the band put in hours of rehearsal perfecting their sound, there are also behind the scenes players that add to the overall success of each show. For Adler’s Appetite the man in charge of making sure all pistons are firing is tour manager Steve Sprite. In addition to keeping everything running smooth for Adler’s Appetite, Sprite also runs Warrior Wellness.
Steven Adler, Michael Thomas, Alistair James, Ari Kamin, and Daniel Spriewald know how to put a damn good show. When Adler’s Appetite comes to your neck of the woods, do yourself a favor and gather up all your rocker friends and go to the concert. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you’ll love and treasure the experience.
To keep up to date on Adler’s Appetite and all things Steven Adler, visit: https://www.facebook.com/stevenadlersite2/
For everything Michael Thomas visit:
or
https://www.facebook.com/michaelthomas19
Fans of Ari Kamin can keep up to date at:
https://www.facebook.com/arielkamin
Details on Alistair James are at:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=746287489
Todd Kerns info can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/todd.kerns.54
Peace. Love. Trust.
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