Motley Crue: The Final Shows

Growing up, Motley Crue was just one of those bands my parents listened to from the 80s.  A bunch of misfits from LA created one of the hottest bands of the world and the group is ending their career together on New Years Eve 2015.  I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to attend their second to last show ever, and I had the greatest time.

I got to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday night and waited to be escorted to my area.  During the escort we went under the stage and past Nikki Sixx’s VIP room. I felt like I was in some movie set in the late 80’s, it was so surreal.  I got to my location in front of the sound booth and looked above me to see a track leading from the stage to the soundbooth.  I knew it had to be Tommy Lee’s drum-coaster.  Tommy Lee is known for having crazy drum solos with insane pyrotechnics.  The last time I saw Motley Crue, Tommy Lee’s drum set went upside down on a circle track, so I couldn’t wait to see what this was going to be like.

Before Motley Crue took the stage, the crowd was entertained by the brit rock’n’rollers The Struts.  I loved their performance because it was so not this time period.  It was very glam rock 70s/80s and that is something you don’t see often nowadays for a newer band.  Vocalist Luke Spiller has a very Freddie Mercury look with high cheekbones and a stage presence that demands all eyes.  The Struts played an amazing live show and I loved the theme they gave off with their look and music.

When it was time for Motley Crue to hit the stage, the crowd was roaring with their fists in the air.  When the lights finally came up, Vince Neil started the crowd up with the Crue hit “Girls Girls Girls”.  Nikki Sixx had a microphone hanging from the ceiling for him to sing into with a pentagram sign on it (which eventually was on fire during the show).  When I was being escorted to my seat I came to be about 10 feet away from Nikki Sixx and at that moment flames burst from his bass into the air.  I was a little scared, but I also thought it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.  Halfway during the show, the lights on stage went down while music played over the speakers to fill the stadium.  All of a sudden Tommy Lee’s drum set lit up and he started playing while his drum set rose up and went across the audience on the tracks, turning Tommy so he played right side up AND upside down.  I can’t keep a simple beat on drums let alone be in the air, upside down, over a huge audience, playing a drum solo!  One of my favorite songs live was “Kickstart My Heart”.  Along with having flames bursting from the stage, sparks flying everywhere, confetti blowing in the audience, and everyone singing along and rocking out, the part that topped that all off was when Vince Neil and Nikki Sixx got on two platforms and were carried over the audience!  After that song the lights went down until the band came out for their encore.  They moved to the stage set in the middle of the arena by the sound booth.  Motley Crue ended their set with “Home Sweet Home” and the audience sang along for every word.  Home sweet home in LA, Motley Crue will be playing their final show forever tonight.