I've always liked "Dokken." I'm not ashamed to admit that I've got "In My
Dreams" on a mix tape I made a while back. I'm also not ashamed to go
on record, like just about everyone else, in thinking "Shadowlife" stunk.
I won't begrudge them their attempt at mainstream popularity back in the
mid '90s, but like the few gutsy attempts by them and a few others like them,
the material was just plain weak. Thus, there's nothing to be found amidst
this
live set.
"Live From The Sun" features all the classics plus most of
the hits you remember from back in the day. Opening the gig with the
title track from their last studio comeback, which was a definite step in
the right direction, "Erase the Slate" storms through valiantly and
right off we know without even looking there's not a Lynch to be found
anywhere. I also dug George Lynch's guitar playing, but thankfully they
all found it necessary to trim the fat so to speak and cut him loose - it
never would've been the same.
Reb Beach of past Winger fame continues
to throw his own weight around however, delivering a less flashy, more
densely driven style to what amounts to a very bottom-heavy recording
here. "Kiss Of Death," the best song from "Back For The Attack," is next
up and just steamrolls it's way to the forefront.
I'm missing a little
of the crowd activity here. Just how big is this place, The Sun Theatre?
I gotta get it out of my head this ain't 1987 and that whole "Beast From
The East" thing, where today less is more. Beach just rips on this
fired up version, and there they go. . . I knew they were out there, and all
of a sudden everyone just wakes up at the conclusion of the last song
going into "The Hunter." This is another great tune, coming from the
"Under Lock & Key" classic!
"Live From The Sun" comes at a time when
"Dokken's" likely enjoying their first real taste of success since running
off to nowhere-land in the early nineties. The one tune from their
other credible '90s release, "Dysfunctional," appears in "Too High To
Fly," where they really cut the cord from what seems like a miserably
dated studio version. There's a great use of that trademark vocal melody on
this one!
So, what about "Into the Fire?" Scrutinizing listeners will
undoubtedly want to pay close attention to the lead break in this one to
see how Beach stacks up to the original. He does, and as if there
were any doubts, so does the entire band. I don't think "Dokken's" voice
could sound much better, even though at times there is a measure of
restraint, keeping in mind, however, that this is another place and time.
They also do "Maddest Hatter," which was the first single from "Erase The
Slate," but "Change The World" should also have made the cut, since that was
right there near the top for that one!
I hope these guys can keep it
together for a while longer, as I think this rebirth of the last few
years can really lead to bigger and better things as they continue to
rebuild their reputation as one of the melodic metal leaders again. The
band members are all
true talents individually, and it's obvious in the sheer magnitude and
power with which they deliver this live performance, as the on again
unit that is "Dokken!"
