Chickenfoot at the Fillmore Auditorium, 5/9/12 (photos)

Chickenfoot at the Fillmore Auditorium, 5/9/12 (photos)

By | May 10th, 2012 | 4 comments

Former Van Halen stalwarts Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony converged with guitar wizard Joe Satriani and skins pounder Kenny Aronoff under the banner of Chickenfoot at the Fillmore Auditorium on Wednesday. In perhaps a bold attempt to claim an independent identity, the band resisted the natural urge to play any songs from either Van Halen or the solo careers of Hagar and Satriani. A loose but rousing rendition of Hendrix’s “Foxy Lady” served as the evening’s high point of energy, perhaps due to its global familiarity in the midst of Chickenfoot’s somewhat underground catalog. Satriani validated his reputation as a virtuoso player, while Hagar perpetuated his cult status of a beach loving party singer who can’t stop having a good time. Anthony reminded everyone that his background vocals were integral to the Van Halen sound, and Aronoff did a competent job of temporarily handling the drum duties of Chad Smith (of Red Hot Chili Peppers). While the band clearly enjoyed playing together, the half-filled venue was demure in its applause. Perhaps as a direct response, Chickenfoot made the rather unexpected decision to not return for an encore.

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Alan Cox is the president/creative director of Cox Creative, a Highlands Ranch-based creative shop. He works too much, sleeps too little and spends every free moment coaching baseball, shooting images and hanging out with his rowdy sons and rowdier wife. Check out his photos here.

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  • PowderBud

    Pretty weak review, not for the perspective but the lack of content.  I was at the show.  They played for an hour and a half.  The ticket cost me $45 withOUT TicketBastard fees.  That alone pretty much makes it worthwhile, but I also enjoyed the show a lot.  Objectively, I’d have to say it wasn’t as good as the first show was back in Sep. 2009 I think it was, but still good.  If you search online you will find the set list including an “encore” of 3 songs.  Hagar stated while the lights were down at the time that would have been the encore that they weren’t “going anywhere”.  The seemed to take a short break on stage to have a drink and catch their breath, then started up again.  Personally, I’d be just tickled if artists stopped doing the annoying, worn out game of making the audience beg with screams etc for a few more songs.  Just plan to take a break, let the audience know what you’re doing so we are cool, then come out and play just like you planned to do anyway.  Another annoying concert practice, the audience sing along, seems to finally be fading thankfully.  Chickenfoot, I’m glad, didn’t make us endure this painful practice either in last nights show or their last tour stop in Denver.  I pay money to hear the artist, not people like me who can’t carry a tune. 

    The Chickenfoot show at the Denver Fillmore last night sounded good, but it didn’t seem to have the same fire as last time they were in town.  I’m not sure if that’s because of the small crowd that came out, or if there was something amiss with the band.  Hagar has a lot of energy somehow and never stops moving around the stage.  His vocals may not have been as crisp as the previous tour though.  And despite what Hagar said in his book about gratuitous guitar solo’s, there was a few last night.  Satriani confirmed his stature as a guitar god, but I felt it was a little much, maybe even “filler” in the set at times. I would have preferred to hear a few more songs rather than the 10 minute versions of a few songs, but that’s admittedly a minority view I’d guess. 

    I’ll see the Foot again if and when they come.  I like their music and while they avoid the comparison, I have to comment that the Chickenfoot show has to be far better than the current VH tour with Kool & The Gang as the opening act.  No offense, but I propbably wouldn’t be interested in that one if it were free.  I like VH with David Lee Roth but the new CD just sounds like something the cat drug in.. in my opinion.  Your mileage may vary.

    • Alan Cox

      PowerBud, just so you know, reviewers are given a target review length and encouraged to be succinct. I have not seen Chickenfoot previously and therefore could not make any comparison. I heard a couple people around me comment on how the crowd was “lame.” I found the set a bit short for the ticket price and personally would have liked to hear Satriani, Anthony and Hagar play something from Poundcake or Runaround and let those attending the upcoming Halen show decide for themselves which band has the upper hand at this stage of their careers.

      • PowderBud

        Alan, thanks for the clarification.  I wasn’t aware but should have suspected there were parameters that required such a short review.  I thought the crowd was pretty lame also.  The “set” was a bit short for the money?  Really?  $45 for the ticket and they played an hour and a half.  Most shows now days start at 3x times that price and the TM fee (ransome) alone is $45 or more.  So I see that criticism as out of touch.  Regarding the VH comparison, only “fans” do that.  Hagar has said numerous times that he’s not interested in participating in that and I think the other guys go out of their way to dodge that as well.  So they’re certainly not going to play VH songs to appease people who want to play that game.  That was just my interjection doing the comparison, I am glad and prefer that the guys in Chickenfoot don’t go there.  It’s taking the high road in my opinion.  On the first tour a couple years ago, they did play an old Montrose tune that Hagar had written.  I liked that and wouldn’t mind if he and/or Satriani played one of their solo songs but I don’t feel they need to.  The band is Chickenfoot, not Sammy Hagar or Joe Satriani or VH Redux etc.  I would have liked to hear more of the Chickenfoot songs but I guess they wanted to stretch things out a bit instead.

        • Kevin Scott

          First time I’ve heard Sammy Hagar and high road in the same sentence in a while. Hilarious.  I guess it makes sense coming from someone who wouldn’t watch VH play for free but brag about a half empty house to see chickenfeed for 45 dollars.  I also like how you put fans in quotes, like you’re not a biased one yourself.  Easy on the beach rum