Concert Review: Hollywood Nights BOB Seger Tribute

February 19, 2016: Hollywood Nights RoCKS The Showroom at Golden Nugget

I had two places to go on Friday night, a pleasant dilemma in the constant show hosting world of RoCK radio. I interviewed my friend Ronnie Platt, front man of KANSAS who were performing at The Taj Mahal. I had seen the band a few months earlier and enjoyed the time machine of hit songs past and the kind souls playing the instruments. GREAT guys, GREAT songs! He asked me if I would be coming to the show. I said: Put me on your list!" He said: "NO problem, my friend I will see you there!" UNTIL I realized it was February 19th. The songs of Bob Seger were available the same night at The Golden Nugget for the 100.7 ZXL Concert Series: Flashback Fridays!

HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS! Jersey based and Detroit Rockin! Time Warp to 1976! It's on....

The players: Led by frontman, Seger sounding Rick Murphy who looked like he jumped off the Night Moves album cover! I know, I bought it as a 1970's teenager and played the grooves off it.
(I told him this before he went on)*

Murphy hit all the notes and nuances of Bob Seger vocally including the infamous classic line "This one's from 72' it's called Turn The Page."     

Murphy threw in some cool Bob Seger storytelling nuggets in between the classic songs. I never knew Seger onced asked a young teen by the name of Don Henley to join his band as a drummer. Henley's mom at the time, would reject the idea of her impressionable but obviously talented kid, citing the rock n roll pot smoking antics of these rock n roll hoodlums, especially Seger. WOW!

Murphy's moves, look and voice had me at mach speed in my 1970's-80's time machine! He displayed total raw emotion and believablity in each lyric.  A+ 

Saxophonist Rob Michaels? Andy Mohler(on website)* was spot on. Seger player Alto Reed would have been impressed. The Silver Bullet Band was once driven by the groove of high powered horns and Hollywood Nights delivered!  Old Time Rock And Roll and that famous intro to the great american anthem Turn The Page' was a joy on this stage tonight. A+

Guitars were loud and proud and each song was delivered to precision of 70's Detroit Rock N Roll. Lead guitarist Chris Uyvari was rockin. He is a total schredder who looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself. He was complimented by the great stage presence and skills of bass player Glenn "Bird" Nichols and the keys of Paul Seigeldorf. The piano intro for Still The Same, my all time fave Seger song, made the hairs on neck stand up. I was totally white knuckling and strapped into my time machine by this point in the show! I was watching Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band as a 17 year old at the Pontiac Siverdome for sure! Drummer Matt DeCarlo did precisely what Tom Petty once said about his drummer during a show. He was the "jet engine" driving the beats of each song.
Musicianship: A++ 

Adding to the multidimensional feel of Hollywood Nights and a cool stage presentation were the lovely backup singers including lead singer Murphy's wife, Robin Murphy. These singers were not only great to look at but more importantly gave the sutle feel of a larger than life ensemble that Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band displayed in the heyday! The girls gave us the total feel of a larger than life rock and roll show. It brought out the raw emotions of the players for sure. A

The Audience: From my observation, a packed showroom of fans from 21-71 thoroughly enjoyed their evening. As typical with most Casino show crowds, most stayed seated but a few stood, clapped and danced in the aisle to this great band playing the classics we all know and love! I spoke to few in person who absolutely loved it. A couple followed the band from show to show and I agreed with them how talented they were.  B


Overall Score: A+

Hollywood Nights Shows 
http://www.hollywoodnightsband.com/shows-1