On Saturday, July 24, the reigning queen of metal, Miss Lita Ford, came to The King of Clubs in Columbus bringing a full career-spanning set of classics, crowd favorites and MTV staples. The former runaway moved and posed like a true metal maiden, sporting the eternal rebel rocking spirit she started with and can still say she was an MTV featured artist, played on Headbangers Ball.
She’s also one of the few women that can say, she was in one of the first all-female rock bands back in the day. There’s no denying her place in the heavy metal hierarchy or her influence spanning the ‘80s to present day. It’s hard to be in the hard rock or metal genre’s and not be directly or indirectly influenced by Lita Ford.
She’s knocked father time off the wall, smashing his ticking face with her crimson suit and flying ax, and Saturday’s sold out show at the King of Clubs was no exception. As the backdrop dictated, she’s still trailblazing with scorching hot flames.
Support came from Columbus’ veteran outfits Waragon and Managed Choas.
By appearance Waragon could be seen as a group of down home boys, playing loud, crazy, road-burning metal with a flying demon on one side and a winged angel slowly fading in the rearview with a history measuring over 25 years. Not too shabby compared to newer and younger acts not making it past single digits. It was dirty, dusty sounding set with full-gears grinding out metal conjuring up the most dangerous and lethal dust cloud to smash a face with, leaving a throat choking, dirty goodbye. Take half of Skynyrd, the heaviest parts of Kid Rock and some AC/DC and fly down the demonic highway, with blues the way Charlie Daniels intended if he played to inspire mosh pits.
Managed Chaos came forth with vocalist Chris Kyle sporting black hat and leather coat, looking both a bit big top showman and mimicking The Metal God. Using the mic stand as a fifth member he walloped the air and crowd with verbal noise. Guitarist Tony Lombart was almost instantly in the spirit of things, throwing body into the music. Whether he controlled the guitar or it controlled him was not certain.
Whatever “Magic Paper” they were talking about, one thing was certain, you don’t know me! You needed a few dollar bills for that kind of paper. Then again the mean green itself usually gets what’s wanted or needed. History’s shown when a song’s named after a woman it’s either heartbreak, love or for unlawful carnal knowledge so “Anna’s” place was in the eye of the listener.
They gave some vintage love to The Godfather with “Goodbye to Romance” finishing the ride Chaos style.
The show was a mix-match of extended solo work with a few covers for fun, nostalgia and cool factor. Starting old school with sophomore tune “Gotta Let Go,” showing those still Dangerous Curves are “Larger than Life.”
Playing relentlessly, her gaze made cell phone lights glow trending worldwide. The vagabond heart of a true runaway beat within on “Hungry” getting some early ‘90s Stiletto action in the face.
The greatest diva to even play a stage, Elton said it best, “The Bitch is Back!” Ford was the main, dominant femme fatale of the night, “Falling In and Out of Love.”
“Back to the Cave” was the evening’s first dose of Lita.
The ‘70s got a nod with Runaways classic “Cherry Bomb,” with the Sex Pistols and some bollocks on “Black Leather.” Old black eyes himself got the last word on “Only Women Bleed” before the crowd pleasers came.
The crowd roared and applauded as the double neck guitar came out with the hits coming best and last “Close my Eyes Forever” and “Kiss Me Deadly.” Everyone went to the party that Saturday night, and got to hang with Lita. It was a big thing!
Facebook- www.facebook.com/litaofficial
Website – http://litafordonline.com/
Images by Mike Ritchie
