Concert Review
Dokken
Braun’s Concert Cove
Akron, NY
Saturday June 22, 2013
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Dokken played at Braun’s Concert Cove Saturday evening, their second appearance in two years. The most noteworthy difference from the prior year’s show was the return of original drummer “Wild” Mick Brown. “Wild Mick” generally tours with Ted Nugent during the summer months and only plays with Dokken around that schedule. Having the hard hitting, wisecracking Brown behind the kit made a noticeable difference to the sound of the band.
The band opened with the same three songs as their previous visit. A new wrinkle was the insertion of “Dream Warriors” into the early part of the set as opposed to the latter like last year. Playing it earlier in the set was a smart move as singer Don Dokken sounded fresher and the song went over much better than last year.
Dokken, almost sixty, his birthday is next week, told the crowd he will enjoy living out his fifties this week. Brown’s humor in between songs kept Dokken on edge as Brown kept drumming happy birthday teasing Dokken several times and proved to be the running gag of the evening between the two.
Guitarist John Levin was on his game playing the songs with the flair and the pizazz of the way the songs were recorded. Former Great White and Quiet Riot bassist Sean McNabb who rounded out the lineup also was solid.
The only real complaint of the evening was the similarity with the set lists. There are several songs that the band has not played in years that would spice up the set list a tad and keep it fresher. Hard to believe how the overlooked Erase The Slate album never receives any love from the band.
Dokken played here last September which was one of the band’s final shows of 2012. This show marked one of the band’s early outings of 2013 and if you saw both shows most would concur with the return of “Wild” Mick and the “supermoon”, this show was the better of the two.
For those of you who missed the show, shame on you as the next time you come out to Braun’s you will notice several changes and upgrades as a new stage along with an eventual covered roof will be taking shape. Dokken noted the changes and was looking forward to his next visit in 2014.
Set List
Just Got Lucky
The Hunter
Kiss of Death
Dream Warriors
This Fire
Into the Fire
Breaking the Chains
Alone Again
Too High To Fly
It’s Not Love
Tooth and Nail
Encore
In My Dreams
Special thanks to Ross Catalino and Back to Back Entertainment for letting us review the show
