Ace Frehley\u2019s rock\u2019n roll spaceship touched down at House of Blues on Friday to a near-capacity crowd of rock fans ready for a rocket ride with the legendary guitarist.<\/p>\n
Barely pausing from the tour for 2014\u2019s Space Invader<\/em>, the Space Ace is back on the road with his stunning four-piece band in support of Origins, Vol. 1<\/em>, an all-star collection of rock covers that fit comfortably in the rest of Frehley\u2019s canon. While cover albums often run hot\/cold even from the most accomplished of artists, Origins<\/em> works well and gives a unique look at some of the tracks that have clearly influenced Frehley over the years. Forays into Zeppelin\u2019s \u201cBring It On Home\u201d and Thin Lizzy\u2019s \u201cEmerald\u201d felt fresh and edgy on the live stage, thanks in part to the vocal talents of drummer\/singer Scott Coogan and stalwart guitarist Ritchie Scarlet, who has been at Frehley\u2019s side almost without interruption since Frehley departed KISS in the early 1980s.<\/p>\n And, wow\u2014that band. From the time he walks on stage to the time he leaves it, Frehley is always there to have a good time as well as melt faces, and his band is as good as any combo currently on tour, providing the kind of punch on KISS\u2019 cuts like \u201cDeuce,\u201d \u201cParasite,\u201d and \u201cLove Gun\u201d that harkens back to the energy of 1975\u2019s Alive. <\/em>Coogan, a Chicago native, is a juggernaut drummer that most rock bands would kill for, and when bassist\/multi-instrumentalist Chris Wyse took the lead for Hotter Than Hell\u2019s \u201cStrange Ways,\u201d it became clear that he was far more than \u2018just\u2019 a bass player. And of course, there\u2019s Scarlet, a road warrior from the heyday of hard rock as we now know it, handling lead vocals on \u201c2 Young 2 Die\u201d and generally keeping the crowd amped up with his flashy style.<\/p>\n Of course, there were guitar solos to go around, and Frehley\u2019s signature licks were in abundance, alongside numerous cuts from his classic 1978 solo album: opener \u201cRip It Out,\u201d \u201cSnow Blind,\u201d and surprise hit \u201cNew York Groove\u201d brought the house down, and \u201cShock Me,\u201d Frehley\u2019s signature anthem, was what everyone waited for all night. Whether you\u2019re a KISS fan or not, Ace Frehley is a living legend, one of the most influential guitarists of all time, and seeing him live should be high on the list of anyone who loves and appreciates rock n\u2019 roll of any era.<\/p>\n For more info on Ace Frehley including the current tour, click here<\/a><\/p>\n For photos from the House of Blues Chicago show, click here<\/a><\/p>\n