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<\/p>\nBy Cesar Glanville<\/p>\n
A short hour and twenty minute drive from the \u2018safe space\u2019 of Chicago, IL lies a pretty different world. A parking lot loaded with Harley\u2019s, trucks with American flags flying out the back \u2013 and lots and lots of shirts, flags and items baring President Trump\u2019s name and MAGA slogan. This is Woodstock, and unlike the music festival of 50 years ago, this was a rock n roll party where the politics were a tad different.<\/p>\n
The announcement of this show drew protests, or what I would call free publicity. The show sold out quickly and it was jam packed in the new permanent grandstand area on the fair grounds that holds 7000 people. The crowd was raucous just in anticipation of their uncle Teddy taking the stage.<\/p>\n
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When you open with \u2018Stranglehold\u2019 you know you have a pretty stacked set list. Appearing from the darkness, Nugent emerged ripping that classic riff and when the lights came up he was set on stage with a 50ft American flag in the back and various animal skulls strewn about \u2013 that, we can be pretty sure, he probably dined on the flesh of years earlier. Ted is certainly an original in rock n roll, and if you don’t agree with him, he will tell you why you should.<\/p>\n
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For a 70 year old playing his, almost 7000th, show he had the energy of a 21 year old playing his 20th<\/sup> show. His 3 piece band, rounded out with Greg Smith on bass and former child prodigy, Jason Hartless, on drums provide a solid boogie rhythm section for the Nuge\u2019s manic soul fueled rock n roll.<\/p>\n The set hit the classics like \u2018Cat Scratch Fever\u2019, \u2018Free For All\u2019, \u2018Wang Dang Sweet Poontang\u2019, and \u2018Spirit of the Wild\u2019 but there were some notable omissions such as \u2018Wango Tango\u2019 and \u2018Dog Eat Dog\u2019 (when you have a catalog that spans over 50 years it\u2019s probably hard to wedge everything in – and omissions aside the crowd ate up uncle Ted\u2019s riffs like pudding on a warm spoon.<\/p>\n Of course it wouldn\u2019t be a Motor City Madman show without a little politics and Ted did declare this outpost, \u2018the real Illinois\u2019 – \u2018where the 2nd<\/sup> Amenndment and the constitution is still loved and respected\u2019 \u2013 but it didn\u2019t engulf the show, though he did close with \u2018The Great White Buffalo\u2019 saying \u2018we needed to keep that great white buffalo in the office in 2020\u2019 – a little jab and nod all in one!<\/p>\n Seeing Nugent live is an experience that all rock n roll fans should take it at some point and someone needs to explain how this man isn\u2019t in the rock n roll hall of fame\u2026. He bleeds rock n roll.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beintheloopchicago.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Ted-Nugent-McHenry-County-Fair-2019-7-596x1024.jpg\")
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