It seemed like it wasn’t meant to be when every time I tried to catch a Michael Monroe show, something went wrong and the show didn’t happen. I even flew across the pond once and also booked a cruise without any luck…
Well, with no global pandemic in the way, Michael Monroe did make it onto the Monsters of Rock Cruise this year for two amazing shows! And, in follow-up to that March sailing, he can be found doing a short, but epic US tour that kicked off in New York City on Wednesday, April 2 with this stop in Pittsburgh (at Jergels in Warrendale), Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, and California with a finale at The Rainbow.
So, having never seen Michael Monroe live before last month, our local stop was now my third show of the year (and counting), because I’m driving up to Detroit (Flint, Michigan) tomorrow to see this band kick ass once again at the Machine Shop (how could I not)…
So, why four shows in less than four weeks? Let me paint the picture. You have Michael Monroe (Hanoi Rocks) on lead vocals, harmonicas, saxophone, and acrobatics, Steve Conte (New York Dolls, Company of Wolves) and Rich Jones (The Black Halos, Ginger Wildheart) on guitar, Karl Rosqvist (Danzig) on drums, and Todd Kerns (Slash, Gene Simmons, Toque) filling in for Sami Yaffa on bass.
Then, there is the energy component. Michael Monroe doesn’t just sing the songs, he brings them to life. And, he doesn’t adhere to the constraints of a stage for his performance either. Toss in a killer set list with songs like “Dead, Jail or Rock ‘n Roll” and “Malibu Beach” that just scream for audience participation, you know there will be no dull moments. To summarize, as if it isn’t apparent from the captures found here, it is fun!
When you’ve got the frontman for Royal Honey begging the front row to let him join them after their opening set is over, and countless people driving in from out of state for the show, you gotta wonder what the buzz is about, right?
Well, instantly knew we were in for something great when a heavy beat started pounding and we looked up to find the frontman scaling the wall to climb his way onto the stage from the green room above! An act we have never seen before, and likely will never see again. And, it didn’t end there. Michael Monroe found his way to the bar as shown above and later climbed onto a barrier near the dinner seating area during the band’s lengthy encore.
The band more than matched his energy and without a doubt were enjoying every minute of the show (perhaps even more than the crowd at times). And, everyone felt included in the show from handshakes to eye contact to autographs to singing opportunities, it was a party to say the least. If you haven’t seen this show, you really should!
About Us:
We are an independent, non-profit publication…in other words, this is a labor of love. If you enjoyed our photos and reviews, or if you want to share some love in appreciation of a photo we captured. You can help support our publication with tips through PayPal. You’ll find us under kara@tprs.com. Thank you for your support!
You can also show your support by following us @ThePureRockShop on Facebook and Instagram (or simply follow us everywhere here!). We’ve got a full recap of the Monsters of Rock Cruise coverage coming at you as well as review of upcoming performances from L.A. Guns, Dorothy, Nashville’s Rock N Pod Expo, M3 Rock Festival, and more!
Live Photos by Editor and founder Kara Marie Uhrlen for The Pure Rock Shop. Posted on 4/4/2025.
