I was just a small child in the eighties, and my mom hated rock’ n roll, so I never saw all of the “good bands.” I found some redemption last Friday, however, when FireHouse, Lita Ford, and Dee Snider arrived at Treasure Island Resort & Casino. The whole night was straight-up rock’ n roll, just how fans wanted it.
FireHouse opened the night with an impressive setlist, including “Rock You Tonight,” “All She Wrote,” and “Oughta Be Law.” In 2023, American Idol contestant Nate Peck took over frontman duties after C.J. Snare suffered ongoing health issues. Peck’s performance was on point, and it was easy to see that he is a natural. The band played “Love of a Lifetime,” “Reach for the Sky,” and “Don’t Treat Me Bad” to end their set, and there wasn’t a quiet voice in the audience.
After a half-hour break, Lita came on stage swinging with “Gotta Let Go” and kept things rolling with “Larger Than Life” and “Relentless.” The energy was there, and you could tell she was having a blast. She continued to play songs like “Hungry,” and a cover of Elton John’s “The Bitch is Back.” Her charisma had everyone locked in, and she kept the momentum going until the stage over to Bobby Rock for an impressive drum solo.
One of my favorite moments of the night was “Cherry Bomb.” That song just hits different live, and hearing Lita play it took older fans right back to her days in The Runaways. She wrapped up the main set with “Kiss Me Deadly,” and at that point, the whole place was singing along.
Then came the encore we were waiting for…Legendary metalhead Dee Snider joined in to take things up another notch. Everyone was out of their seat and ready to party. The duo started with “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and “I Wanna Rock,” and the crowd went crazy. They asked everyone to get out their lighters & phones and hold them high as they slowed it down with “Close My Eyes Forever.” It was such a beautiful thing to hear the harmonies between Lita and Dee. The final song of the night was a cover of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.”
Even after four decades of music, Lita still shreds, still owns the stage, and still knows how to put on a killer rock show. Add Dee Snider to the mix at the end, and it was one of those nights that people won’t forget anytime soon. Incredible night out!
