During Friday and the weekend, from the 26th to the 28th, the second edition of Summer Breeze Brasil takes place at the Memorial da América Latina.
The first day of the festival featured artists from a genre more similar to hard rock, but with some names that deviated from that. Some of the names that debuted the second edition of the event were Flotsam & Jetsam, Edu Falaschi, Tygers Of Pan Tang and Exodus – check out our review here.
Sebastian Bach
As the first day drew to a close, Sebastian Bach performed on the Hot Stage, receiving a standing ovation.
The new track, “What Do I Got To Lose”, which will be on the vocalist's upcoming album, opened his show at the festival.
Next came “Big Guns,” originally by Skid Row , which is part of their self-titled 1989 album. In the studio version, the vocalist delivers one of the best performances on the record, but the same didn't happen live. At the most intense moments, he threw the drums to the audience—something that happened several times—but even so, the song remains phenomenal.
“Sweet Little Sister” followed, another classic from the band, featuring a great performance by guitarist Brent Woods .
Following the same pattern of playing songs from Skid Row's first and — in my opinion — best album, Bach launched into "Here I Am." The vocalist seemed very happy and comfortable on stage, doing little dances, headbanging a lot, and interacting with the audience — which drove the fans wild.
But nothing compared to what came next. “18 and Life” began with a change of lighting, making the atmosphere more intimate. The lighting helped, as it was getting dark. This time, Bach reached the “shouted” notes.
The audience truly seemed to be having the time of their lives. Each song the vocalist and the band played brought a new emotion. The energetic, fast-paced "Piece Of Me" preceded it.
Another of their new songs, "Everybody Bleeds," failed to impress, despite being a good track, but one that people are still unfamiliar with, since it was released just over a month ago.
Coming off Skid Row , “Slave To The Grind” showcased all its live energy, and was definitely a highlight of the show.
Playing on the name of the song "American Metalhead" and the fact that he was in Brazil, Sebastian Bach and company played the track from Angel Down (2006), which, again, didn't garner much excitement from the audience. Most of the vocalist's fans prefer to listen to Skid Row's music, but anyone who thinks there's nothing good in his solo career is mistaken.
With this brief detour, they returned to Slave To The Grind with "Monkey Business," which features a phenomenal, signature guitar riff, once again very well executed by Wood. The live version is sensational. The musicians delivered a danceable and engaging version that deserves special mention.
“The Threat” came as something unexpected — but very welcome. Going back to the 1980s, as Bach himself said, “Rattlesnake Shake”, compared to the others, isn’t as interesting.
A brief a cappella excerpt of "Wasted Time" was moving, but nothing compared to what was to come. "I Remember You" was perhaps the most anticipated moment of the show and it didn't fail to deliver on its promise. This is one of rock's most popular ballads and definitely touched the Summer Breeze audience.
As the night draws to a close, why not "Tom Sawyer" by Rush ?
Is it a classic? Yes. But it sounds somewhat out of place with the rest of the setlist. To close Bach's visit to the São Paulo capital, they performed the iconic "Youth Gone Wild," a simply phenomenal track from his former band's debut album, which, yes, is also better live.
Overall, Sebastian Bach's show at Summer Breeze Brazil was good, full of classics that the fans loved. A true fan service. But there are parts where Bach's voice doesn't reach the original notes and he ends up letting the audience sing. On the other hand, during the loudest screams of the songs, he hits them, as if he were "saving" his voice for those moments.
Mr. Big
After years since their last visit to Brazil, Mr. Big comes to the country with their final tour, entitled The Big Finish Tour . Taking the stage at the Ice Stage, the American quartet is known for their virtuosity.
The iconic riff from “Addicted To That Rush” from the first — and excellent — album Mr. Big (1989), opened the setlist explosively. The track features a brief “battle” between Paul Gilbert Billy Sheehan ’s bass , offering a small sample of what the string duo is capable of.
One of the most emotional songs on the setlist, “Take Cover” begins with a burst of drumming. This moment is touching, since, as vocalist Eric Martin , the song is strongly linked to the late drummer Pat Torpey . The drum solo performed by Nick D'Virgilio did justice to the original.
The fast-paced and exciting “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy” was the first song of the night from the classic Lean Into It (1991). There's nothing to say about the track. It's absolutely phenomenal and a masterclass in music-making. Those unfamiliar with the band might find it strange that Gilbert uses a drill for the solo. But yes, it works.
Following the same album theme, “Alive and Kicking” came next. And then, another iconic introduction, this time by Gilbert. The song has one of the best bridges in Mr. Big's discography and is an absolute classic, a guaranteed presence in the band's shows.
“CDFF-Lucky This Time” features one of the band's highest notes, and Eric Martin feels it. The vocalist possesses an iconic and recognizable voice, but he didn't quite reach the track's original notes, resulting in a slight loss of brilliance, despite it being a major highlight of the group's second album. This pattern repeated itself in several other songs.
And then came "Never Say Never," with the guitarist showcasing his exceptional talent and complete control of the guitar.
For those in love, "Just Take My Heart" had a faster-paced introduction than usual. Talking about Mr. Big and not talking about ballads is—literally—impossible. The power ballad is beautiful, but full of heartache. Really heartache. It's even more so live.
Announcing the next song as one that Martin, Sheehan, and Gilbert composed, came “My Kinda Woman,” a sensual track that definitely deserved more recognition. The bass lines are so powerful they seem to resonate inside your brain.
Without a doubt, the most anticipated moment of a Mr. Big show is when the band plays "To Be With You." You may not recognize the group by name, but you've certainly heard the track. Yes, it's their biggest classic, but the best song in their entire discography? Definitely not.
“Wild World”, originally by Cat Stevens , is on the album Bump Ahead (1993) and also thrilled the audience, especially during the chorus, in sections where it was just the drums and the audience singing at the top of their lungs.
It might sound biased, but it's not. Saying that Paul Gilbert is one of the greatest guitarists of all time is no exaggeration. He soloed like a true guitar master before the sensational "Colorado Bulldog," with powerful bass riffs in a real sonic explosion, greatly aided by the drums. And speaking of bass, Sheehan plays a brief solo. The song is fast and truly explosive.
It's Sheehan's turn to solo. Bass solos are often not very appreciated, but when he's soloing, it's impossible not to appreciate them. Billy Sheehan is a completely exceptional bassist.
Another cover, this time by the bassist Talas , "Shy Boy," which preceded the last song of the night, "Baba O'Riley," originally by The Who .
As mentioned, Mr. Big is a band famous for their technique, but with a major difference: they don't put on boring or tiresome shows that only musicians appreciate. Quite the opposite, their songs are melodic and captivating, sounding wonderfully good live.
Our contributor Leca Suzuki captured the shows with exclusive photos that you can see in the gallery below.
