FAN REVIEWS

My Review of Friday Night April 30th

My husband and I read on the Red Rocker website about the Grand Opening Festivities in Tahoe celebrating the opening of Sammy's first Stateside Cantina. We just knew we had to be there and we are so glad we made the trip! We have seen Sammy 20+ times over the years and this weekend was some of the best performances I have ever seen!

On Friday night we arrived at the South Shore Room to see Sammy's first show. We had onstage passes and had no idea how much fun and kick ass music we had ahead of us!

Backstage Sammy came out and did our group photo and we got to say Hello to Sammy, Vic, Mona and David. Then they went to get ready to rock our socks off.

They came out several minutes later and were on fire from the start. One thing I have to say that I really appreciated about this weekend, was how the set lists were all mixed. It wasn't three nights of the same show. There are songs that I absolutely love by Sammy that I have either never heard him sing live, or haven't heard in years. On Friday Night some of those songs were, Tropic of Capricorn, Your Love is Driving me Crazy, Cabo Wabo and Both Sides Now. I also was thrilled that they played Halfway to Memphis Twice this weekend, hadn't heard it live yet and it was cool hearing Sammy sing it one night and Aaron Hagar sing it the other.

Toby Keith was a great addition to this nights performance. The house went nuts on Sammy and Toby's singing of "I Love This Bar" what a fitting song for this grand opening!

During this nights performance Sammy came through the onstage Cantina and I had a blast singing with him during Van Halen's "Top of the World" I played bass guitar when I was in my twenties and always had a dream of being a "Rock Star" When Sammy came through the crowd and let me sing with him, he gave me my 10 seconds of fame that I probably would have never experienced otherwise so a big Thank You to you Sammy! It was a blast! Actually seeing these guys so many times over the last year I went out and bought a new bass guitar and have been playing again. After all the Jamming that went on this weekend with all the guests Sammy had there, it gives you even more inspiration to play!

I also, Thank Sammy and those involved who have made it possible for us to buy the onstage tickets. This makes it possible and fair for everyone to get up there. I love being onstage with Sammy but I think the coolest thing about it is watching how the band interacts with each other and how much fun they are truly having up there.

These shows were the most incredible shows I have seen Sammy perform, he worked his ass off, and most of all we were glad to see him so damn happy! This had to be an incredible weekend for him. Sammy, I speak for all Redheads, when we say “Thank You” for sharing this awesome weekend with us!

Gina Bowles - Ohio