Concert Review: Ronnie Montrose Remembered 2020
The M3 Live in Anaheim, California set a stage amidst the backdrop of NAMM for the fifth annual celebration of the musical legacy of Ronnie Montrose on January 17th, 2020. This event has been a staple around NAMM time for the last five years, and the tradition continues on with the start of the new decade. Those who came to Ronnie Montrose Remembered expecting to hear classic Montrose tracks like “Rock Candy” and “Bad Motor Scooter” were certainly not disappointed, but what they experienced might have been even more than they bargained for, with an exploration of the many stages and sounds of Ronnie Montrose’s music career ready to immerse an audience buzzing with excitement. Some have been supporting this event for all five years so far, while for others, it was their first time attending – the same goes for the performers. Naturally, event organizer and talented musician, Keith St. John, has been the face of the memorial concert every time, being a part of the Montrose legacy himself as the band’s frontman for over ten years; he sings, he tells stories, he hosts and introduces performers alongside fellow host Eddie Trunk, and most of all, he puts together an unforgettable show.
Ronnie Montrose Remembered is not only an occasion to gather and celebrate the life and music of this great guitarist, but also a chance for the rock community to help raise money for charity in his name. The event partners up with both the American Cancer Society, and Sweet Relief Musicians’ Fund, a nonprofit organization which serves as a financial source for musicians in need of assistance for medical or personal welfare. To benefit these two charities, during the show, Keith St. John auctioned off a copy of the original Montrose album that was given to him by Ronnie’s wife, signed by every performer that night, and it successfully sold for $1100. Also auctioned off was a signed guitar, which sold for $2100.
This show displayed a nicely distributed setlist, highlighting Ronnie Montrose’s time playing with the Edgar Winter Group through “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride”, giving a nod to Ronnie’s session recording with Van Morrison through the title track off Tupelo Honey alongside “Wild Night”, and even adding a touch of Gamma, with tracks like “Razor King” and “Voyager”. “I Got The Fire” and “Spaceage Sacrifice” were a few to make it in off Paper Money, but of course, no tribute to Montrose can leave out what’s been dubbed “The Great 8”, referring to the eight tracks of the first self-titled Montrose album, and this did comprise a good amount of the setlist; but Ronnie’s solo work was not ignored either, with “Town Without Pity” – off Montrose’s solo album Open Fire – as a highlight.
Performers for the night included the accomplished, the renowned, and the epic; the list of whom goes on and on. There were often unique groupings chosen for each song – the type of groupings where, you may not necessarily expect to see these particular musicians paired up to be playing together on the same song, but it turns out to work very well. Just to give a few examples:
“Frankenstein” – featuring Mitch Perry (guitar), Matt Starr (drums), Ed Roth (keys), Katja Rieckermann (saxophone), Dan McNay (bass)
“Free Ride” – featuring Andrew Freeman (vocals), Carmine Appice (drums), August Zadra (guitar), Jack Frost (guitar), Barry Sparks (bass)
“Wild Night” – featuring Andrew Freeman (vocals), Brad Lang (bass), Robby Lochner (guitar), Jason Hartless (drums), Katja Rieckermann (saxophone), Ed Roth (keys)
“I Don’t Want It” – featuring Keith St. John (vocals), Randy Jackson (guitar), Dan McNay (bass), Dave Rude (guitar), Carmine Appice (drums)
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” – featuring Keith St. John (vocals), Derek St. Holmes (guitar), Randy Jackson (guitar), Jimmy DeGrasso (drums), Barry Sparks (bass)
An epic four-guitar jam edition of “Rock Candy”, featuring George Lynch, Doug Aldrich, Dave Amato, and Randy Jackson, alongside bassist Mick Mahan, drummer Jimmy DeGrasso, and Jack Russell on vocals made for a memorable moment toward the end of the night, as did the four-guitar version of “Bad Motor Scooter”, with Keith St. John on vocals, Brad Gillis, Phil Demmel, Robby Lochner, and Brent Barker on guitar, Sean McNabb on bass, and Jimmy DeGrasso once again on the drums. Brent Woods, Gary Hoey, and Adel Eskander (violinist of Page/Plant) also made appearances throughout the show.
This night of music provides a thoughtful and genuine tribute, one which sometimes functioned as the performers’ personalized jam sessions, and sometimes as a more straightforward nod to the original tracks, but always stayed true to form in representing each song accurately. I found it so engaging and interesting to observe different guitarists who have each been influenced by Ronnie Montrose in some way, having formed their own respective playing styles and techniques, all of which came through in the tributes. The same can be said of the bassists, drummers, and other musicians who took to the stage that night, with a pinch or more of his influence seeping into their own instruments. Ronnie Montrose Remembered seems to function as an open door for any individual who knew him, was influenced by him, or simply appreciates and admires him and wishes to pay their musical respects. If you’re on the West Coast, or find yourself there around the time of any future years of NAMM, this is an event not to be missed.
Ronnie Montrose Remembered 2020 Photo Gallery Slideshow:
[All concert photos ©Metal Magnitude 2020. Please do not copy or use without permission.]
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Also check out Metal Magnitude’s interview with Keith St. John, along with the rest of the NAMM 2020 coverage!