In addition to the Scorpions playing in town last weekend, I also took in the Extreme/King's X/Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp show at the House of Blues last Saturday. The "opening act(s)" were numerous Loyal Loopers who signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp and got to open up for Extreme and King's X. The "camp counselors" were a collection of very accomplished musicians (Gilby Clarke of Guns n' Roses, Elliot Easton of The Cars, Earl Slick of John Lennon and David Bowie, Dave Ellefson of Megadeth, Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple, Chris Slade of AC/DC and Jimmy Page, Mark Slaughter of Slaughter, and Kip Winger of Winger and Alice Cooper) who coached and then jammed with the lucky Loopers on stage. The Loopers and counselors alike had a great time and were beaming from ear to ear.

(For more information about the Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp click here: http://www.rocknrollfantasycamp.name/tour.htm)

King's X and then Extreme picked up where the Loopers and counselors had left off. It was difficult to fathom that Extreme has actually been an inactive outfit for some 13 years from the blazingly energetic reunion set they executed. The folks who came expecting to see a "ballads" band in Extreme were colossally shocked. Just as their name should indicate, Extreme was/are a blistering hard rock band featuring the awe-inspiring and endlessly inventive fretboard antics of one of the few guitarists in the same league as Eddie Van Halen... Nuno Bettencourt. Not only is Extreme back in fighting shape, they have just released a brand new CD named "Saudades de Rock" which is loose Portuguese (Nuno is Portugese) for "Nostalgic Yearning For Rock."

(See Extreme's video for "Decadence Dance" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykRxlPd6U4k)

(See Extreme's video for "Kid Ego" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDr2M94ejPQ)

After the show, all the bands and I gathered in the Foundation Room for an after show party that eventually saw the guys from Ratt (who were playing with the Scorpions the following night) join in.

This Tuesday night at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre is another huge Loop show featuring Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell (the Black Sabbath lineup with Ronnie James Dio on lead vocals), Motorhead and Testament dubbed the "Metal Masters Tour." I will be doing my show live from the FMBA that night, so stop by and say hello. To help get us prepared, Tony Iommi of Heaven & Hell/Black Sabbath will be checking in with me tomorrow night at 9:30 on my show.

(See Judas Priest's video for "Heading Out To The Highway" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoDbAd4fYBA)

(See Heaven & Hell/Black Sabbath's video for "Neon Knights" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhe1SuBGkiA)

(See Motorhead's video for "Ace Of Spades" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BstyQX-kQQ)

(See Testament's video for "Return To Serenity" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgdfHobqSjA)

Some tickets remain at http://wlup.com/Concerts/Listings.aspx. See you there!