Mötley Crüe – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
Mötley Crüe & The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015
All bad things came to an end…
Mötley Crüe bids farewell after thirty four years of Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll.
What a way to end 2015. I couldn’t think of a party more raucous, more bombastic, more explosive than Mötley Crüe New Year’s Eve 2015 farewell show. There was a feeling of overwhelming joy and great sadness in the air on that chilly Thursday night as everybody waited for the band that has affected so many lives. Despite the audience’s mixed emotions, one thing was clear: they all came to rock and roll.
The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
The evening’s festivities began with up-and-coming rock sensations, The Struts. Hailing from the UK, the band didn’t fail to warm up the crowd for the upcoming mayhem that was about to befall them. Starting out with “Everybody Wants” and going through a menagerie of musical mementos like “Kiss This,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “Put Your Money On Me,” “Could Have Been,” and “Where Did She Go,” the band kept the audience captivated.
With the commanding presence of David Bowie and Marc Bolan, as well as the vocal power and energy of Freddy Mercury, it can be said that frontman Luke Spiller is Mercury himself reincarnated. Ever the consummate showman, Spiller had the crowd – who initially was not sure of what to make of the band – in the palm of his hand by the middle of their set. A frontman of that caliber is a rare and dying breed these days so it is very special indeed to witness the existence of one so adept in the art of taking the lead.
Mötley Crüe & The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
But don’t forget the band itself. The Struts’ lead guitarist Adam Slack unquestionably played with as much gusto and charm as he could muster up… and it was a lot. Not to mention that he was also a natural in front of the cameras filming him. Every lick, every chord, and every strum screamed pure, unwavering rock and roll that many appreciated and welcomed. Bassist Jed Elliot and drummer Gethin Davies did an absolutely amazing job in their duties as rhythm and time keepers and proved to be a very powerful and effective musical duo.
Overall, The Struts have a performance worthy of the gods themselves and could very well be future Hall of Famers. They are also a testament to every local, fledgling band out there that you can be rock ‘n’ roll and be successful. You just got to work hard and never stop. If you want something bad enough and put yourself out there tirelessly, you’ll eventually get it. The Struts’ debut album comes out March 4, 2016. If you haven’t heard of them yet, you soon will.
Mötley Crüe & The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
Moving on to the night’s main event. For thirty-four years, Mötley Crüe has entertained the fans with their highly volatile, extremely energetic, and theatrical stage productions, which some would argue “beats the crap out of KISS.” On New Year’s Eve 2015, they lived up to their reputation. Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars, and Tommy Lee brought everything they had to the final show… and then some. Passions were high that night, with Neil even shedding a tear or two as the night progressed.
Starting out with the iconic title hit from their 1987 album Girls, Girls, Girls, Mötley came out full force. From there, the arena took a little ride on the “Wild Side” and joined Neil in “Primal Scream” right after. A couple minutes after that song came to a close, Neil welcomed the audience to their final farewell show. As mentioned earlier, emotions were running high and Neil couldn’t help but choke and turn away as he tried to hold the tears in. Once all is said and done, the night rolled on with “Same Old Situation (S.O.S.),” “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” (with Neil on guitar for both songs), their rendition of Brownsville Station’s 70s classic “Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room,” “Looks That Kill,” and “Mutherfucker of the Year.”
Mötley Crüe & The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
Then it was Nikki Sixx’s turn to talk to the crowd and reflect back on his time with Mötley Crüe. He gave some very powerful and meaningful words of wisdom to the audience, telling them that if they want something bad enough, despite non-believers and naysayers, all they have to do is to keep on doing what they are doing until they get what they want.
After Sixx’s speech, the concert went south… the Deep South as the band serenaded the audience with their 1983 hit “Shout At The Devil.” It was during this song Sixx introduced the audience to his new toy: a flame thrower bass. With that in hand, and flame columns shooting up at least 50 ft or more, it was as if the Staples Center turned into the gates of Hell itself. Fitting for “Louder Than Hell” right after.
Then came the show’s highlight for the night: The Crüecifly. It was Tommy Lee’s time to shine as he locked himself in his chair, sticks firmly in hand, and in a matter of minutes he was off. The solo was underway as Lee was suspended 50 ft over the audience. Everything was going smoothly until the roller coaster broke and Lee hung upside down. However, instead of throwing a fit, Lee greeted the crowd and made the best of his situation, laughing and inciting cheers from everyone in the audience. He even acknowledged that of all the nights it could break down, it broke down on the last night. Eventually he got down with the assistance of at least four of Mötley’s crew.
Mötley Crüe & The Struts – Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA – December 31, 2015 – Photo ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
As Lee made his way through the crowd, Mick Mars’ solo was underway. With the image of a black-clad voodoo priest, Mars’ guitar solo felt like being put under a trance or a spell. Watching him was very hypnotizing as he ran fingers up and down the neck of his Fender guitar like he typing a three hundred words a minute. It was truly an experience watching Mars play.
As Mars’ guitar solo came to an end and the drum set back on stage, the final act ensued as the band performed more hits like “Saints of Los Angeles,” “Livewire,” “Dr. Feelgood,” and finally “Kickstart My Heart.” Then, for one final time, the band came out onto the Crüenest to perform “Home Sweet Home” signaling the end of thirty-four years of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. When the song ended, cheers and applause resonated within The Staples Center as Los Angeles bid farewell to one of the most influential and iconic rock bands of the 20th century. In the first hour of the new year, Mötley Crüe gave their final bow, made their way backstage, and would continue on in the memories of every fan present within The Staples Center and every fan around the globe.
Thank You Mötley Crüe.
Marc Llana
Copyright ©2016 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: January 3, 2016.
Photos ©2016 Cynthia Marie H. All rights reserved.
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