To quote short-lived SNL news host Norm MacDonald, “Germans love David Hasselhoff!” Having travelled to Deutschland two-dozen times in the last decade, I have no idea their devotion to the former Knight Rider star, but their long-standing home-grown “queen of metal” is universally adored. In 18 months, Ms. Pesch has graced the City Of Brotherly Love with two tour kick-off dates, thanks in large part to bassist Nick Douglas and drummer Johnny Dee using both as a homecoming party. Despite nearing twenty years of service to DORO, the band, her rhythm section was born/raised in the Philly/South Jersey area, as well as starting out in local bands that went (inter)national. Hastily arranged for the Friday of Labor Day weekend (notoriously busy, as the area’s unofficial end of summer/start of the school year) at Whiskey Tango, a stop on the cover band circuit, in Northeast Philly, no one knew what to expect. A local FM affiliate (remember terrestrial radio kids?) promoted the show, the first of any renown for the establishment. Apparently no one told keyboardist/second guitar Luca Princiotta, AWOL due to visa issues, a local friend of Douglas’ has been drafted to fill the keyboard slot via on-the-job training!
First night, new keyboard player and at sound check, the band is making up the set-list on the fly, swapping usual opener ‘I Rule The Ruins’ for ‘Earthshaker Rock’, both of which are run through in their entirety. Suffice with the alteration, they try out a softer track, to check the levels: ‘Above The Ashes’. Afterwards, in demure tones, yet of someone who’s used to playing the world’s largest stages, not just a club gig, Doro suggests, “It could be louder.” Parts of ‘True As Steel’, ‘Night Of The Warlock’, including pre-recorded intro and ‘Fur Immer’ are also tested out, before Johnny and Doro head off to a telephone interview.
While the set-list taped to the front of the stage enumerated more than two dozen choices, not all were aired, and some noticeable absentees in the bunch: ‘Fur Immer’, Metal Tango’, ‘Metal Racer’ and ‘East Meets West’ chief amongst them (all on the list, just not performed). At the close of the evening, Doro promised those attending the NYC show, three days later, they’d see/hear a different set. Undoubtedly a few more days to work the kinks out of the short-handed situation. Regardless, relying on the lone guitar of ex-AFTER FOREVER’s Bas Maas and the energetic Douglas (who along with Dee provided backing vocals), it was a sweaty, career spanning repertoire, from her current Fear No Evil delving back more than 25 years to pre-solo outfit, WARLOCK.
As practised earlier, ‘Earthshaker Rock’ and ‘I Rule The Ruins’ were the opening 1-2 punch, followed by the old Warlock gem ‘Burning The Witches’, an adrenalized run that soon saw Dee topless. ‘True As Steel’ followed, then ‘Night Of The Warlock’ and ‘Fight For Rock’, introduced as her “first video and a chance to show off the new guitarist.” ‘You’re My Family’ accompanied by red gels circulating across the stage, gave way to ‘Celebrate’, where the front-woman related the history of the track (various incarnations for her 25th anniversary show last Dec.) and ‘Above The Ashes’, the first truly slow moment of the night. ‘Metal Racer’ worked into a Dee solo spot, followed by ‘Burn It Up’.
Doro credited KISS’ Gene Simmons with ‘Unholy Love’, then it was another dedication, to JUDAS PRIEST who first took Warlock on the road, thus she’s co-opted ‘Breaking The Law’, begun as a ballad. ‘All We Are’ had the left vs. right call-response game with the audience and the band left the stage. They returned for an encore, ‘Fight’, took their bows, said their thanks and good night, only to return once more (!) for ‘Hellbound’, the true end of the evening. Still got about 90 minutes, up close and personal. Afterwards, the entire band hit the merch area, for autographs, stories and a couple of beverages. Check ‘em out if they roll nearby!
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