ROCK OF AGES

Here's the musical scorecard for the Styx/Foreigner/Def Lep extravaganza.

We got stuck in some commuter traffic out on 66, so we missed most of Styx. I heard Renegade rolling down a hill as I got my ticket scanned, but by the time I hit my seat, they were winding up with who knows what.

Foreigner, of course, opened with their customary cover of Throbbing Gristle's 20 Jazz Funk Greats, then changed things up a bit with a sweet version of Dennis Wilson's Pacific Ocean Blues. And then came the hits: Bran Barn Rabble, The Entire, Pop a Tremolo, Busty Clog Hop, Pincer Snare... well, hell, you know them all! They encored with John Cage's Atlas Eclipticalis, as the lighter flames swayed in the Virginia gloaming.

The Lep came on and rocked a mean Pop Goes the Weasel, segueing right into The Wheels on the Bus. The woman next to me nearly pissed her pants when Joe Elliott took off his jacket to reveal a sleeveless Union Jack t-shirt, and bellowed so loud they could hear him in Birmingham: “His name is my name too! John! Jacob! Jingleheimer! Schmiiiiiiiiiddddddt!” I have to admit, it was a pretty electric moment.

So for these of you haters who think the Rock is dead, well, the Nissan Pavilion had a response for you last Friday:

Not by a long shot, mister. Not by a long shot...