Black 'N Blue, Sonicles, Sonic Temple (A Tribute to the Cult), Labansky
8 pm., Friday March 08 | $20 advance, $25 day of show.
[ALMOST FAMOUS] Portland’s metal scene wasn’t renowned until the last five years, but it would be wrong to overlook the stab at fame that a local band called Black ’N Blue made 30 years ago. Musically, Black ’N Blue was sort of a poor man’s Twisted Sister, with a tinge of Ratt—heavy riffs and attitude, with all the requisite spandex and hairspray. The group charted, made videos and moved to L.A. An early demo track made its way onto the first Metal Massacre comp, alongside Metallica. It’s song “Nature of the Beach” was featured on the B-side of a Madonna single from the Vision Quest soundtrack. In the long run, vocalist Jaime St. James filled in for a stint in Warrant while Jani Lane was on hiatus, only to return when Lane got his job back. But it was guitarist Tommy Thayer who hit the big time, as he’s currently got Ace Frehley’s role in KISS, and will not be appearing tonight.
Where: Hawthorne Theatre
Phone: 233-7100
Address: 1507 SE 39th Ave.
Website: www.hawthornetheater.com
