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Let me first say one thing  TNA has always been gracious to our site and our staff and on this day was no different. These boys greeted us at the front door as they mingled with the crowd before hitting the stage to a SOLD OUT crowd.
Plug in time was about 9:30 as the light grew dim leading the pack to center stage was the Irishmen himself Mike McManamon. Doug Odell left stage with the thundering bass, right stage the man with the long curly lox Sean Tarr and the legend behind the kit Danny Tore. These boys were on fire right from the start ringing up some of everyone’s favorite TNA songs like “Take You Home”, “Scream”, & “Do You Remember”.
You would not believe the energy McManamon puts into his vocals, with veins popping and sweat pouring downs his face I am surprised this guy didn’t bust a vessel. I heard plenty of screams from the crowd asking for fan favorites and TNA  did not disappoint. These guys were definitely on their game and might I say they had success in their early days but if you never experienced TNA live, here’s your chance, come and support these boys.
TNA also excited the crowd with other great tunes such as “The Sound” and my favorite track “Let Me Down Easy” which pounds the heart. If this tune doesn’t send chills down your spine, you should be medicated. The forty-five minute plus set was stunning and let me congratulated these boys from returning from a long hiatus, we needed them back to raise hell once again. Applause!
 New  Jersey’s own LIPSTICK MAGAZINE was sandwiched in between TNA and the headliners and much like the last time Rockeyez witnessed them at Dexter’s back in March ’08 (opening for DANGER DANGER), they ripped through a set of great blues-based hard rock songs. The band was trimmed down to a 5 piece on this night, as guitarist Nat Gardiner was absent from the mix. But the group didn’t seem to miss a beat as vocalist Toni Loyas and the boys treated the crowd to songs off their upcoming debut album “Skin Deep” which is due out August 5 via distribution from Nightmare Records. The group will be playing the Tri-Label side stage at Rocklahoma on July 12th so be sure to look for them if you’ll be attending. Check out their websites below for more information on that and other shows they will be playing this summer.
On the night of June 6 2008, I took a step back in time. It seemed like it was 1988 all over again as Hagerstown, MD’s  finest, KIX, took the stage and rocked out just like I remembered them! It has probably been over 15 years since I saw the band but it seemed like it was just yesterday as they tore through hit after hit and other classic KIX songs to the delight of the sold out crowd at Dexter’s. This was the first show of the first KIX tour outside the bands home area of MD in over 12 years and you really would never know that was the case as the band sounded tight and looked just as good as they did back then. I couldn’t believe how front man Steve Whiteman looks like he hasn’t aged a bit, as he still strutted around the stage with the same energy he always had. The rest of the original line-up of Ronnie Younkins (guitar), Brian Forsythe (guitar), and Jimmy Chalfant (drums) looked and sounded just as good, as they were joined by FUNNY MONEY bassist Mark Schenker to round out this latest version of the band.
The guys opened the show with the longtime KIX classic “Midnite Dynamite” from the 1985 album of the same name and never looked back as they ripped through just about all the familiar tunes you could want to hear. Crowd favorites like “The Itch” and “Sex” were mixed in with the likes of “Heartache” and “Poison” (both from the 1981 debut record). They did a cool instrumental jam about midway through before quieting things down with the great acoustic-based “For Shame” (from their 1983 “Cool Kids” album) and then leading into what was probably the bands’ biggest hit “Don’t Close Your Eyes”. They brought things back up to speed after that to round out their main set with some more rockers like “Hot Wire,” “Cold Shower” and the classic “Cold Blood” before closing with “Blow My Fuse”. But of course, that wasn’t it because how could any KIX show be complete without the traditional  show-closing classic encore of “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah”? It was done just like I remember it and really how could it be any different?
The band pulled out all the props along the way… remember Steve’s “dollar sign” sunglasses, the KIX logo umbrella and the shower of balloons to end the show? They were all there and it just made for a great night and triumphant return to NJ for that goddamn KIX band from MD! I really hope to see them around these parts again real soon and don’t forget they will be part of the Rocklahoma lineup this year on July 12 in Pryor, OK.
As always, Rockeyez has to extend our continued thanks to Lisa from the great club Dexter’s for always being so gracious. If you haven’t been to this place, yet you need to check it out. So be sure to visit Dexter's Entertainment for the latest shows and happenings. | 
