My Half Assed Y&T Review

[Blumpkin King]

I know that Y&T gets either complete respect or people hate them here. I am a Y&T nut swinger having grown up in the Bay Area and have seen them 100+ times. From high school gyms to Stadium shows. Here's how Friday night was.

Y&T made their way down to Southern California for the first of three shows. This one was at the Canyon Club Agoura Hills. Pretty much anyone that lives in LA and goes to concerts has been to the Canyon Club. The sound was really great last night, which is a change. A lot of times it is so loud there at it completely distorts. I also hate how low the stage is and how they have basically turned the place into a dinner theater. I always get GA there because it's not worth it to buy a seat at a table. When doing so you are required to their dinner, and their food sucks. I would rather hit one of the restaurants in the adjoining shopping center. The GA is basically in the back of the long tables where people eat. 25 minutes before the start time I was able to post up and get a front row clear view. Free Parking is also a plus. I got my tickets off Goldstar. It was $26 total as opposed to $28 + fees on the website.

Show was scheduled to start at 9. Y&T hit the stage about 8:50. I would say the place was about 2/3 full. Dave looked and sounded great. His voice was crisp and clear. He is such an underrated singer/lead guitarist. His interaction with the crowd was great banter. He spoke about how his health is. How he beat cancer. He looked a bit skinnier. His hair looked a little grayer, but that happens with age. When people would yell out from the audience, he would answer. The band played perfect at usual. John Nymann has been there forever and is a perfect fit for Dave. Mike Vanderhule always looks bored on the drums, but is very solid. Aaron Leigh has been there since 2016. He is a good addition, but I tire of his rockstar poses. His extra from the Pirates Of The Caribbean look seems a little off brand for the band. He is a great Bass player and is great in the band, which is really the most important part.

During Contagious Nymann's guitar went out. After the song, while they were getting a new guitar, Dave went into 'Don't Wanna Lose' with just his guitar. Right off the cuff and with no adjusting any tapes. Pure live show which is the way it should be. During Forever, Jeff Scott Soto came out and sang back-up. He was so into being up on stage with Y&T and was mouthing the words that Dave was singing. The introduced someone named Howie who I didn't know who he was that also came out to sing back-up during Forever. He seemed lost in the song and lost on stage. They played for just over 2 hours. The show was excellent. Solid A. I'll probably hit the show on Sunday as well.

Hang'em High
Lipstick and Leather
Don't Stop Runnin'
Rhythm or Not
Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
Mean Streak
Straight Through The Heart
Take You To The Limit
Midnight In Tokyo
Blind Patriot
Winds Of Change
I Believe In You
Summertime Girls
Dirty Girl
Contagious
Don't Wanna Lose
I'm Coming Home
Rescue Me

Black Tiger
Forever


Flame away LAGlamrocker...

[SchenkerFan]

It doesn't get more generic than these guys.

[LAglamrocker]

Reading zero words of anything with Y&T
Y& T “fans” are low class scum of hair metal world
God damn book “review “in 2023

Review something interesting and fun..LA Knight ..YEA!

[Newsted's FU Money]

Awful, awful band.

"Yeah, but Dave's an awesome singer and guitarist!"

He should write a song which isn't flushable.

[daveg]

Have never really been a fan, but gotta ton of repect for these dudes. Been grinding it out for years, and they do seem to have a group of loyal fans. Plus, I don't think I have ever heard anything other than they are awesome people as well.

I did like their 'hair album' Contagious though.

[gtshark1]

OP welcome to the 1% club of Sludge with LAglanrocker and myself. You join us in being able to stand for a show and not complain. Join us the next time Juan Crocier billed as the "Other Voice of Ratt" comes to the Fulton 55.

[GreatWhiteSnake]

Thanks for the review. Seen 'em once back in the day at the Kabuki in SF. Awesome show. Real live karate fight broke out during the show. Great view of band and combatants. Seen them twice in their later years here at their annual Thanksgiving show in Petaluma. Great every time. To say Dave's lost nothing is silly, everybody does, but he's retained his singing and playing skills at an impressive clip. I've seen thousands of shows and never seen anybody that can sing and play guitar parts simultaneously as smooth as Dave does. I see they're still not playing Open Fire. Last time I saw them they were selling Open Fire tees and I bought one thinking for sure they'd play Open Fire and they didn't! Why are they not playing Open Fire! Video from Petaluma shows...

MIdnight in Tokyo, Thanksgiving 2021 - https://youtu.be/0epDB9-TK00

Black Tiger Thanksgiving 2017... https://youtu.be/-HwactvNyqk

[LAglamrocker]

Y & Garbage used play Cadillac Club in Fresno
Those nights easy pass
Great nights include Spaghetti Factory next door meal then Metal Edge hero’s like Bulletboys- Warrant-Love Hate-Shotgun Messia-Tuff-Bang Tango- Quiet Riot-Lillian Axe-Faster Pussycat-White Zombie-LA Guns-Wildside- Dirty Looks

Not Y & Garbage

[Newsted's FU Money]

Y & Garbage

I love it.

[pieceofme]

It is just as boring reading about these guys as it is listening to them.

[Bono Nettencourt]

They hold the RnR record for continuity without success.

[bentbrother]

They hold the RnR record for continuity without success.

haha, so true,

I remember being in high school back in 85 and this guy ray was trying to sell em on me...i just found crue, dokken, ratt..etc so much better. Even back then they had a bunch of albums and had been trying forever. (not the awful y&t song)

[whiteowl yesterday]

i don't own any of their cds other than a greatest hits cd.

[Love_Industry]

They hold the RnR record for continuity without success.

haha, so true,

I remember being in high school back in 85 and this guy ray was trying to sell em on me...i just found crue, dokken, ratt..etc so much better. Even back then they had a bunch of albums and had been trying forever. (not the awful y&t song)

Had one of those guys in my school too. Overweight handball playing Kisstard trying to be a cool metalhead. I actually bought Mean Streak after he played that and In Rock We Trust because I liked Midnight in Tokyo and one more song on it, then got rid of it later along with some other albums.

He never pulled off the "cool metalhead" thing, maybe because his other favorite bands included Krokus, Helix and Twisted Sister. And he didn't like VH, Ozzy and Priest. In 1983-4.

[bentbrother]

They hold the RnR record for continuity without success.

haha, so true,

I remember being in high school back in 85 and this guy ray was trying to sell em on me...i just found crue, dokken, ratt..etc so much better. Even back then they had a bunch of albums and had been trying forever. (not the awful y&t song)

Had one of those guys in my school too. Overweight handball playing Kisstard trying to be a cool metalhead. I actually bought Mean Streak after he played that and In Rock We Trust because I liked Midnight in Tokyo and one more song on it, then got rid of it later along with some other albums.

He never pulled off the "cool metalhead" thing, maybe because his other favorite bands included Krokus, Helix and Twisted Sister. And he didn't like VH, Ozzy and Priest. In 1983-4.

oh man, I remember those days, The same guy claimed the y&t lyric about "I love harmony but not being homogenized" was so brilliant. I tried to get it, but just couldn't. Understandably.
Also, I remember one metal head back in say, 83- 84 who wore an Akira Takasaki hand painted vest and telling me wait and see how much better he was than vanhalen. He had all the imports from Japan. I was kind of in awe of how he knew so much. Then when I was able to buy the major label release of loudness at sam goody..i tried so hard to appreciate it lol MZA! MZA!
rock n roll crazy nights indeed

[Bono Nettencourt]

haha, so true,

I remember being in high school back in 85 and this guy ray was trying to sell em on me...i just found crue, dokken, ratt..etc so much better. Even back then they had a bunch of albums and had been trying forever. (not the awful y&t song)

Had one of those guys in my school too. Overweight handball playing Kisstard trying to be a cool metalhead. I actually bought Mean Streak after he played that and In Rock We Trust because I liked Midnight in Tokyo and one more song on it, then got rid of it later along with some other albums.

He never pulled off the "cool metalhead" thing, maybe because his other favorite bands included Krokus, Helix and Twisted Sister. And he didn't like VH, Ozzy and Priest. In 1983-4.

oh man, I remember those days, The same guy claimed the y&t lyric about "I love harmony but not being homogenized" was so brilliant. I tried to get it, but just couldn't. Understandably.
Also, I remember one metal head back in say, 83- 84 who wore an Akira Takasaki hand painted vest and telling me wait and see how much better he was than vanhalen. He had all the imports from Japan. I was kind of in awe of how he knew so much. Then when I was able to buy the major label release of loudness at sam goody..i tried so hard to appreciate it lol MZA! MZA!
lock n loll clazy nights indeed

FTFY

[bentbrother]

Had one of those guys in my school too. Overweight handball playing Kisstard trying to be a cool metalhead. I actually bought Mean Streak after he played that and In Rock We Trust because I liked Midnight in Tokyo and one more song on it, then got rid of it later along with some other albums.

He never pulled off the "cool metalhead" thing, maybe because his other favorite bands included Krokus, Helix and Twisted Sister. And he didn't like VH, Ozzy and Priest. In 1983-4.

oh man, I remember those days, The same guy claimed the y&t lyric about "I love harmony but not being homogenized" was so brilliant. I tried to get it, but just couldn't. Understandably.
Also, I remember one metal head back in say, 83- 84 who wore an Akira Takasaki hand painted vest and telling me wait and see how much better he was than vanhalen. He had all the imports from Japan. I was kind of in awe of how he knew so much. Then when I was able to buy the major label release of loudness at sam goody..i tried so hard to appreciate it lol MZA! MZA!
lock n loll clazy nights indeed

FTFY

Haha, thanks, in case the Japanese sludgers want to read it, now they can.

[Blumpkin King]

Bonus for tonight’s show. Stonebreed will open.

[alleyrulez]

how anyone could hate these guys is beyond me.

[DangerZone]

Bonus for tonight’s show. Stonebreed will open.

I’ve never met a Y&T fan.

What are their 2 best records for someone who doesn’t like boring 70s boogie rock but likes first the 2 motley & Ratt records, Screaming by Priest & the first 4 Ozzy solo records?

[Nate S Axel]

I loved "Down For The Count" ("Summertime Girls", "All American Boy", "Face Like An Angel", "Anything For Money", "Looks Like Trouble"). That's about all though, aside from a song here and there on other albums.

[alleyrulez]

Bonus for tonight’s show. Stonebreed will open.

I’ve never met a Y&T fan.

What are their 2 best records for someone who doesn’t like boring 70s boogie rock but likes first the 2 motley & Ratt records, Screaming by Priest & the first 4 Ozzy solo records?

"Mean Streak" and "Contagious."

the live "Open Fire" album is pretty good, too.

[DemonFilth2001]

Bonus for tonight’s show. Stonebreed will open.

I’ve never met a Y&T fan.

What are their 2 best records for someone who doesn’t like boring 70s boogie rock but likes first the 2 motley & Ratt records, Screaming by Priest & the first 4 Ozzy solo records?

"Mean Streak" and "Contagious."

the live "Open Fire" album is pretty good, too.

Open Fire is great. Contagious had 1 good song. Actually all their albums are primarily filler/trash/shit. But the good songs are damn good.

[Blumpkin King]

Bonus for tonight’s show. Stonebreed will open.

I’ve never met a Y&T fan.

What are their 2 best records for someone who doesn’t like boring 70s boogie rock but likes first the 2 motley & Ratt records, Screaming by Priest & the first 4 Ozzy solo records?

"Mean Streak" and "Contagious."

the live "Open Fire" album is pretty good, too.

I would go with the greatest hits, but as far as their 2 best, I would go with Mean Streak and Black Tiger. They are not heavy like Screaming or the Ozzy records. More melodic hard rock.

[Demon Kogure]

Recommending Y&T albums to somebody who likes Ratt is like recommending steak to somebody who likes Carl Buddig lunchmeat

[Love_Industry]

I’ve never met a Y&T fan.

What are their 2 best records for someone who doesn’t like boring 70s boogie rock but likes first the 2 motley & Ratt records, Screaming by Priest & the first 4 Ozzy solo records?

"Mean Streak" and "Contagious."

the live "Open Fire" album is pretty good, too.

I would go with the greatest hits, but as far as their 2 best, I would go with Mean Streak and Black Tiger. They are not heavy like Screaming or the Ozzy records. More melodic hard rock.

Black Tiger has some boogie rock though. The Y&T album for someone who doesn't like early Y&T is probably Ten. No 70s boogie rock or NWOBHM in sight, this sounds a lot more "modern" in the late 80s hair band way.

[Bono Nettencourt]

Recommending Y&T albums to somebody who likes Ratt is like recommending steak to somebody who likes Carl Buddig lunchmeat

If Y&T were steak:

[skinni]

Thanks for the review! Great band, seen them many times

[JizzySynatra]

I've seen them live twice and they always put on a great show. Dave still sounds great for his age.

[Anthrax442]

I totally get all the "generic" complaints in the thread, and yeah, there's a LOT of filler in their catalog, but there's also definitely enough good songs for a greatest hits or a live set.

Dave Meniketti to me is basically a less interesting Sammy Hagar. Both come from the Bay Area, both got their start in the early 70s, but Dave isn't as good a singer, and Sammy isn't as good on guitar, and they both struggle to write a good song (a lot of the better Y&T songs were written by Phil Kennemore).

I wouldn't mind seeing them again, but I wouldn't go out of my for it. Saw them back in 2015 when they were "opening" for Jizzy Quiet Riot, who were out touring for Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back, and the entire theater left starting about three songs into Quiet Riot's set. By the end of the show, they had to get everyone that was left to come down into the first six rows so that when they took a picture it would look like there was still a crowd. To say Y&T blew them off the stage that night is an understatement, but not exactly a high bar to get over either.