Concert Review- Bad Company @Seminole Hard Rock Casino- Hollywood Florida

Quite performance by the legendary band Bad Company at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in South Florida. The casino / hotel is under construction as a new guitar shaped hotel is being built as well as a whole new casino & concert venue. 

Hard Rock International is putting is moving its headquarters here & the new Casino / Hotel is a $1.5 billion project that will bring additional millions of $$$ to South Florida. The current, temporary concert venue sits 3,500 people with a new concert hall being built to seat 7,500. 

This was great place to see a show, I got tickets right at front right side of the stage, six rows off the floor under $100 a ticket, great value! 

Bad Company are still a classic rock radio staple & were one of the biggest bands of the seventies. The first band signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label & managed by their legendary management led by peter Grant. 


Bad Company 1975
When they formed they were considered a Super Group, an instant success seeing their first three albums reach climb into the Top Five positions, six of their songs became Top 40 Hits, FM radio constantly played them & they were selling out stadium concerts.

Today the band gives you a pure rock & roll show. No effects, no fancy stage props, no smoke or explosions. And one of the things that impressed me were that there were just the four guys on stage. No backing singers or musicians, just four guys playing, awesome.




The two original members are of course Paul Rogers, one of the best singers in rock history. Rogers the lead voice of Free, Bad Company, as well as the Firm (with Jimmy Page), the Law & Queen (post Freddie Mercury).

Trivia: Paul Rogers was the first guy Queen took on to replace Freddy Mercury after his death.

Rogers voice is still amazing & at 69 years of age, one of the best, if not the best singer from Rocks' classic era. He identifies with his audience very well, personable yes but not too much talking of nonsense. The crowd, who certainly are dedicated die hard fans, more than one may think, carries many of the choruses as Rogers lets them take the lead, very kool.




Original member Simon Kirke, was outstanding, fun to watch and the foundation of Bad Co's songs. Kirke was with Rogers in the band-Free & then formed Bad Company with Rogers, along with bassist Boz Burrell (died 2006) from King Crimson & Mick Ralphs. Ralphs was guitarist of the legendary band- Mott the Hoople. He recently had a stroke & is unable to tour with the band. (He had pretty much called it quits a few years back as well).




Paul Rogers own post -arriving in Florida
Ralphs is missed on guitar, but a recognizable replacement is Howard Leese. Leese the long time guitarist of Heart whos famous licks are on all Hearts classic songs, including the classic synth on Magic Man. Leese, sporting a military styled uniform & his long grey hair, did a great job with Bad Company's songs, especially as the lone guitar man on stage. Since 2012 Todd Ronning has been the bass player.

As mentioned Bad Co's first three albums were all top five in the US & the UK, so it's no surprise this was like a greatest hits show. The band rolled through their classics, with a 14 song set including Free's classic All Right Now, which is said to be played some where in the world every 45 seconds & Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing. 

BAD COMPANY SET LIST:

Cant Get Enough
Live For the Music
Feel Like Making Love
Movin' On
Burning Sky
Run With the Pack
Ready For Love
Gone Gone Gone
Honey Child
Shooting Star
Rock & Roll Fantasy
Bad Company

All Right Now (Free cover)
Little Wing / Angel (Jimi Hendrix cover)





Rock & Roll is still alive & well, it's good to see the fans (even though we r getting older) getting out there to support these classic acts that gave us a soundtrack to our lives. 

I remember having the first Bad Company album on cassette, playing it to death in my Monte Carlo & on my Walkman. Another Bad Co memory was when the Desolation Angles album came out & Rock & Roll Fantasy was all over the radio the summer I graduated from grade school- Ha! And who didn't try to win a girl over by playing Feel Like Making Love or Ready For Love? come on now...…………..

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