Pittsburghers
may not be blessed with a local date for the touring union of Van Halen
vocalists Sammy Hagar and David Lee Roth, but they were able to catch the best
tribute to early Van Halen around. The Atomic Punks made their Pittsburgh debut
during the 2nd Annual FakeFest at the Post Gazette Pavilion,
performing mainstage in front of a surprisingly large and lively crowd
(considering that it was the venue’s opening weekend and the rain never let up).
With David
Lee Roth heading off with yet another Punks guitarist (first Bart Walsh, now
Brian Young),
Russ
Parrish
(Fight,
War&Peace, Metal Shop), has taken over the stage persona of Edward Van Halen
and he’s got the feathered wig and the hammer-on chops to prove it. Leading
the band with the platinum look, dynamic personality, and all the right
moves is
Ralph
"Diamond Dave" Saenz (Metal Shop, L.A. Guns), and manning the rhythm
section are
Scott
“Alex” Patterson on drums and Joe “Michael” Lester on bass.
 Paying
tribute to the only era of Van Halen worthy of such praise, the Los Angeles
bred Atomic Punks invited fans to dance and scream the night away as the hit
the stage and rocked the house at about 8:40 p.m. Known for
performing many of the same sets that were actually performed by early Van Halen
and including ample representations from albums like Women and Children First,
Van Halen, and 1984, the Punks left no room for disappointment.
 This particular
set included radio and video favorites like “Ain’t Talkin ‘bout Love,” “Hot for
Teacher,” and “Panama,” as well as more obscure crowd pleasers like “Ice
Cream Man,” “Take Your Whiskey Home,” and “Dance the Night Away.”
The Atomic Punks will continue on with additional Fake Fest tour dates this
summer, as well as local performances around Los Angeles and the regional
club circuit.
Also be sure to check out our most recent interview with Punks vocalist
Ralph Saenz: If you enjoyed the Discover Card “Danger Kitty” commercials,
your love this
Q&A session. |
