Bret Michaels performed almost exactly the same concert as he did at the New York State Fair six years ago. He played up his persona as the fierce-but-sensitive party rocker, decked in a red bandana (and later a cowboy hat) and a sleeveless T-shirt with his name on it.
But on Tuesday evening, he added a subtle twist: “Parti-Gras.” That meant he also wore Mardi Gras beads, and treated his hour-long performance at Chevy Court as more of a feel-good party than a rock concert.
“Thank you for taking your time to party with us tonight,” Michaels said, repeatedly showing his appreciation for the crowd. (NYS Fair officials estimated 6,300 fans.)
And it felt like a party, though it’s a little weird to hear Poison songs at 6:30 p.m. while the sun’s still out. “Nothin’ But a Good Time” and “Talk Dirty to Me” feel more appropriate in a bar, after dark.
But somehow Michaels made it all work.
He and his backing band were having so much fun jumping around on stage and pumping up the crowd that occasionally they’d miss notes or play out of sync. Michaels himself even played the wrong chord at the beginning of a song, and then restarted it. “Unskinny Bop” was a chaotic mess, but no one cared. We were having fun, too.
Michaels appreciated every moment and thanked the fans who have followed his decades-long career since glam metal’s heyday in the ‘80s. He pounded his chest to send love to each person who came in their own Bret Michaels costume (bonus points if they looked like a “Rock of Love” contestant) or bought his merch, and encouraged everyone else to join in on the fun, too. He dedicated his show to frontline workers and brought out military veterans on stage — “the real rock stars” — during “Something to Believe In.”
The crowd carried Poison’s biggest hit, “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” while Michaels seemed eager to get back to the party. He then invited a surprise guest, Tesla co-founder Brian Wheat, to join in on two final…
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