Concert Review: The Winery Dogs @ The Hard Rock Cafe for Eddie Trunk's 30th Anniversary Listeners Party

Don Jamieson & Jim Florentine introducing The Winery Dogs!


The Winery Dogs debut Album, as many of you know, was my first review. I maintain that The Winery Dogs Album is going to be Retributions Edge' Album of the Year for 2013. In fact, it's still in both my car and my home CD player.

Now, I have heard clips of them live before, and they sounded pretty tight, but let me tell you something, no bad cooks on stage like The Winery Dogs cook on stage live. It's something you can only experience in person.  On Wednesday, October 23, 2013, The Winery Dogs kicked off the festivities at Eddie Trunk's 30th Anniversary Listeners Party @ the New York City Hard Rock Café with a blistering set.

They opened with "Elevate" and proceeded to play most of the songs on their album. Highlights included "The Other Side", "Time Machine", and "The Dying". Each song took on a different life than it's studio counterpart as the guys gave an amazing performance live. I'd have to say I was completely blown away by the closing song to their set, "Shy Boy" a Billy Sheehan classic, which completely rocked the house.

Saying that Billy Sheehan is a great bassist is easy to do when you listen to him on a studio recording, but to see him live, and animated and how passionately he plays or watch how much fun he has up on stage as he plays takes it to an entirely different level. The same can be said for watching Ritchie Kotzen who's masterful work on the guitar goes on to demonstrate how much of a true musical genius he really is. Mike Portnoy is like no other drummer I know, his genuine joy of playing and skill shines through as you watch him play. It's hard to say perform, because somehow perform sounds very rigid, these guys play with such skill and passion, play is a much better word to describe what is going on there.

It resonates with the audience too who were moving with the music and having a good time. Not one eye in the house was anywhere but fixed to the stage. I've been to my share of shows, but The Winery Dogs put on one hell of a great show. I highly recommend going to see them whenever they are around. I know I may have to catch them again at either the Allentown show or in Sayreville.

For upcoming shows in your area check out: The Winery Dogs Website