Mötley Crüe

March 2, 1990 - Bramlage Coliseum, Manhattan, KS

Probable Setlist:
Kickstart My Heart
Red Hot
Rattlesnake Shake
Too Young to Fall in Love
Shout at the Devil
Live Wire
Same Ol Suitation
Slice of Your Pie
Guitar Solo
Drum Solo
Looks That Kill
Smokin in the Boys Room
Wild Side
Girls, Girls, Girls

Encore:
Home Sweet Home
Dr. Feelgood

Opening Act: Faster Pussycat


19 years ago tonight! Ah, such good memories. Like the image of a man in thong sitting at his throne while bashing out classic rock on an electric drum set perched on platform suspended from the rafters...

On second thought, maybe they’re not so good memories. Come to think of it, I’m kinda disappointed in myself for thinking that Mötley Crüe was once cool. Let’s be honest, these guys are just disgusting. Sure, Too Fast For Love is still charming in that 80s glam rock sort of way. But, by the time Brett Scott tracked down a copy of the Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson video I cringed with the memory that I had once seen that butt with my own eyes. Ugh.

But, do consider that Mötley Crüe’s visit to Manhattan was pretty much the biggest event of 1990. It was another one of those anyone who was anyone was there that night. And of course, I was there with Travis and Paul. And yes, it was fantastic!

Yet the most memorable images from that night were the desperately pathetic shenanigans of Tommy Lee. At one point the lights went off and a spotlight illuminated a platform hanging from the ceiling of Bramlage Coliseum. Standing on top was the gangly, semi-nude body of Mr. Lee and his portable drum kit. “F@#$ yeah! Do you motherf@#$ers remember last tour when I played the drums upside down?” (crowd) Yeah! “Well, some f@#$ers asked me, ‘Tommy, how are you going to top that?’ Well, you can’t get any higher than playing from the f@#$ing roof!” (crowd) Yeah! “So I’m gonna’ f@#$ing play some of my favorite songs for all you f@#$ers!” (crowd) Yeah!

Then there was a boom-boom-bash and he was jamming to Led Zeppelin. I think it was Custard Pie. It wasn’t the full song, and after about four bars the music from the PA abruptly switched to The Ocean. Then the platform started to move across the ceiling at an absurdly slow rate. For bars later it changed again to Kashmir. The platform started to spin at an even more lethargic pace. Tommy Lee was just pounding the skins in pure delight to the beat of John Bonham. A few bars later the theme switched to ACDC and their anthem Back in Black. Eventually the platform mercifully stopped and the drummer rappelled down to the stage where he proceeded to moon the audience.

At only just 15 years of age I thought, “Geez, it was much cooler when he played upside down.”

But don’t get me wrong, I had a great time March 2, 1990. Even as I shutter in disgust thinking about those guys.


Notes: This was in support of the "Dr. Feelgood" tour, which lasted from October 1989 to August 1990.

If you're bored you can hear the BRFH discuss the upcoming Mötley Crüe here.

And, if you're even more bored you can hear Tyler and myself try and recreate Tommy Lee's drum solo circa 1992 here.

By the way, if you want to experience the real thing click here to see the Tommy Lee solo from Kansas City a few months earlier.