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Mötley man Tommy Lee got up close and personal at the Icon. Method Man Tommy Lee brought arena rock to the Icon By Sarah Quelland IT FELT LIKE one of those MGD Blind Dates seeing superstar bad boy rocker TOMMY LEE in the intimate confines of the ICON NIGHTCLUB Sunday (Aug. 18). The club may not have completely sold out, but Lee was all smiles, partying onstage with his new crew to a hall packed with enthusiastic fans of the former MÖTLEY CRÜE drummer. Exotic female-fronted industrial band KIDNEY THIEVES did a good job warming up the crowd with its single "Black Bullet," its contribution to the Queen of the Damned soundtrack "Before I'm Dead" and a dark cover of Willie Nelson's "Crazy." Still, Lee, in his new role as a frontman, was the main attraction. By leading toasts to sex and wielding the notorious Tittie Cam (which gave the gals up front a good excuse to bare their breasts to the rock star), Lee brought his show up to the arena-caliber heights he's grown accustomed to and turned his small concert into a loud and rowdy rock & roll rodeo. Each song became an event with its own video footage and smoke-and-lighting scheme as Lee played through tunes from his heavy new solo CD, Never a Dull Moment--including "Hold Me Down" and second single "Ashamed"--and his previous non-Mötley hip-hop/rock project METHODS OF MAYHEM. It didn't matter to the crowd that his guitars were little more than props or that he wasn't singing as much as he'd like everyone to believe. This was a full-blown rock show, and Lee showed his fans a good time. These days, Lee's touring with his new fiancée (and PRINCE's ex-wife), singer/dancer MAYTE GARCIA, who dazzled the crowd with her erotic dance moves and sexy electric clothing. Lee himself went through several costume changes--including a sharp white suit and red-feathered hat for his cover of David Bowie's "Fame"--before closing the night bare-chested with his low-slung denim hanging just above the danger zone. Despite going through a very public hell these past few years, Lee's never looked better. With the audience demanding an encore, the charismatic frontman returned to the stage and whipped out his own version of Mötley's "Shout at the Devil." It didn't hold a candle to the original but nevertheless appeased his hungry fans and served as a good anthemic closer. Those starving for more have only to wait for OZZFEST to hit SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE Sunday (Aug. 25). Lee's filling the main-stage spot left open by DROWNING POOL since the death of its frontman, DAVE WILLIAMS. HOT TOPIC: Oakland writer JEREMY LIPPS' Badfish: The Sublime Story opens Friday (Aug. 23) for two nights at CITY LIGHTS THEATER COMPANY. The play tells the story of SUBLIME's BRADLEY NOWELL, who, like too many rising stars, died (in 1996) from an overdose. Tickets are $12, all ages are welcome and doors are at 7:30pm. The DAN REAL BAND performs at 8:15pm. ... The POUND hosts the MISFITS 25th anniversary of punk celebration with MARKY RAMONE and ROBO and DEZ CANEDA Friday (Aug. 23). ... A JOHN LEE HOOKER FAMILY BIRTHDAY CHARITY CONCERT takes place Saturday (Aug. 24) at the FILLMORE. BIG HEAD TODD & THE MONSTERS, PETER GREEN, CANNED HEAT, ZAKIYA HOOKER, ALVIN YOUNGBLOOD-HART, ROBERT LOCKWOOD JR., CHRIS JAMES & NATURAL FOUR, PETE BROWN, GREGGS EGGS, VINCE CONVERSE and more perform. Tickets are $35. ... DUB CONGRESS releases its latest roots, reggae, dancehall, hip-hop and dub disc, Down in Santa Cruz, appropriately down in Santa Cruz Saturday (Aug. 24) at the CATALYST. For its under-21 fans, Dub Congress is holding a special CD-release party Sept. 7 at the BROOKDALE LODGE. ... Metro's Music in the Park continues Thursday (Aug. 22), 5-8:15pm, at Plaza de Cesar CHAVEZ with RED DI and REGGAE REVOLUTION. Later, the J.C. BLUES BAND plays the Music After Dark series held on Post Street between Market and First streets. PLAN AHEAD: KITTIE, LOLLIPOP LUSTKILL, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and ACACIA, Aug. 22 at the POUND in San Francisco; CHARANGA 9, Aug. 23 at PLANT 51; TRIPLE SEVEN, DRIST, DOWNSIDE, ELEMENT OF SURPRISE, DIVIDED and TRIP DEVICE, Aug. 23 at the GASLIGHTER THEATER in Campbell; MY NEW LIFE, MOODFRYE, DEXTER DANGER and FULL AFFECT, Aug. 23 at the CHEMICAL FREE ZONE in San Jose. Send a letter to the editor about this story . [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]