By Brian Underhill
It was a cold winter night in Red Wing, Minnesota, on December 1st, 2023, but Treasure Island Resort and Casino was heated up by the Loaded: The Greatest Hits 1994-2023 Tour featuring Bad Wolves and Bush. The fans kept rolling into Treasure Island car after car to get to the show. This was my first time there as a spectator at an event, so I was unsure what to expect. It was a spacious event center with a very nice layout for viewing the stage and provided the perfect atmosphere for a Rock show.
Bad Wolves opened the show with a bang, with the guys in their groove. Bad Wolves currently consists of lead vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, drummer John Boecklin, lead guitarist Doc Coyle, and bassist Kyle Konkiel, who gave every ounce of energy and took complete control of the stage. They gave it their all with songs like Savior, Legends Never Die, and Sober. DL consistently interacted with the crowd by getting them to sway their arms, clap, headbang, and raise their middle fingers. This band is the real deal, and their stage presence was electrifying. Bad Wolves did whatever they could to warm the fans up for Bush. Their music is relative to the heart and soul, and they allow people to forget whatever problems they may have had in their everyday lives. They kept people tuned in throughout the whole set. Bad Wolves ended their set with an amazing tribute to the Cranberries by performing their cover of Zombie.
Fans were eagerly anticipating Bush taking the stage. The show started with a nice, bright flickering of colors and a bright white flood light streaming through the viewfinder of my camera, from which I needed a second to regain my composure. Lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Gavin Rossdale, lead guitarist Chris Traynor, bassist Corey Britz, and drummer Nik Hughes came onto the stage, and the crowd instantly got on their feet and began screaming. Bush started the set with Everything Zen, which got the fans rocking right along. They continued with Machinehead and The Kingdom. The hits kept coming from their catalog of music throughout their career. There was never a dull moment or even much of a break. That is until Gavin went back for a shirt change and realized he had returned without his guitar! Gavin took the time to thank and appreciate the fans for their support over the last 30 years when they began in London in 1992. Since their breakthrough success in 1994, Bush has been touring the country and the world. They finished the night in Red Wing with four songs: More than Machines, a cover of The Beatles’ Come Together, Glycerine, and Comedown.
Bush and Bad Wolves was a great lineup that worked well in the sense of energy, lighting, and sound. The crew also took the time to say hi and engage with the fans before the show started. The Event Center crew receives an A+ for their hospitality to the fans. They were very helpful in getting people to their seats and showing them around. The person I reported to was also very thorough and helpful when reviewing expectations. I was very pleased with the event.
Check out photos from the event below!