News Story - Idaho State Journal

BLACKFOOT -- Fairgoers didn't need to buy a ticket to enjoy the sold-out Poison concert Thursday evening at the Eastern Idaho State Fair.

The band could be heard just fine at the gate. And outside the fairgrounds. And about 10 blocks away.

Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Bobby Dall and Rikki Rockett rocked Blackfoot, delivering a thunderous show to the estimated 8,000 faithful, many who jammed themselves onto the arena floor to get closer to the band.

"We got a party planned!" yelled lead singer Michaels to the throng. "Are you ready to go?"

They were.

The band, promoting its "Live, Raw and Uncut" album, opened with Poison standards, "Look What the Cat Dragged In," then segued into "I Want Action," followed by "Ride the Wind." The crush of fans roared at each opening chord, and furiously nodded their heads in time with the music.

After 22 years of playing together, the group has fans of all ages. Fowler Gage, 5, sporting a Mohawk, had premier seating atop the shoulders of his father, Matt.

Debbie Madsen, 40, of Idaho Falls, was sporting two Lycra sleeves that slipped over her arms and gave the illusion of Harley-Davidson-themed tattoos running from her wrists all the way up her arms. Madsen's faux 'tats were a concession to the pre-autumn chill in the air.

"I have real ones but I can't show them because it's too cold," she said.

A quartet of young fans, composed of the Collins sisters, Savannah, 15, Stormy, 13, and Punky, 11, were joined by best pal, Dartell Delaney, 17, in expressing their adoration of Michaels. The four wore identical homemade T-shirts that read "I Love Bret" on the front, with the ubiquitous heart in lieu of the word love. The backs read "I'll Be Your Rock of Love, a reference to the VH1 reality TV show in which Michaels stars.

"I wish we could meet him," said Stormy.

The girls, all from Arco, seemed less adamant about somehow getting backstage to meet the object of their affection then were their chaperone moms, giving new meaning to the phrase "stage mothers."

Up in front, with a 10-foot barrier keeping the crowd from the stage, fair police girded the stage, keeping a watchful eye over any fans whose exuberance might overcome their intelligence. Each concert cop sported the three qualifications for the work: a bit of brawn, a healthy dose of good humor, and foam earplugs.

Before the arena filled, Richard, and Shirley Johnson of Fort Hall, displaying the canniness of middle age, unfolded their camp chairs and got comfortable.

"We do a lot of concerts," Richard, 62, said. "I got friends here who are older than I am."

Shirley, 52, accompanied Richard, although her musical tastes run to the milder fare.

"I'd love to see The Eagles," she said.

"I'm the rowdy," Richard said with a smile.

"We even each other out," Shirley said.

By John Bulger

This document was originally published online on Friday, September 05, 2008

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