Bernie Rico Jr. Guitars

On the fourth day of concerts at the Buffalo Chip Amphitheater outside of Sturgis, Lita Ford made her presence known in ways other than giving the crowd a thoroughly riveting performance. Before breaking into her set, the rebellious queen of heavy metal played the Star Spangled Banner during a tribute to the military while sons James and Rocko sang to the Pledge of Allegiance. With a song on her new album titled “Patriotic S.O.B.“, it was a perfect fit and a great gesture.

When the time finally came for the show to begin and Lita walked out on stage, it didn’t take long for a roaring of bikes to give their sign approval. In addition, the trio of songs that have been chosen to begin her shows could not be better. With a title that perfectly describes a Lita Ford concert, “Larger than Life” kicks it into gear with pounding drums and aggressive guitar, and gets the crowd into the show in a flash. Another track from 1991’s Dangerous Curves follows in the form of “Black Widow” and its unmistakable crisp keyboard riff. “Can’t Catch Me” balances things out as a standout song from the album that brought her into the mainstream. Her band couldn’t be tighter on those songs with Guns ‘N’ Roses‘ Bumblefoot on guitar, Dennis Leeflang on drums, Michael T. Ross of Hardline on keys, and Trixter’s PJ Farley on bass. There was plenty of group jamming on stage, and it was easy to see from their facial expressions that everyone was having a great time.

Wicked Wonderland is the name of Lita’s forthcoming album, which will be her first in nearly 15 years. Three songs from the release saw play, with the sultry “Betrayal” being received with the loudest crowd reaction. The reasons for Lita’s comeback couldn’t be any clearer as her vocal and songwriting abilities are firmly intact. Opening for country superstar Toby Keith, Ford and company had an unusual demogrpahic to work with, but after a long and hot day in southern South Dakota, rock and country fans alike were clearly enjoying the rock party. The crowd grew thoughout Lita’s set, particularly during her final song “Kiss Me Deadly“, which had the Sturgis bikers revving their engines to no end. There is still time to attend one of these action packed Lita shows this summer, so don’t let it go to waste.