Bad Company sets the mood at Treasure Island

Bad Company brought their best to Treasure Island Resort & Casino and performed their classic hits. Highlighted melodically by the blues filled voice of Paul Rodgers, the performance confirmed why you cannot drive from Minneapolis to Saint Paul without hearing at least two of their songs on the local classic rock station.

The Super Group known as Bad Company was formed in 1973, which included Free singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke, Mott the Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs, and King Crimson bassist Boz Burrell. Though they have had lineup changes throughout their 45-year career, it seems that nothing has stopped their songs from captivating generations of fans.

Last night, founding members Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke brought along Heart guitarist Howard Leese and bassist Todd Ronning to the intimate stage of Treasure Island.

Opening the night with the iconic “Can’t Get Enough,” which set the toned for what was to become a classic rock party of hits from the ’70s and the ’80s, and included a few surprises along the way.

Over the years there have been great singers who seem to have lost something along the way, but Paul Rodgers is clearly not one of them. His voice came off as strong as it was in the early years. His talent was Showcased from the bluesy harmony of The Coasters song “Young Blood,” to the anthem hits “Feel Like Making Love,” “Shooting Star,” and the hard-hitting “Rock ‘n’Roll Fantasy.”

The night was filled with a thirteen-song setlist, which some fans visibly thought was too short, as complaints were overheard while the audience was leaving the building. I personally thought the hour and forty-five-minute set was perfect. It was filled with all Bad Company classic hits along with some surprising covers, even a special fan sing-along, happy birthday shout-out to original guitarist Mick Ralphs.

This was my second time seeing Bad Company, and I have to mark them as a band of which I never knew how much of a fan I was until I saw them live. Last time, I saw them as an opening act who blew Lynyrd Skynyrd off the stage, and tonight they sounded even better. It makes me wonder, after 45-years of making music, touring and collaborating on side projects, how that is even possible?

The voice and the music will keep inspiring countless musicians, like Five Finger Death Punch, to cover their music, and the lyrics will inspire generations of fans to create future generations.

1 Can’t Get Enough
2 Live for the Music
3 Feel Like Makin’ Love
4 Movin’ On
5 Burnin’ Sky
6 Run With the Pack
7 Ready for Love (Mott the Hoople cover)
8 Gone, Gone, Gone
9 Shooting Star
10 Young Blood(The Coasters cover)
11 Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy
Encore:
12 Bad Company
13 All Right Now(Free cover)