The M3 Rock Fest will invade Merriweather Post Pavilion on June 18. Here is your handy-dandy guide to this public display of hairspray abuse.
Scorpions
The Scorpions are supposedly on their final tour, so the M3 Rock Fest will be the last time that “HELLO BALTIMORE, WE ARE THE SCORPIONNNNNNNNNNNNS!” will echo through the Pavilion.
Cinderella
Underneath the big hair and spandex, Cinderella is a great blues-rock band. Tom Kiefer’s scratchy yowl is more Rod Stewart than David Lee Roth. The only downside is that Eric Brittingham’s beautiful blonde palm tree no longer exists.
Vince Neil
It’s not Motley Crue, but it’s the voice of Motley Crue. That counts for something right? He’ll play “Too Young to Fall in Love,” which is awesome in any context.
Kix
I rarely pass up an opportunity to see Kix. Steve Whiteman is still one of the best frontmen in the business. I never get tired of his corny double entendres.
Warrant
Jani Lane is no longer in the band, but they still have his songs. The big hits are often cited as the worst example of the genre, but they work beautifully in an arena setting.
Winger
There was a time when I hated Winger with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. I’ve come to realize that I hated them for the same reason I hated Hanson; Kip had better hair than I did.
Nelson
Nelson is the butt of a lot jokes, but they don’t take themselves too seriously. “After the Rain” is the definition of a guilty pleasure.
Jetboy
Jetboy is coming into the M3 with a ton of momentum. Their five-song EP is one of the best hard rock records of the year, but they break out in a live setting. You wanna see these guys.
Also appearing:
LA Guns
Trixter
Dizzy Reed
ZO2
Black Mambooza
Bang Tango