Night Ranger July 4 2025

  Another free show at my hometown Fourth of July celebration "The Haynes Apperson Festival". This is another band I've never really followed. I knew some of their songs, I just didn't know they were theirs. Except "Sister Christian". Everyone that listened to popular music in the early to mid 1980's knew that was Night Ranger. I'm sure it was their biggest hit, but not my favorite song. As a matter of fact, it was the song that kept me from looking further into their music. I'm sorry that happened now. I missed out on a lot of good Rock n Roll music. The main reason I wanted to go was to see Brad Gillis, the guitar player. Before Night Ranger hit the mainstream, Brad was given the task of filling the shoes of Randy Rhoads in Ozzy Osbourne's band. Most people know the story, but if not here's a quick recap. 

 Randy Rhoads was a gifted guitar player that helped Ozzy start his solo career by recording two of the most influential albums in Heavy Metal history (The Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of A Madman). While on tour, Randy and a few others died in a crazy airplane crash. Leaving Ozzy without a guitar player to finish the tour. After a very short time off the Diary of A Madman tour resumed with on Bernie Torme from Ian Gillan's band for about 9 shows if memory serves me right. And then in steps Brad Gillis. I listened to many bootleg recordings over the years of shows that Brad did, and he may not be Randy Rhoads, but he is definitely a Hell of a guitar player in his own right! And he also recorded the live album "Speak of The Devil" with Ozzy covering a bunch of Black Sabbath songs. Oddly enough, across the pond in Jolly Olde England, The stage was being set for Ozzy's farewell performance. My personal opinion is that Brad should have been there along with his other former bandmates to jam with The Boss (as Zakk Wylde would say), but alas Brad was in Kokomo Indiana getting ready to play with his own band, and I was going to be there to watch. 

 Originally, I was going to go to the show by myself or possibly with my wife, get some pictures, and cut out early. But after talking to my friend Mike on the way home from the Weird Al show the night before, I found out Mike was a big fan and wanted to go to the show too. So we stayed for the whole show. And I'm glad I did. Here's the set list and some of my favorite pictures.

(You Can Still) Rock In America

The Star Spangled Banner (with Brad Gillis Guitar Solo)

Four In The Morning

Sing Me Away

Coming Of Age

Sentimental Street

School's Out

Crazy Train

Night Ranger

High Enough

When You Close Your Eyes

Don't Tell Me You Love Me

Sister Christian

 I really liked a lot of what I heard. I'm still not crazy about Sister Christian. But I'm definitely a fan of the rest.