STOMPING MELVIN & KILLER BEE: OPENING BANDS FOR ARMED ALLIANCE TOUR AT JEWEL NIGHTCLUB, MANCHESTER, NH JULY 18, 2015

Photos & Review by Frank Piercy

July 18, 2015

This was show number 3 in as many days, with a 3 hour drive ahead of me, I was eager to get to the Jewel. It was going to be a long night and a long drive home and The Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival to shoot the next day. When I hit traffic and it took me over an hour to go 15 miles or so on I-91 north I should’ve known what was in store for me for the next week or so.

This one was just a little confusing, originally it was going to Kip Winger performing a solo acoustic set as the headliner, then they added The Bulletboys and Gunzo. My mind was set to be there no matter what. The line up was like a mini M3 festival.

After a long drive, I got there just before they opened the doors. Checked in with the house photographer and settled in for what would be a fantastic evening.

The evening started with a local band, and to be honest I didn’t really listen to them or shoot them. I know I was bad, but to be honest they werent really all that great. The next band up was a local and very popular cover band called “Stomping Melvin”. I took a few pics and enjoyed watching them. I wonder if they had done any original music???

Thats when I found out that Kip Winger was going on next. I was shocked. I also found out that the “Stomping Melvin” would joining him on the stage for a couple of songs at the end of his set. I was shocked. Then to top it off, the house photographer told me, there was no three song limit, I could shoot the whole set! Shocked wasn’t the word, elated was it. I shot primarily the first three songs and an occasional one for the rest of the set and stood on the side of the stage and watched and listened to one of rock’s most talented and underappreciated songwriters.

Kip came out to a very loud crowd, who sang along to most of his set. A very good mix of “Winger” and solo material. Kip is a very talented musician, very under rated if you ask me.

Unfortunately I have only one picture of Kip to share with you and I didn’t take it. After Kip’s set a friend of his and a guest drummer (some type of Bongo drum, wish I knew what it was) came up to me and asked if I had a pen or something. Kip had gone into the back of the Jewel and was meeting fans but had nothing to sign anything with. You should’ve seen this guys eyes light up when I pulled out a silver Sharpie. I gave it to him under the condition, I get an autograph lol. Imagine my surprise when he came back and gave me 2 signed pics from Kip and a thank you.
I wish the story ended there but it doesnt.

I tend to change memory cards between bands especially when they start running low on room and I was anticipating shooting a lot of Kip so I put a fresh card. Shot the set then switched back to my other card.

I shouldnt have done that.

It was 4 in the morning when I got home and I started uploading pics to the computer. I set one card on the desk and the other was being uploaded when I went to bed. I woke up at 9am and went in to check on the card and the one I had left on my desk was gone.

My 9 year old son was on the computer with his breakfast when his dog, Akuna went after the yogurt laden spoon on my desk and got the memory card. Chewed it a bit and spit it out. The puter wont read the card, the camera wont read the card… the laptop wont read the card.

Kip Winger was the main reason I went to shoot this show, and I was upset and I apologize for no photos.

A band called “Killer Bee” was up next on the bill. These guys seem to be a popular European band boasting at least one legend in their mix, Paul “Tonka” Chapman from “UFO” on guitar Anders “LA” Rönnblom on bass, Brian “Bee” Frank on the mic, Morgan Evans on drums, Andre Hägglund on guitars. They sounded great and Brian has that stage presence of the legendary 70s rock stars.

Check out the photos from Stomping Melvin & Killer Bee, the openers of the Armed Alliance Tour: