Mötley Crüe @ Sweden Rock Festival 2023-06-07

5/10

Nikki Sixx

I might as well be honest from the start – I expected a disaster, along the proportions of Guns’n’Roses epic crash landing at last year’s Sweden Rock Festival. I have seen Mötley Crüe several times over the years. The first time was in 1986 and back in those days they were young, hungry and a great live act. The problem is that they have never been great musicians, and when they started to lose that enthusiasm those young guys had that became very apparent. Their show at The Peace and Love Festival in Borlänge in 2009 is to this date the worst gig I have ever seen by a major act. It was simple pathetic in every single way. They weren’t good at Sweden Rock in 2015 either. And now they are even older. Mick Mars isn’t even in the touring band any longer, being replaced by John 5 (please get a less silly moniker dude!).

But to my big surprise Motley Crüe actually puts on a decent show! They open strong with Wild Side and Shout at The Devil and it actually sounds pretty good. Vince Neil looks to be in better shape than in many years and must have lost some weight and even though he does not sound like in his prime it is absolutely good enough. It is only in more demanding songs like Live Wire were he can’t quite keep up with the tempo. In songs like Looks That Kill and Too Fast For Love they actually rock.

The set suffers a bit from a long portion of weaker songs in the middle, but picks up pace again towards the end and when they send the crowd home with Kickstart My Heart I think it is safe to say most people like what they have heard.

But please – couldn’t we have let the concept of gogo dancers on stage and urging women in the audience to show their tits die with the 90’s? But at least there is no 10 minute drum solo this time. I guess you can’t have everything.