Y&T have been playing the Midwest pretty consistently for that past six years, so 2013 saw them return to Tailgater’s in Bolingbrook for another great show.  I have been a fan of these guys for slightly over thirty years now and they have never once disappointed in a live setting.  They are one of the few bands that I have seen so many times, yet they still manage to surprise me with their set list each and every time.  One of the benefits of having a rich back catalogue is being able to mix up the set list not only from year to year but also from city to city.

The musicians have basically been the same for the past few years.  Dave Meniketti still leads the band with lead guitar and vocals.  Let me go on record and say that not only has he maintained all of his vocal abilities; he manages to get better on guitar with each passing year.  He is by far one of the most under-rated guitarists out there.  Helping on guitar is John Nymann who has been with the band for many, many years.  He even managed a lead vocal during the show and he was quite good.  Mike Vanderhule has also been a permanent fixture on drums for a while.  All of this leads me to new guy Brad Lang.  He took the place of Phil Kennemore who passed away in 2011.  While I still miss seeing Kennemore, I have to say that Y&T made a great choice in picking Lang.  He brings so much energy to the show that you can’t help but enjoy watching him bounce around without skipping a beat.

I don’t have to remind everyone that we are really working through some difficult times in the United States.  Y&T must know that their fans are having a tough time because they manage to give them so much value for the money.  The concert was $16 for a general admission ticket and they played for just slightly over two hours.  If that is not a great value, then I don’t know what is.