Buckcherry / Michael Monroe

This event is General Admission Standing Room on the Floor, and Reserved Seated in the Balcony.

Arriving in the late ’90s amidst the embers of post-grunge and the rise of nu-metal, Buckcherry proudly kept the torch of hard rock sleaze burning. The band styled themselves as deliberate throwbacks to the glory days of the ’80s Sunset Strip, acting as if their peers were Mötley Crüe instead of Limp Bizkit. Their eponymous 1999 debut generated the number one mainstream rock hit “Lit Up,” which was enough to keep the band afloat until they had an unexpected hit in 2006 with their third album, 15. Boasting the sordid rocker “Crazy Bitch” and “Sorry” (a power ballad that cracked the Top Ten), the album was certified platinum, a success that buoyed the group for decades amid numerous lineup changes, but always anchored by singer Josh Todd. Buckcherry issued their tenth studio album, the aptly named Vol. 10, in 2023.

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Michael Monroe is a renowned Finnish hard rock vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who rose to fame in the 1980s as the frontman for glam-punk luminaries Hanoi Rocks. After the band's breakup, Monroe embarked on a successful solo career, debuting in 1987 with Nights Are so Long. In addition to his own work, he has fronted numerous all-star side projects, including Jerusalem Slim (with Steve Stevens) and Demolition 23. Monroe issued his tenth solo long-player, I Live Too Fast to Die Young!, in 2022. Born Matti Fagerholm on June 17, 1960, in Helsinki, Finland, Monroe played saxophone with a variety of Finnish bands throughout the late ‘70s before eventually switching to vocals, and helping co-form Hanoi Rocks in 1980. Preceding Mötley Crüe by several years, Hanoi Rocks was one of the first groups in several years to adopt the glam look (something that would become commonplace on L.A.'s Sunset Strip in only a few years) -- heavy on the make-up and hair spray, flashy outfits, etc. -- but unlike their future offspring, Hanoi Rocks' roots weren't in heavy metal, but rather punk and garage rock (the Stooges, early Alice Cooper, New York Dolls, Dead Boys). After some lineup tweaking, the "classic" Hanoi Rocks lineup was put in place, consisting of Monroe, guitarists Andy McCoy and Nasty Suicide, bassist Sam Yaffa, and drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley. On the strength of several Euro-only indie releases (1981's Bangkok Shocks, 1982's Self Destruction Blues and Oriental Beat, plus 1983's Back to the Mystery City), and European tours (as well as visits to such exotic locales as Israel and Japan), a buzz began to build. Hanoi Rocks was signed to Columbia Records soon after, as U.S. success appeared to be just around the corner -- especially after the release of 1984's Two Steps from the Move. Then came a much-publicized car accident that killed Dingley (behind the wheel was an inebriated Vince Neil) in December of 1984. Despite Monroe and company attempting to carry on with replacements, the promising Hanoi was laid to rest later the next year. Relocating to New York City, Monroe began to pick up the pieces and embarked on a solo career. His first solo release was 1987's Nights Are so Long (a Scandinavia-/Japan-only release), which was quite Dead Boys-influenced (Monroe had befriended Stiv Bators and covered one of his solo songs, while guitarist Jimmy Zero contributed a pair of songs). An appearance in the star-studded Sun City video followed, as did a worldwide solo deal with Polygram Records. An initial plan of reissuing Nights failed to pan out, resulting in 1989's Not Fakin' It being the first domestically issued solo Monroe release. The album would go on to become Monroe's most successful stateside release (and the only one to appear on the Billboard charts), while all of Hanoi Rocks' albums were reissued on Guns N' Roses' short-lived Uzi Suicide label (Monroe also appeared on GN'R's Use Your Illusion releases and The Spaghetti Incident? ). Many assumed that Monroe would obtain ever-elusive breakthrough success this second time around, but once more, it was not to be. A planned collaboration with ex-Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens failed to pan out, as it looked like Monroe had vanished. This proved not to be the case, and he continued to issue lower-profile solo releases (1992's Jerusalem Slim, 1996's Peace of Mind, 1999's Life Gets You Dirty, 2002's Take Them and Break Them, and 2003's Whatcha Want). Monroe has also sporadically reunited with his ex-Hanoi bandmates, including Yaffa, under the name Demolition 23 (1995's Demolition 23), and with McCoy as Hanoi Rocks, resulting in the releases Twelve Shots on the Rocks (2002), Another Hostile Takeover (2005), and Street Poetry (2007). In 2010 Monroe issued his first ever live solo LP, Another Night In the Sun: Live in Helsinki via Spinefarm Records, with a new studio album, Sensory Overdrive, dropping the following year. Horns and Halos, his seventh solo long-player, arrived in 2013, followed by Blackout States in 2015 and One Man Gang in 2019. Monroe continued to carry the glam-punk mantle with remarkable acuity on his potent tenth solo effort, 2022's I Live Too Fast to Die Young! ~ Greg Prato

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Drew Cagle & The Reputation is a High Energy, No Apologies, National Touring Rock Band from Central Illinois.

The band got its name “The Reputation” after Cagle decided to lean into the considerable ridicule he received in the beginning while attempting to perform his original music in a market primarily dominated by cover bands. Driven by his passion for authentic original expression, Cagle set his sights on the surrounding major cities in the Midwest and across the US determined to show the world that greatest rock songs haven’t already been written…

In the beginning, the band’s cultivating stage presence and artistic vision set them apart from the other touring bands in the Midwest. They released their debut EP “Haunted” on Oct. 31st, 2021. The independently released record, currently approaching a million streams, highlighted Cagle’s ability to create songs with catchy hooks, big choruses, raw emotion, and meaningful lyrics that tell a story.

Throughout the following years, DC&R solidified themselves as one of the top “must see live” rock bands in the US, performing alongside artists like Puddle of Mudd, Warrant, Living Colour, Night Ranger, Three Dog Night, Slaughter, Mr. Big, Hinder, Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd Skynyrd), Lita Ford, Head East, L.A Guns, April Wine, Trapt, Great White, Humble Pie, Stryper, Escape The Fate, Doyle (The Misfits), Trixter, Goodbye June, The Black Moods, Plush, Texas Hippie Coalition, Austin Meade, Them Dirty Roses, and many more. Earning the nickname, “The Baddest Band on the Planet” after their explosive performance style & unique version of modern rock n’ roll they call “Attitude Rock”.

In 2024, DC&R released their first single “All Figured Out” from the band’s much anticipated debut album “Bad Attitude”. Cagle recorded the album at Compass Records in Nashville, TN alongside Grammy Award Winning Producer/Engineer Matt Coles (The Eagles) and a group of A-list studio musicians who have worked with artists like Toto, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Post Malone, and more. The single takes dead aim at naysayers who doubted Cagle’s artistic vision and calls out the hypocrisy rooted in premature judgements of others in an epic rock n’ roll fashion. “All Figured Out” clings to the feeling of being counted out and, with a rebellious spirit, aims to inspire the listener to prove their own opposition wrong… “All Figured Out” skyrocketed the band to new heights, reaching #1 on the Classic Rock Radio Charts. Following the success of “All Figured Out” DC&R signed to the Rock/Metal label Pavement Entertainment, home of artists like Puddle Of Mudd, Ted Nugent, Candlebox, Plush, and more.

The following year, DC&R partnered with Sony to release “Bad Attitude”, an 8-song collection of boisterous rock n roll that combines passionate modern songwriting with the bold sound and swagger of the hard rock superstars from the ‘80s. In an album ironically named after a band Cagle’s father performed with in the early ’90s, DC&R managed to encapsulate the classic “chip on your shoulder” aggression and natural danger that rock n’ roll has been missing in recent years. Led by an explosive title track featuring a guest appearance from legendary ’80s guitarist and founding member of both Guns N Roses & LA Guns: Tracii Guns.

Cagle found his inspiration for “Bad Attitude” from the roadblocks and resistance he encountered fronting an original rock band in a market dominated by cover bands. From facing the struggles of chasing your dreams to dealing with the trials of lost love, DC&R’s debut album never lets up as each song presents a different theme and perspective to tell a story of heartbreak and rebellion.

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Host or Publisher College Street Music Hall