Credit: PWInsider
I caught Chris Jericho’s band Fozzy at the Gramercy Theater in NYC a few days ago and it was a really tight performance. You could see how Jericho had improved as a front-man from when I saw the band play BB Kings a few years back and it was a strong showing with the band actually playing two encores.
Jericho, playing his hometown (he WAS born in NY) wore a John Lennon t-shirt and seemed to get a huge kick out of some of the crowd actually starting a mosh pit halfway through te show and at the end, Richie Kotzen tossed an amp from the stage into the crowd, where it was surfed around.
Jericho had a ton of energy on the stage, riling up the audience and showcasing his knowledge of manipulating the crowd from his wrestling experience. He preened and smirked and posed at all the right moments and during the encore, used his body language to get the fans to clap harder, softer or stop, then teased them before leading a full on heavy closing. You can see how he’s grown from a one dimensional lark as “Mongoose McQueen” to a full fledged band leader. He’s a long way from wrestling for WAR and SMW.
There were some die hard wrestling fans in attendance as before Fozzy took the set, there were “Go Jericho Go” and “Lionheart” chants. Towards the end of the show, there was a Y2J chant, but Jericho turned that into a segue to put over the band.
Overall, a fun show, which is all a rock show in a small intimate venue should be about.
For those interested, here was the full set list Fozzy played in NYC. They are doing shorter sets for the Uproar Rock Festival: Spider in My Mouth
Sandpaper
Eat the Rich
Pray for Blood
Inside My Head
She’s My Addiction
Chasing the Grail
God Pounds His Nails
Let the Madness Begin
Whitechapel
To Kill a Stranger
Martyr No More
Blood Happens
Sin And Bones
Enemy
