Graham Bonnet Band, Killer Dwarfs at the Arcada Theatre (6/17/2023)

As fun as it is to catch my favorite bands over and over again, it’s even more fun to catch a “rare” band. You know, one who doesn’t come around as often as the others that frequent the underground club scene once or twice a year. This past Saturday, the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Illinois boasted not one, but two bands who fall into this category: Graham Bonnet Band and Killer Dwarfs. Having been sidelined by the all-star Michael Schenker Fest and an Alcatrazz reunion gone awry, Bonnet is back to focusing his energy on his namesake band. As for Killer Dwarfs, American shows for these Canadian metallers are about as rare as hen’s teeth. Together, the two veteran outfits gave headbangers a loud, energetic, and unforgettable evening. Here’s how the “Assault Attack” went down!

Killer Dwarfs

At the ripe old age of 24, I’ve seen just about every single band I grew up watching on VH1 Classic’s Metal Mania. Priest, Maiden, Scorpions, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, Queensrÿche, Y&T: It’d be easier to list who I haven’t seen. One band who made this now short list up until Saturday night was Killer Dwarfs. I vividly remember seeing the videos for “Dirty Weapons” and “Keep the Spirit Alive” in between the likes of Warrant’s “Cherry Pie” and Faster Pussycat’s “House of Pain”. Once my immature junior high brain got past the ridiculous band name, I’d sit there and think to myself, “Man, these guys rock! They sure got some killer tunes.”

12 years later and Killer Dwarfs still rock. The tunes have only grown more killer with age. I haven’t seen any other metal webzine make this position, so allow me to be the first: Big Deal (1988), Dirty Weapons (1990), and Method to the Madness (1992) are among some of the finest pop metal albums ever written, on par with anything from Dokken and Quiet Riot’s Metal Health. It should come as no surprise than that their opening hour long set consisted largely of cuts off these 3 albums.

Not only did Killer Dwarfs replicate the hook-laden magic of the studio renditions of these songs, but added an extra dose of electricity with their charismatic stage presence. As you’ll see below, Russ Dwarf is NOT an easy subject to photograph, but the risk was well worth the reward. He can also still belt out the classics like it’s nobody’s business, but this became a common theme of the night. 40 years on and Killer Dwarfs still “Keep the Spirit Alive”!

Setlist

“Comin’ Through”
“Hard Luck Town”
“Tell Me Please”
“Driftin’ Back”
“Union of Pride”
“Doesn’t Matter”
“Weight of the World” (New song)
“Stand Tall”
“Keep the Spirit Alive”
“Dirty Weapons

Graham Bonnet Band

Following a half hour intermission for the crowd to make the obligatory beer and bathroom run, it was time for the main event. For the first time since 2018, Graham Bonnet and his band were back to treat the Chicagoland legions to a retrospective setlist that spanned nearly 45 years. Some of GBB’s personnel has changed since then, but their commitment to musical excellence has not. How could it when the band is fronted by one of the greatest voices in metal history?

At 75 years old, Bonnet’s hair may have gone white, and his signature shades have been traded for bifocals, but his booming vocals remain untouched by time; that, and his ever-suave wardrobe. One could be mistaken for thinking it was ’79 all over again when Bonnet and his band took the stage to the synth buildup for Rainbow’s classic epic, “Eyes of the World”. I must admit that it was hard to keep still while taking photos, as Bonnet delivered each lyric with the urgency and firepower as the original recording. Being backed by a band that captured every nuance of Ritchie Blackmore’s post-Purple vision most certainly helps.

While on the topic of said backing band, one can’t emphasize enough the importance of guitarist Conrado Pesinato. Whether he was tackling the virtuosic maneuvers of Blackmore, soulful shredding of Schenker, or neoclassical blitz of Malmsteen, he did so with confidence and grace, leading the band just as much as Bonnet himself. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve heard a single guitarist come so close to capturing the essence of Blackmore outside of Blackmore himself. That’s not praise I hand out lightly, so kudos to you Mr. Persinato.

As for the setlist, I’d say it did a rather adequate job at chronicling Bonnet’s storied career. Could I have used more Schenker, way more Alcatrazz, and at least one Impellitteri song? Sure, but let’s be rational for a second here. For Bonnet to do a show that covered all of these bases, he would need at least 3 hours and then some, especially when you factor in obscure fan favorites like one-off supergroup, Blackthorne, or his brief stint with Japanese metal royalty, Anthem. What can I say? No matter what he played, Bonnet and his band kept us on our feet and singing along “All Night Long”. Let’s hope they do so again sooner than later!

Setlist