Social media was even comparing RSO's NRL Grand Final performance to Meat Loaf's performance at the 2011 AFL Grand Final, a comparison I found to be rather hyperbolic.
Here's RSO at the NRL.
And here's Meat Loaf at the AFL.
Obviously I am biased towards RSO, but given Bat Out of Hell is one of my all-time favourite albums, I love me some Meat Loaf too. And whatever you think of Richie or Ori, it was nowhere near as bad as that.
I thought "Wanted Dead or Alive" was fine. I'd have preferred them to do one of their respective solo songs rather than "Livin' on a Prayer" -- if any song is going to expose your vocal limitations, it's "Prayer". And because it's such a recognisable song when performed electric, everyone notices when you don't do the key change, or try to alter the song to fit your voice. To be honest, Jon Bon Jovi can't really sing it anymore either, but he has the luxury of being able to point the microphone towards the crowd and have tens of thousands of people sing the chorus for him. RSO doesn't.
In all honesty, being a Richie fan can be a roller coaster ride. He's got his well-documented demons. He makes up BS excuses when he cancels shows. He's not the easiest person to love. But then I put on a track like "Father Time" and remember why I do still love him.
Anyway, I'll finish this post with a video of Richie performing "Harlem Rain" at Enmore Theatre in Sydney. More solo stuff (from both Richie and Ori) and fewer covers is what I'd like to see from an RSO show (along with whatever they've come up with together, once it's released). They skipped out on Perth this tour, but I still haven't given up hope that I'll see them someday.
