Wow, what a 2023 it’s been. A huge THANK YOU to all of you for making it a great year. From the outdoor shows at The Michigan Lottery Amphitheater to a bunch at Pine Knob, the LCA, Ford Field, and more, it’s been a fun year. There were a lot of great outdoor concerts.

Highlights for me include heading down to Nashville for Kid Rock’s Comedy Jam in April. It’s always fun going to Nashville, extra fun when Rock is involved. The opening of the new District 142 was fantastic. I got to see a bunch of old friends and even brought my daughter along for the show featuring Uncle Kracker and Leigh and Nick from Pop Evil. And, I mean, how can you top Metallica at Ford Field in November!? Here are some pictures from the entire weekend. That’s just the tip of the live concert iceberg from the past twelve months. There were many killer WRIF shows to keep Detroit rockin’!

Of course, I put a bunch of miles on my Harley Davidson. That’s a constant in my life every summer. I love to ride to faraway places and feel the breeze on my knees. Here‘s where I went last summer. I also pounded lots of miles on my other two-wheeled machine, my street bicycle. I love to ride and get lost just peddling away. Sounds crazy, I know. Riding through the upper peninsula was fun, I’ll be doing that again in the future!

I hope 2024 brings each and every one of you everything you could’ve ever wanted. Thank you as always for treating me so well here on the World Wide Web, out at concerts, at bar events, or anywhere else we meet. Know that I love talking with all of you rockers!

I hope next year is your best year ever!

-Meltdown-

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  Chris Henderson and Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down, with Meltdown and Toby Wright

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  WRIF's Meltdown and Aimee Brooks on the Main Stage at Pine Knob for Riff Fest 2023. Crushing it!

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  Meltdown with M. Shadows and Aaron Julison from Kid Rock’s band after the Avenged Sevenfold show.

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  Jesse Dupree of Jackyl and Meltdown on stage at Uncle Sam Jam in Woodhaven.

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  Steve Richards of Taproot and Meltdown.

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  Meltdown with a friend at the Museum of Horror in Monroe.

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  Michigan rockers Leigh from Pop Evil and Kracker, with your humble scribe, Meltdown, at the grand opening of District 142.

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  Francine from ECW, Steve and Rhino along with Meltdown

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  Jade and Meltdown with Spiritbox singer, Courtney LaPlante. Photo by Brent Smith

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  Dan from Disturbed and the K.I.D. at his Honky Tonk in Nashville.

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  Jay from the Rival Sons chatting with Meltdown at Riff Fest 2023.

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  Robert Trujillo and Meltdown before show one with Metallica at Ford Field.

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  Ollie from Bad Omens and Meltdown at RIFF Fest.

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  Riding into RIFF Fest in September.

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  Great to see Brent Smith and bodyguard to the stars, John, at the Shinedown show.

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  I had to snap a picture with Alice Cooper at the signing at Rock City Music Company in Livonia.

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  Ghost at Pine Knob was a fantastic show!

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  Backstage with Nickleback before their show at Pine Knob.

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  Mix Master Mike, Mikey from Embargo at the Godsmack show.

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  The guys from Jackyl before taking the stage at Uncle Sam Jam in Woodhaven.

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  The Twiztid boys with wrestling legend Gangrel and Steve from the Greatest Wrestling Collection at Astronomicon.

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  With Darren McCarty at Astronomicon.

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  With a guy I'd never met in person before this year, bass legend Rudy Sarzo, and my friend, Johnny Kelly from Quiet Riot at Smugglers in Wyandotte.

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  Full Throttle Thursdays at Stingers is always fun throughout the summer.

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  This picture was in April before we watched the Metallica movie about 72 Seasons. With the Struggle Within Michigan Metallica fan club.

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  Dana and Mark from Slaughter at Smugglers down in Wyandotte.

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  Rachel Bolan from Skid Row at the Motor City Soundboard back in March.

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  I snapped this picture just before Mark Tremonti and Alter Bridge took the stage at the Fillmore in February.

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  Check out these butterball biscuits! At the AWE show in May at the LCA.

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  Legendary producer Toby Wright sung by the studio this past year. We had to take a picture in front of an album he mixed many years ago.

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  My boys from I Prevail at RIFF Fest.

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  Karen Newman was nice enough to stop by and do a killer interview with me in November.

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  Some charity hockey with Drew Miller and Jason Hartless from Ted Nugent's band.

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  It was great to run into Eric and Dylan from I Prevail at the Disturbed concert in September.

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  Out for a summertime ride!

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  I spent a few days in the U.P. I'll be back there again for sure!

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