Riot Act Rocks Stages All Over the Delmarva Peninsula

A few Saturdays ago, I had the pleasure of listening to one of the most exciting, powerful and extremely talented 80's metal and rock cover bands - Riot Act. Playing the Delmarva Peninsula often, the five members of this band definitely make any evening out an event to remember. It was like I was back in high school, tossing my hair around singing (screaming) as loud as I could, to the old school tunes of all my favorite 80's hair bands.

Riot Act has five members: Lee "Rockstar" Smith - Vocals, Valerie Lankford Post - guitarist/keyboard player, Jonathan "Hotsauce" Moore - guitarist, Gene Beauchamp - bass player, and John "Rusty" Riggin - Drums. Bringing over 100 years of musical experience to the stage, these five musicians top my list of favorite local bands on the Delmarva Peninsula. These guys and gal rock with a passion that is only known to them but is heard and felt throughout their audience when they perform. I can't think of anything else I would prefer to do than dance the night away and sing along to the tunes I loved when I was growing up with Riot Act.

The most surprising thing about Riot Act is the extensive musical training and experience that they bring to the Delmarva Peninsula. Their guitarist, Jonathan Moore was an accomplished violinist by the age of 5 and was playing with the Salisbury Orchestra and Youth Orchestra by the age of 15. Both Lee Smith and Gene Beauchamp have played in nationally recognized bands - Lee in White Noise (placed 2^nd in the Atlantic Regional Starsearch competition), Gene in Taste (represented the United States in the Canadian Music Conference where they were signed with BMG in 1997). Valerie Lankford Post has been a local teacher of guitar and piano for the last 20 years and also played saxophone throughout high school and college, sitting first chair in the Salisbury University Jazz Band. Rusty Riggin was a self taught musician playing with bands in local clubs by the age of 15 - including Cringe, Exposure, and Problem Child.

Riot Act far surpasses the average local bands in their interaction with the crowd at their concerts. Throughout their show you will see Lee, Gene, Jonathan, and Valerie singing to and dancing with members of their audience, sometimes even leaving the stage to do so; and I am sure Rusty would join the crowd off-stage too if he could get his drum set down.

With this amount of pure raw talent and extreme enthusiasm for music that the members of Riot Act display it is hard to imagine them ever not having a huge following. If you are interested in hearing them play, they will be at Break Time Sports Grill and Pub in Salisbury, Maryland on October 23, 2010 and December 31, 2010 and at the Steer Inn in Berlin, Maryland on October 22, 2010 and December 3, 2010. And don't forget to check out their website at www.RiotActRocks.com.

Set list from September 4, 2010 at Break Time Sports Grill and Pub in Salisbury, Maryland:

1.
Yankee Rose - David Lee Roth
Don't Tell Me You Love Me - Night Ranger
You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi
Dirty Deeds - AC/DC
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
Round and Round - Ratt
My Sharona - The Knack
Another Thing Comin - Judas Priest
Rock of Ages - Def Leppard
Carry On - Kansas

2.
Hellion/ Electric Eye - Judas Priest
Live Wire - Motley Crue
Separate Ways - Journey
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Fight for Right- Beastie Boys
Nothing but a Good Time - Poison
Pour Some Sugar - Def Leppard
Rock you like Hurricane - Scorpions
Turn me Loose - Loverboy
Turn up Radio - Autograph
Heartbreaker - Pat Benetar
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Jamie's Wild Crying - Van Halen

3.
Still of the Night - Whitesnake
Detroit Rock City - Kiss
TNT - AC/DC
Stone in Love - Journey
Man in Box - Alice in Chains
Headed Out Highway - Judas Priest
Ain't Talking Bout Love - Van Halen
Metal Health - Quiet Riot