Leave it to my good friend Eric Mills and his wife Jennifer to put together a reason to stay out till 2 AM for the first time in many years. To think I made a whole new family of friends thru FASTER PUSSYCAT!
I was totally amazed with this venue. I LOVE IT! Easy to get to by train even though Max and I rode with John P. I didn’t even make it to the door when I started hearing my name being yelled out. The valet, staff, security and barkeeps were so over the top nice. Really BIG venue and lots of space. Not a bad spot in the place to see a show. I only had a shot and a drink and free water all night, FREE WATER! They don’t charge for it like some venues.
Hot on the heels of a dramatic tragedy reported worldwide just a few months ago FASTER PUSSYCAT came back strong and tight at the top of their game. 3 of the new songs were played and I was told the INXS cover of “Don’t Change” will be added to the setlist soon.
FASTER PUSSYCAT Joe’s LIVE, Rosemont, IL, 6/18/2025
Motorbike
Don’t Change That Song
Cathouse
Slip of the Tongue
Like A Ghost
Ain’t No Way Around It
NOLA
Where There’s a Whip There’s a Way
You’re So Vai
House of Pain
Poison Ivy
Bathroom Wall
Shut Up and Fuck
Babylon
With my old friend Brett Ackerman
with Brett Ackerman and her husband Grant Gartner
Brett Ackerman with THE RUMOURS
Brett Ackerman with Super Suckers
Brett Ackerman
Taime Downe – lead vocals, guitar, programming, harmonica, tambourine (1985–1993, 2001–present)
Danny Nordahl aka Slim Tender– bass, backing vocals (2001–present)
Chad Stewart – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2001–present)
Sam Bam Koltun – guitar, mandolin, talkbox, backing vocals (2019–present)
Kieran Robertson – guitar (2023–present)
With Drummer Chad Stewart at the Brig
Max, AZ and Chad
I had just learned that Faster Pussycat drummer Chad Stewart is from Zanesville OH which is right along I 70 west from where I grew up. It turns out that we were at a few of the same concerts at the same time in our younger days. WILD! We also know some of the same people.
48 min (54.3 mi) via I-70 W
State Route 666 (SR 666) is a 14.17-mile (22.80 km) state route that runs between Zanesville and Dresden in the US state of Ohio. Most of the route is a rural two-lane highway and passes through both woodland and farmland. For much of its path, SR 666 runs generally parallel to the east of the Muskingum River. The highway was first signed in 1937 on the same alignment as today. The whole highway was paved by 1955.
Danny Nordahl aka Slim Tender, AZ and Amanda Shamoun
Eric Mills, guitarist Kieran Robertson and AZ
November 1994 in Pittsburgh with Faster Pussycat singer Taime Downe
October 2002 in Los Angeles with Taime Downe at the Key Club for the CLEOPATRA RECORDS 10 Year Anniversary Event
After NASHVILLE PUSSY we have THE RUMOURS!
Max with THE RUMOURS
THE RUMOURS will be on the podcast in person soon.
John P, Brett, AZ and Grant
2 Melissa’s and a Robin as an Alex Zandwich
Robin, who I met in person Oct 2023 at the Arcada seeing FASTER PUSSYCAT perform and the same night I traded contact into with Eric and his crew. Ya never know when your circle of friends will grow.
Taimie was just so great this night. Happy and really looking better than ever. He told good Chicago stories.
We also met and made friends with a merch girl named Maddie Indré from the Akron OH based band The Sweet Spot. We’ll be having her on the podcast in July 2025. Very pretty and even more talented.
www.instagram.com/thesweetspot_band