06/19/2022
Saliva
High Noon Saloon
Madison, WI

After 26 years as a band, founding member and lead guitarist Wayne Swinny has Saliva firing on all cylinders. This metal machine stormed its way into the rustic-looking High Noon Saloon on a gorgeous Father’s Day. The High Noon Saloon is a personable venue. The stage sits maybe 2 feet off of the ground. There are no barricades in front of the stage either. The room is hardwood flooring with a bar on one side and a soundboard on the other. The decor is just as expected, western. Horseshoes and painted canvases are nailed above the bar. It was almost fitting for the Memphis-formed band. 

The band provided no frills with their stage setup. It was simple. 3 metal risers at the front of the stage and both the bass and guitar amps are wrapped in the same metal grating but the Saliva “S” in white is welded on top of it. There was no doubt though, they were there to rock and play their hits. Not only that, Saliva, dropped a couple of new tunes into the set as well. Vocalist Bobby Amaru was ever so present. He moved around the entirety of the small High Noon stage. There wasn’t a nook he didn’t get into. Vocally, he was precise and forcefully projected across the room. The few hundred in attendance ate it up.  Drummer Paul Crosby and Bassist Brad Stewart were one cohesive unit. They snapped and thundered with high efficiency. The two genuinely looked like they were having the time of their lives up on stage.  It was rather refreshing considering the genre and the “I don’t care” attitude that is all so common within it. Swinny, though was all over his half of the stage. He was very animated while delivering those classic riffs that everyone has enjoyed for over a decade now. He loved walking up towards those in front of the stage and shredding. At one point he was playing and reached out and fist bumped the kids watching. Eventually, those children were brought up on stage.

This band laid out the greatest hit setlist with 2 new songs included. “Crows” is currently being played across mainstream rock and metal radio stations including our own WJJO here in Madison. Another surprise within the setlist is the theme song for WWE superstar Dave Bautista, “I Walk Alone”. The song is powerful and had the room bouncing around. It gave flashbacks of Wrestlemania 23. It was nothing but an incredible evening reminiscing and enjoying what the future holds for the band. 


Setlist:
1. Ladies and Gentlemen
2. Superstar
3. Survival of The Sickest
4. Revelation Man
5. All Because of You
6. I Walk Alone
7. Crows
8. Doperide
9. Always
10. Your Disease
11. They Don’t Care About Us/Lose Yourself/Get Ur Freak On (Covers medley)
12. Click Click Boom