Arts & Entertainment
Highway to Hell Cranks Up the Heat in Frigid St. Pete
A nationally recognized AC/DC cover band hailing from Tampa played a show at the outdoor venue, Jannus Live, last night. Check out our band and fan pics.
Highway to Hell is no stranger to south Florida. Based in Tampa, the five-some formed five years ago and has been rocking out ever since. The group is the only tribute band to have had the privilege of sharing the stage with AC/DC's own Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams.
With a low temperature of 40-something degrees, luckily the outdoor show started off with a bang. Lead guitarist Tim Hoyt stormed the stage with zany riffs and classic energy. Not long after that, Martyn, took on the role of Angus Young and welcomed the crowd of shivering show goers to what promised to be an amazing event.
It was undeniable that these local imitators worshipped AC/DC in every sense of the word. Being fans themselves, Highway to Hell formed an inevitable bond of camaraderie with the audience, making the powerful performance even more spectacular.
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Some fans have been following the group's success since the start. "They always used to play in Sarasota and at Gasparilla, so I always went to see them" said fan Tim Propst.
Lead singer, Martyn, connected with the crowd on several occasions, especially when he sporadically jumped into the front row
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About halfway through the show, the band invited some female fans on stage to dance and sing. One of them belted out perfectly in tune words to some AC/DC hits. Impressed, Martyn encouraged the crowd's applause with his descendent of Wales accent, saying, "Bloody hell, come on!"
Tunes like "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "TNT" were instant hits with the standing-room only music lovers. At any given time, the band could have let the audience take over with vocals.
Other guests had heard of the group, but never seen them live. "This is the first time I've heard them" said AC/DC super fan Steve Kroposky.
After several elbow brushings with fans, Highway to Hell presented the venue with a strikingly spectacular version of "For Those About to Rock" that left onlookers delightfully exhausted. A showcase of AC/DC's jams could not have been presented by anyone more entertaining or on point than Highway to Hell.
