By Joe Puccio

Often overlooked in favor of more prominent 1980s hair metal offerings like Slippery When Wet (Bon Jovi), Hysteria (Def Leppard), and Shout at the Devil (Motley Crue), 1984’s Out of the Cellar is every bit as deserving of praise as its spandex spouses.

Spawned by seminal sleaze rock favorites Ratt, the debut studio album from drummer Bobby Blotzer, bassist Juan Croucier, guitarists Warren DeMartini and Robbin Crosby, and lead singer Stephen Pearcy, was an immediate success, producing MTV and radio staples such as “Round and Round” and “Back for More,” while eventually securing triple platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

As is the unfortunate norm in the music industry when it comes to band dynamics, the rodent-monikered quintet gradually scurried apart, losing members to drug addiction (Crosby, who eventually died from a heroin overdose/AIDS complications), irreconcilable differences (Blotzer, who once sued the band), and simple unfulfillment (Croucier and DeMartini, both joining a number of other outfits in subsequent years).   

While various reunions have occasionally occurred, Pearcy, “The Voice of Ratt,” is currently the last man standing as it pertains to playing the timeless catalogue of the glam metal icons.

Cleverly dubbed the “Back in the Cellar” tour, the frontman played the intimate Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts on Long Island in New York on January 21 and, as the appellation suggests, celebrated the Out of the Cellar record by performing it in its entirety.

Punctually hitting the stage at exactly 8pm, Pearcy crushed the wild west-themed album opener “Wanted Man” before diving into the underappreciated “You’re in Trouble.” However, instead of following the track order, the three-hole position was bestowed on “In Your Direction,” clearly skipping “Round and Round,” the group’s most successful song. While it’s understandable, to an extent, on saving the anthem for later in the show, it was a swing and a miss for an excursion intended to recreate the experience that the Generation X crowd had growing up in the decadent decade. Furthermore, Ratt is anything but a one-hit wonder and the act has a plethora of tunes that could fill the “Round” spot.

Pearcy’s voice, a bit shaky in recent years, was surprisingly on point, and difficult notes in numbers such as “I’m Insane” and the aforementioned “Trouble,” were sung with apparent ease. Also notable was the sexagenarian’s undeniable charisma and stage presence, a trait not always associated with the vocalist. Pearcy seemed to legitimately enjoy interacting with the hundreds of fans who braved the frigid winter temperature to attend.

Being able to hear lesser-known cuts like “Scene of the Crime” and “The Morning After” were palpable highlights of the evening, as they ordinarily don’t make the limited setlist. And after the 10 OOTC tracks were complete, Pearcy treated the Ratt-packers to four additional songs, “You’re in Love” and “Lay It Down” from follow-up Invasion of Your Privacy, “I Want a Woman” off of Reach for the Sky, and 1991’s multi-layered “Nobody Rides for Free,” which appeared on the Point Break soundtrack.

All were welcome bonuses, for sure. But for a concert that clocked in at just 70 minutes, it wasn’t enough. Rockers like “Slip of the Lip” and “Lovin’ You’s a Dirty Job” and ballads such as “One Step Away” and “Givin’ Yourself Away” could have easily and favorably extended the running time to at least an hour and a half, not an overreaching ask by any stretch.

The practice of performing an entire record in order has been a semi-regular occurrence for many established artists still active, especially those from the fruitful 1970s and 1980s, when physical albums and track order were more integral than they are today. Perhaps 2025 will see an Invasion of Your Privacy party, followed by one commemorating Dancing Undercover in 2026.  If so, they would be unquestionably gratifying for die hard followers. Let’s just hope we’re granted a little more time to Ratt and Roll.

Setlist:

1. Wanted Man
2. You’re in Trouble
3. In Your Direction
4. She Wants Money
5. Lack of Communication
6. Back for More
7. The Morning After
8. I’m Insane
9. Scene of the Crime
10. Round and Round
11. I Want a Woman
12. Nobody Rides for Free
13. You’re in Love
14. Lay It Down