MusicCityNashville.net: The Winery Dogs Rock and Roll Into the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville

• All Feature Articles

The Winery Dogs Rock and Roll Into the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville

by Rich and Laura Lynch

It was not that surprising that the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee was packed on April 06, 2023 for The Winery Dogs. Serving up top shelf musicianship, this band continues to breed a strong following. Their third album released this year reflects a signature sound of hard rock with elements of classic and contemporary influences spiked with the occasional melodic moments.

The Winery Dogs Rock and Roll Into the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville

Richie Kotzen of The Winery Dogs at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville.

Formed in 2012, The Winery Dogs are a supergroup as all three members have had successful careers with others. Solo artist, Richie Kotzen (guitar, lead vox, keys) was a former member of the bands Poison and Mr. Big. Billy Sheehan (bass) has worked with Steve Vai, David Lee Roth, Talas, and Mr. Big. Mike Portnoy behind the kit has been the back beat for countless projects including Dream Theater, Flying Colors, Transatlantic, Neal Morse Band, Sons of Apollo and more.

We have seen The Winery Dogs on several occasions and like a fine wine this pack of alpha males are only getting better with time. They all come from a fine line of musical pedigrees and they work well together. Their Nashville show was effervescent - filled with songs from all three albums. They opened with the fast paced "Gaslight" going into a perfect "Xanadu" then flowing into a captivating "Captain Love" paired with the sizzling "Hot Streak" that included some smoking guitar work from Richie.

Mike Portnoy of The Winery Dogs at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville.

"Time Machine" was a prime example of how this trio pours out potent soundscapes while effectively using dramatic pauses. They have mastered the art of hooks in hard rock. "Stars" from the new album was stellar as was "Damaged". We were treated to a short drum solo from Mike and a bit later Billy took the spotlight demonstrating a lot of tricky techniques on the four strings. Each Dog is in a class by himself and collectively they bring out the best in each other which makes for great music especially in the live setting.

Billy Sheehan of The Winery Dogs at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville.

Their encore featured the reflective "Regret" paired with "Elevate" to end the night and the first leg - or "paw" - of their ambitious U.S. tour on a high note. There is no doubt that the guys were exhausted by the time they rolled into Music City having run off 7 shows in 8 nights with Mike battling flu like symptoms in the final week of an aggressive two-month long outing according to his many social media posts.

But, now they can pause for a few weeks to recharge their batteries. After a short break The Winery Dogs are heading to South America for a quick run before moving on to Europe for another longer engagement to meet the growing demand of fans who want to see them live.

Ace Monroe at the Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville.

In Nashville, they had a local act open and the energized Ace Monroe was able to present their own brand of hard rock to a full house. The quintet consisting of of Robbie Dylan (lead vocals), Josh Alfano (lead guitar), Jack Kaiser (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jonathan Tatooles (drums) and Erik McIntyre (bass) declared that it was their first time working the venue and they made the most of their moments in front of the captive audience who were anxiously awaiting the Dogs.

"Eat. Drink. Rock. and Roll" is the Brooklyn Bowl's motto. Located at 925 3rd Avenue North in Nashville, Tennessee it has it all. Of course, there is bowling but they also have a restaurant along with a patio that overlooks First Horizon Park where The Sounds - a minor league baseball team plays, so you can catch a few innings while at the Brooklyn Bowl. Adult and soft beverages are available so one can quench their thirst during a live performance or while bowling. The Winery Dogs are one of many bands that have performed at this multi-purpose venue so head over to their website for more information on upcoming shows.