Fight For Your Right to Party at Rock of Ages in Boston

If you grew up in the ’80s, or just wish you did, there’s a treat waiting for you at the Wang Theatre in Boston through October 28. Rock of Ages is here for the 10th anniversary national tour and it brings a head-banging, nostalgia-inducing, hard-rocking good time. I was invited for opening night and didn’t really have to think twice because I already knew I was going to enjoy it.

Ryan M. Hunt, John-Michael Breen, ROCK OF AGES National Tour – Jeremy Daniel, 2018

Rock of Ages is to ’80s hair bands as Mamma Mia is to ABBA. Is that a weird analogy? Perhaps. But it’s true. Take some of the most iconic hair band music from the ’80s (think Whitesnake, Twisted Sister, Poison, etc.), string together their most famous songs, and you have Rock of Ages. It manages to be just as cheesy, loud, and strangely relatable as the music was at the time.

Rock of Ages tells the story of Sherry, a small-town girl, and Drew, born and raised in South Detroit (see where we’re headed with this?), two starry-eyed kids who are following their dreams on Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in the late ’80s. Let’s face it, the story isn’t terribly unique. They work at a club that’s being threatened by evil German property developers. But the fun is in the telling and that includes music (played by an on-stage rock band) that makes the audience cheer and sing along, a comedic narrator (brilliantly played by John-Michael Breen, a local talent on his first national tour), and enough sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll to make this a not-safe-for-kids affair.

So, tease your hair, tie on an extra bandana, slap on some eyeliner, and grab your oldest and dearest friends to catch Rock of Ages in Boston before it’s gone.

Tickets for ROCK OF AGES at the Wang Theatre are on sale now. Tickets are available at the Boch Center Box Office, Bochcenter.org, by calling (800) 982-ARTS (2787), and via Ticketmaster. Groups of 10 or more may reserve tickets now by contacting Boch Center Group Sales at (617) 532-1116 or groups@bochcenter.org.

Disclosure: We received complimentary tickets for review purposes as well as a pre-show reception. There was no additional compensation and all opinions are my own.

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