Guitarist, hunter and American advocate Ted Nugent is certainly no stranger to the backwoods of northeastern Pennsylvania. In fact, a recent stop at Penns Peak in Jim Thorpe a few years ago became the setting for Nugent’s 2011 live CD/DVD Ultralive Ballisticrock. Yeah, folks around these parts know that when Uncle Ted’s in town (like he was last night at Penns Peak) – attendance is mandatory!

Nugent’s live show is one part sermon, one part history lesson and one part spiritual revival. It’s a line drawn in the sand where (like most things) Nugent is either admired and solidified for the attitude, or despised for it. But Nugent says let the chips fall where they may. He believes in focusing on quality of life in all of those arenas, because quality of life comes from all of those issues.

Together with his killer band made up of Derek St. Holmes (guitar/vocals); Greg Smith (bass) and Mick Brown (drums), Nugent infused the senses with an arsenal of material at The Peak. Channeling the same blues masters that inspired his own guitar prowess, while continuing to wave the flag for a love of God and country.

In addition to giving the audience a master class in virtuoso musicianship, Nugent thanked the crowd for making his “Spirit of the Wild” the #1 hunting show in the world; took credit for being the most hated man in America by a President; instructed the crowd that the biggest duty of any American is to raise hell and even called upon the spirit of his longtime mentor and blood brother Fred Bear before launching into what Nugent calls the “greatest guitar riff of all time”- “Cat Scratch Fever”. Nugent even gave his fellow hunters and NRA members a dose of “Shut Up & Jam!” – the title track from his new studio album released earlier this month.

Ted Nugent is on the verge of playing his 6,500th live show. To put that into perspective, that would be like playing a concert a night (every night) for almost 18 years. But Nugent himself will tell you that every single one of those shows is the most important show on Earth. It’s why he continues to surround himself with others who are also masters of their craft, and why fans like me are so grateful.

Driving down the long hill that leads from Penns Peak back to the Pennsylvania Turnpike and to my home, I realized that even though the world may be in rough shape, our future is in good hands.

Ted Nugent Set List: (Penns Peak)

Gonzo
Just What The Doctor Ordered
Free For All
Turn It Up
Wang Dang Sweet Poontang
I Can’t Quit You Baby (Otis Rush cover)
Live It Up
Queen Of The Forest
Need You Bad
Shut Up & Jam
Hey Baby
Fred Bear
Cat Scratch Fever
Stranglehold
Great White Buffalo