Mount Dora, Fl – The Mount Dora Music Hall pulses with anticipation as the Shock Rock Showdown kicks off at 5 PM on Saturday, September 20th. Nestled in the heart of historic downtown, the venue—officially the Mount Dora Community Building Theater—offers an intimate yet electric setting. This double-header spectacle features two tribute bands that channel the raw energy and flamboyant excess of 1980s rock royalty: THE DIRTT – The Mötley Crüe Experience and Billion Dollar Babie$ – A Tribute to Alice Cooper. The venue, with its 800-seat capacity and intimate layout, proves the perfect setting for a night of sleaze, spectacle, and sonic assault. With its vintage charm, velvet-draped stage, it’s the perfect battleground for the two tribute titans.
The Dirtt storms the stage first, channeling the raw, rebellious energy of Mötley Crüe with uncanny precision. Frontman Steven Green (as Vince Neil) struts in leather and studs, his raspy vocals slicing through the air like a switchblade. Logan Fingerhut on lead guitar (Mick Mars) delivers blistering solos with surgical precision, while Stephen McNeill (Nikki Sixx) thunders on bass, his jet-black hair whipping as he prowls the stage. Behind the kit, Tommy ARE (Tommy Lee) is a spectacle unto himself—twirling sticks, pounding double kicks, and even pulling off a mid-set drumstick toss that I am not sure he found afterwards.
Their setlist is a Crüe fan’s fever dream that includes snippets of a vast majority of the Crüe catalog. The list includes:
“Kickstart My Heart”/“Girls, Girls, Girls”/“Dr. Feelgood”/“Live Wire”/”Shout At the Devil”,”I Love It Loud”/”Wildside”/”Looks That Kill” and so many others.
The crowd—leather-clad, face-painted, and unapologetically loud—erupts with every chorus. Interesting to note is the age demographic of the fans. There must be at least a 50 year age span across the crowd this afternoon. The crowd is a mix of die-hard fans, curious locals, and costumed rockers reliving their youth. Legendary rock photographer Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss is on-site, signing copies of The Decade That Rocked and snapping pics of the bands as well.
If THE DIRTT is a party, Billion Dollar Babie$ is a nightmare carnival. Tate Thibodeaux emerges in full Alice Cooper regalia. As the evening progresses, it includes the top hat, blood-streaked face paint, and a python draped across his shoulders. The band’s performance is part rock show, part horror theater, complete with guillotines, fake blood, and a mock execution that leaves the crowd gasping and cheering. Rik Rawk orchestrates the chaos and drives the rhythm section, while Cory Kreisberg, Alberto Gonzalez and Jae Deryn Moshen deliver gritty riffs that echo Cooper’s darker catalog. Kent “Bam Bam” Blankenship drumming is thunderous, driving the band through a set that’s as theatrical as it is musically tight. And then their is the star of the show, Nurse Shotz (Karen Blankenship), ensuring the band is properly “medicated” throughout the show and keeping the asylum inmates in check.
The Billion Dollar Babie$ setilist includes:
“Black Widow”/”No More Mr. Nice Guy”/”Under My Wheel”/”Feed My Frankenstein”/”Billion Dollar Babies”/”Long Way to Go”/”Muscle of Love”/”Be My Lover”/”Is It My Body”/”Dead Babies”/”Ballad of Dwight Fry”/”Desperado”/”Go To Hell”/”Department Of Youth”/”Elected”/”I’m Eighteen”/”Poison”/”Black Mamba”/”School’s Out”
The one cloud in the silver lining that is 80’s Glam metal, the fact that the sound engineering is abysmal and a complete injustice to the two powerhouses performing at the Shock Rock Showdown. True professionalism is on full display as the bands power through the challenges presented by the sub par sound. Nonetheless, the fans are still fully engaged and loving every minute of both performances.
The Shock Rock Showdown is more than a tribute—it’s a resurrection. Both bands deliver performances that are faithful, ferocious, and fantastically over-the-top. Mount Dora, for one night, becomes the epicenter of theatrical rock madness, and Echoes of South Florida is proud to capture the chaos.
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About the author
Ivan Romero
Ivan Romero, based in South Florida, is a music and photography enthusiast with decades of experience—from managing a record shop to working in radio and DJing during South Beach’s club revival. With a keen eye for capturing emotion and atmosphere, he covers live and corporate events across Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Ivan also volunteers his talent to document school performances in his community.
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