Motley Crue blasts from the past, still satisfies at BJCC Arena

Motley Crue, Sunday night at the BJCC Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. With Hinder, The Last Vegas and Theory of a Deadman. Review rating: Three out of five stars.

SPECIALOK, so they've aged a few years since this photo was taken. But Motley Crue has stuck around, adapted and survived.

Motley Crue is a blunt instrument -- the musical equivalent of a sledgehammer, battering ram or blowtorch. The tools in its arsenal aren't subtle, but they are effective, especially if listeners have a fondness for hard-rock bands that came to prominence in the 1980s.

The Crue performed exactly as expected on Sunday night in Birmingham, headlining a multi-act show at the BJCC Arena. The four-man group steamrolled through some hits and some new songs, surrounded by blazing lights, showers of fireworks, fountains of flames and sexy-babe videos.

Forget the Oscars; fans came out in force to hear singer Vince Neil, drummer Tommy Lee, bassist Nikki Sixx and guitarist Mick Mars. Can't accuse the foursome of phoning it in, either -- each musician worked hard throughout the 9:20 p.m. set, and the crowd responded with roaring enthusiasm.

Great art? Nah. But there's definitely an audience for heavy rock, metal and hair-glam in Birmingham. Motley Crue, touring with all four original members, fit the bill with gusto.

The band's primary set, about 90 minutes' worth, included "Saints of Los Angeles" and "White Trash Circus," both pulled from the Crue's latest disc. (Even Neil admitted that the latter song, with its rip 'em up, party-hearty lyrics, makes the group seem heavy on testosterone and low on brainpower.)

But did anyone present expect a thoughtful analysis of life or, heaven forbid, a Ph.D dissertation? Tapping into primal emotions -- and spurring massive energy release -- always has been this band's stock in trade. Motley didn't stint on that score with "Shout at the Devil," "Same Old Situation, "Girls, Girls, Girls," "Primal Scream," "Kickstart My Heart," "Looks That Kill" and a cover of "Jailhouse Rock."

Shouted expletives are a given when Motley performs; some of the songs and much of the onstage patter was peppered with them. (Parents who brought children to the concert must have known they'd be dodging F-bombs.)

Despite the fresh material, Motley's show had a ritualistic quality that obviously was very satisfying for devotees. Neil, Lee, Mars and Sixx have been mining this vein since 1981, after all -- let's not get into the fights and splits of the 1990s -- so they should have the attitude, riffs and showmanship down pat.

The trick, of course, is balancing mature energy with macho nostalgia, evoking the past without showing resignation or betraying boredom. On this tour, an older and wiser Motley Crue appears to be walking that tightrope with vigor.