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PUT-IN-BAY – With the warm summer night’s sky dimming as the sunset over South Bass Island on Thursday, seven giant letters in all caps suddenly lit the stage — “KID ROCK.”

A spacey-themed countdown started to boom from the countless speakers echoing across hundreds of feet of runway.

“Been around the world and back. Good to be coming home, control,” a voice said.

“We’re coming in hot… 5…

“Easy on the joystick… 4…

“Steady… 3…

“OK, close… 2…

“Pulling up… 1…”

The sounds of atmospheric friction scratched before sirens blared and the voice concluded:

“Ohio, the Eagle has landed… the Eagle has landed.”

Suddenly the strum of guitar took over and as the music began to play with the bass rumbling loud enough for fans to feel it in their chests, as tens of thousands roared and the man himself took the stage.

The Michigan-native superstar Kid Rock opened his set for the third annual Bash on the Bay at the Put-in-Bay Airport on Thursday night with a tune everyone knew, “All Summer Long,” a smash hit around the world just over a decade ago.

While the 48-year-old musician himself mentioned on stage that he is not 27 anymore, the energy he brought to what was the largest-ever audience in the brief but notable history of the “Bash” would not have given any indication of that.  

Upwards of more than 20,000 people were estimated to have visited South Bass Island on Thursday, according to officials. The first two Bash on the Bay events featured Toby Keith in 2017 and Rascal Flatts in 2018.

“It’s nice to be down here,” said Kid Rock, who is originally from Romeo, Michigan, just north of Detroit, and still lives in the state today.

Kid Rock said he has been having a great summer at his home in northern Michigan, “chilling” on the lake. However, he added that it can get kind of boring up there.

But on Thursday night, Kid Rock and his backing band Twisted Brown Trucker made it anything but boring at Put-in-Bay, which he even slipped into the lyrics during his live performance of “All Summer Long.”

The scene was a far cry from Kid Rock’s humble beginnings as a young artist emerging from the Detroit music scene around 30 years ago.

One fan in attendance on Thursday remembered a time seeing Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, perform live back then in front just dozens rather than tens of thousands.

That fan is Jon Stainbrook, who remembers first meeting Kid Rock when he was still a teenager playing in the basement of Club Bijou in Toledo.

Stainbrook said, even then, Kid Rock knew he was going to be a huge star one day and told people that as he handed out cassette tapes of his music at the time.

To have followed Richie’s career and watch him grow from those early days into a multi-platinum global rock star is an experience unlike anything else, Stainbrook said.

Back when Stainbrook was attending Richie’s early shows in Toledo, Kid Rock was bringing a fusion of rap, hip hop and rock and roll.

Stainbrook said it was interesting to watch Kid Rock later then delve into the country genre, and rather than losing fans, expand his loyal fanbase significantly — evidenced by the sea of red, white and blue on those who trekked across Lake Erie to make it the biggest “Bash” yet.

“It’s magical,” Stainbrook said of his own experience Thursday. “It’s the end of summer, it’s Kid Rock and you’re at Put-in-Bay. It doesn’t get any better than that. It’s a memory that will last forever.” 

jstinchcom@gannett.com

419-680-4897

Twitter: @JonDBN

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