Who would have ever guessed back in the hairband heyday of the mid-to-late ‘80s that we would still be talking about Poison frontman Bret Michaels in 2012? Though he has been responsible for his share of mindlessly fun party rock (“Unskinny Bop,” “Nothin’ But A Good Time”) and the won’t-die-even-if-you-want-it-to power-ballad “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” nothing about Poison’s clownish antics and over-the-top image suggested longevity of any kind. And when the inevitable winds of change in pop culture blew northwest in favor of Seattle and all the boys that didn’t get laid in high school, the party looked to be over for Bret and company (as well as for the spandex and hairspray industries).   

What no one could have accounted for was Michaels’ resilience. This is a man who not only survived both the fashion and lifestyle excesses of pop metal (including the requisite rock star Ferrari wreck), but also a back-to-back emergency appendectomy and near-fatal brain hemorrhage in 2010. Along with an admirable work ethic and easygoing, likable charm, Bret is definitely favored by the gods of cheeseball pop culture trends, having experienced a career renaissance as a “Celebreality” phenomenon. His stint on VH1’s Rock of Love and NBC’s The Celebrity Apprentice have given Michaels more mainstream exposure (and cash-in opportunities) than even his initial run of MTV fame.

A consistent road warrior, Michaels is currently on tour with both Poison (opening for Def Leppard on a Rock of Ages tie-in) and his solo band (plugging his upcoming solo album “Get Your Rock On” on the summer festival circuit). This past Saturday, Bret brought his solo tour to Chicago Ridgefest at Freedom Park. And from the opening notes of Poison’s “Talk Dirty to Me,” Michaels was in high-energy mode, feeding off the crowd’s enthusiasm and his own love of performing. At 49 years old, Michaels still pulls off the swagger and charisma of his prime while looking more fit and road-ready than performers half his age.

Though the set was short (no doubt truncated to accommodate the festival’s schedule), it was a tight hour of mostly Poison classics, mixed with a few select covers from his upcoming solo disc and the Rock of Love theme song “Go That Far” (which sounded far stronger live). Never the most versatile singer, Bret has nonetheless made the most of his limited range as both a vocalist and songwriter, playing to his strengths (his positive, feel-good energy as a performer) and never over-reaching. And while the colorfulness of C.C. DeVille and company was definitely missed on Saturday night, Bret pulled off every Poison chestnut with aplomb, switching from lead singer mode to 12-string acoustic balladeer and power chord basher with ease. Some of the credit must go to his well-chosen supporting band (standouts being guitarist Pete Evick and drummer Lucky Chucky). From covers of Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and Sublime’s “What I Got” to the inevitable lighters-in-the-air moment “Something To Believe In,” (dedicated to our military personnel), it was a night of crowd-pleasing fun – light on substance, but a great way to cap off a clear summer night in Chicago.