Visually, the Stone Temple Pilots/Guns 'N Roses hybrid Velvet Revolver has it all. A charismatic frontman who could suck in even the most lukewarm fan. A preening, poodle-haired guitarist considered legendary--somewhat prematurely. And a muscular rhythm section that celebrates all things rock 'n' roll.
But Velvet Revolver's sound during its show Saturday at Phoenix's Veterans Coliseum resembled a sonic pit. Instruments bled into one another and lead singer Scott Weiland's vocals were so distorted that they would have made a Pantera concert sound like an acoustically perfect classical performance. If it wasn't for Weiland's introductions or Slash's ax solos, it would be difficult to differentiate one song from another.
The crowd of nearly 10,000 did not seem to mind, however. (The show was part of the Arizona State Fair, and a good chunk of tickets were free with paid admission to the fair.) The 90-minute show was a workout to some fans. They saw Velvet Revolver's performance as celebratory--banging their heads, punching fists in the air, and, in some cases, nearly falling off a balcony.
Weiland and Slash took a nod from the Godsmack school of stage banter and ripped the crowd--adamantly yet facetiously--for not participating.
"You motherf-----s must be asleep. Look fans, up here," Weiland said. "You motherf-----s came here to have a good time.
Despite the poor sound--which plagued the band's performance earlier this summer at Phoenix's Celebrity Theatre, too--there's no question that these are some of the best players in the business. Matt Sorum's fluid drumming style made his double-charged rhythms seem effortless.
Weiland--decked out in a policeman's hat, leather jacket, leather pants and thick eye make-up--pranced around during songs, copping full use of the big stage.
Slash is an enigma in his own right. Even though Velvet Revolver has sold a million copies of its debut, "Contraband," it wasn't the whole of Velvet Revolver that seemed the main attraction for this crowd. The main attraction was Slash. The audience would applaud and scream for the flamboyant Weiland, but Slash's riffs drew an uproarious response. Long-haired fans would twirl their manes to the beat as they played air guitar. Other men in the audience would give the "we're not worthy" salute.
At one point, Weiland invited the crowd to create an "intimate" setting for Guns 'N Roses' rollicking "Used to Love Her." He encouraged fans to calmly walk toward the stage.
"Make sure it's peaceful. Nobody bum rush the stage or anything. When I say, 'Stop,' stop."
Obviously very few people listened until Weiland threatened to leave the stage.
When the band wrapped up "Used to Love Her," Weiland pushed for "peace, love and understanding." He said to take in the "celebration and take care of one another, all right?"
There were a few highlights during the show, after sporadic sound improvements. The driving "Big Machine" garnered a sing-along while Stone Temple Pilots' 1992 hit "Sex Type Thing" united older audience members.
After "Sex Type Thing," Weiland posed victoriously--but this show was a draw at best.
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