Detroit Review

[billsguy]

Well, drove in from Cleveland for the show.  Spent the afternoon at Greektown Casino, won a few bucks.   My buddy won 200 on the Roullette wheel, his first time gambling.  Ate at Johnny Rockets at 5:30, got in line around 6:30 (doors to open then but they didn't until around 7).  Line was about 1/4 of a mile down woodward, so that was cool.

The venue rocked, except security, who gave a full pat down.  Its possible, but I doubt the show was recorded.  The State theater was amazing inside, such an old setting.  

Got in and stood against the rail on the left, right behind the small floor.  Great view, just above the floor crowd.  Only about 25 feet from the stage.  

Silvertide came on around 7:45, and had some issues.  First, the sound guy must be new or something b/c all I could hear was bass and drums.  The singers voice was non existant.  Second, the lead guitarist acts as though he's either from Poison, or as though he's playing in front of a stadium crowd.  The singer was good, but the rhythm guitarist just stood there.   Also, no need for a drum and guitar solo in a thirty minute set.  I have a feeling these guys don't have much material.

VR came on about 8:45, and played until 10:15 or so.  Too much drum and bass, and Scott got pissed.  He had them up his volume so you could hear him, but I swear Kushner wasn't even plugged in.   Its too bad, b/c I really liked the rhythm and lead parts of a few songs, like big machine, but I could barely hear them.  Can't wait for the record.  Typical setlist, no changes.  Duff said a few special words since a bunch of his family was there.  Scott got pissed b/c his megaphone broke twice, and the second time he tossed it hard on the stage.  Slash was all over the place.  He threw his cigarette into the crowd, and everyone jumped after it like it was his guitar.  He jumped on a speaker at the beginning and did a double peace sign and started dancing.  He was off the hook.  Duff is ripped as hell.  Amazing.  Matt was a machine, but looks like he is doing le mans.   Like I said, Dave was hiding behind the speakers on the left most of the night, and his volume was wayyy too low.  Scott was good, but he didn't really seem into the GNR tunes the same way the rest of the band was into the STP.  I can't believe he sings Mr. Brownstone, a song about getting loaded, since he's a recovering drug addict.  It actually sounded like he said Mr. Brownnose.  Slash and Scott both got on the 6ft speakers and rocked out a few times.  Not much else to say.... a lot of people came out from a side door by me right before they went on with signed posters... I grabbed a poster from the wall with contraband and the release date.  Didn't stick around for them to come out, but the show rocked.  Fall to pieces was great, it will definitely catch on.  Slither and Set me Free were very professional.  Big Machine and a few others sounded good, but without much rhythm guitar, it was hard to tell.  Thats it.

Mike

[WalrusOct9]

Nice review.  

Just some additional thoughts...

There's another thread on this board that's like "After Minneapolis, Axl has nothing to worry about."  I don't like the idea of both bands competing, but knowing how Axl is, I'm sure he's paying attention to what's going on with VR.  And after last night's show, I have to admit...Axl should be shitting his pants.  

The new songs (SMF and Slither excepted) are not as immediate and radio-friendly as Gn'R stuff like "Jungle" or "PC."  It sounds exactly like what the Slash/Duff/Matt combo should sound like, yet it's a bit different from Guns, a little darker, dirtier, and more riff based.  I think Axl secretly was always the pop whore of Guns, making sure that along side "Double Talkin' Jive" or "My Michelle" there was always something melodically pleasant like "Yesterdays" or "Sweet Child," so strip that aspect away and you've got something primal, raw, and fucking intense.  Velvet Revolver proved they were still capable of that kind of melodic writing, with "Falling To Pieces" and the chorus of "Slither," but they're a more edgy, rough band than Guns was. (that opinion is only based on the live boots I have of Gn'R, I wasn't even 12 when the Illusions tour ended in Argentina, so go easy on me for that statement  )

But there was just something really special about seeing Slash, Matt, and Duff together onstage again, irrelevant of who was singing (no offense to Scott, who did an amazing job).  Everything about it just felt right, even though it was mostly new songs and it was technically a new band.  You never would've guessed that it was their 6th or 7th gig together, it felt like they had been doing it for years.  

I stuck around for about two hours after the show, waiting patiently with maybe 30-40 other people...Duff came out first, and was really cool about signing everybody's shit and taking pictures and stuff.  He seemed like he wasn't taking any of this for granted, he came over to us and was like "seriously, thank you guys for coming out to the show."  Scott came out awhile later and didn't really say much, but he signed some stuff and took a few pictures.  I don't want to say too much about his condition, but he looked a bit weak, I don't know if it was because he was tired, or because he's still trying to get over a lot of shit, but he was still cool, although you could tell he kinda just wanted to get back in the bus and sleep.  I give him points though for still signing stuff and coming out...Matt finally came out around midnight, about 1:45 after the show ended, apparently he was doing an interview on the bus or something.  Only the real diehards were left by then, maybe 20 or so, but he was really cool, he signed everyone's shit and made sure he talked to everyone who had anything to say to him.  One girl asked him for a drumstick (since his drum tech had followed him over to the barricade) and so he signed three drumsticks and gave me one of them, which was fucking cool as hell. (now the question is, how do I get some kind of display box for, um...a drumstick?).  

Slash was the only one we missed, he stayed in the theater until the last minute...there had been lightning in the sky for awhile but the rain held off until about 12:30, and since I had two signed CD booklets (got Duff & Matt for 'live era' and Scott to sign 'Purple') and Matt's drumstick I didn't want to risk that shit getting wet, so I split, i'm guessing Slash just went right onto the bus since the rain came pretty quick.  Hopefully I'll get him next time...

All in all, awesome night...the crowd was really into it, you could tell they had been waiting for this for years.  I hadn't seen a good, loud crowd in Detroit in many years, so we way overdue.  Axl has a lot to be worried about...even if his studio album ever is released, and is like the second coming of Sgt. Pepper, he's going to have a hard time putting anything half as amazing onstage.  

[Mr Cowbell ?]

Some quick thoughts.

1- Did anyone else see the lesibean in overalls without a shirt or bra on. Its nice to see a a clear rack.

2- I was 5 feet from the stage. It was pretty cool to see this guys eyes roll back in his head and a second later see him hit the ground hard and not get up. Drunk Bastard.

Scott's vocals were incredible. Very clean. It looked like all the guys were up on stage have fun too. They were all smiling. The whole house was rocking during the Guns' Covers, it was an incredible energy during Mr Brownstone.

They all seemed to be n'sync. Except for Scott changing up the lyrics on Brownstone a little.  For only their 7 show together they played like great.  Scott is a great frontman and entertains the crowd. Nothing beats seeing slash blast away on guitar about 4-5 feet away from you. Rock on boyz.

[Booker Floyd]

Thanks to Boomy for posting this at Velvetrevolverforum.com...
Review from Billboard.com...

Velvet Revolver / May 20, 2004 / Detroit (State Theatre)



Velvet Revolver may introduce itself as "the band that put the punk back into punctuality," but the group of Guns N' Roses and Stone Temple Pilots alumni was 15 minutes late coming onstage in Detroit last night (May 20). No matter; any additional anticipation was rewarded with a powerful 80-minute set that spoke more of the members' ample experience than of a new band trying to establish itself.

Of course, "new" is a relative term for this crew that includes ex-STP frontman Scott Weiland and GNR refugees Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. Even second guitarist Dave Kushner has veteran credentials, including Infectious Grooves, Suicidal Tendencies and Wasted Youth. These aren't rookies, in other words.

But they had plenty of fresh material to play; eight of the show's 14 songs were drawn from Velvet Revolver's forthcoming RCA debut, "Contraband," which hits stores June 8. But given that only two of those tunes -- "Set Me Free," which first appeared on last summer's "The Hulk" soundtrack, and the first single "Slither" -- have legitimate recognition, the quintet had the temerity to dip unapologetically into its members' pasts.

"Crackerman" and a particularly urgent "Sex Type Thing" were drawn from the STP canon. The State Theatre crowd was also clearly thrilled to hear GNR's "It's So Easy" and "Used To Love Her" (with Weiland, McKagan and Sorum singing unison vocals) as well as a blazing rendition of "Mr. Brownstone" that Weiland -- no stranger himself to the drug issues the song references -- deftly made his own.

A show-closing version of Nirvana's "Negative Creep," meanwhile, was a nice nod toward the common musical ground between the five musicians. That territory, however, was really highlighted by the "Contraband" songs, ranging from blasts like "Suckertrain," "Do It for the Kids" and "Big Easy" to the power balladry of "Fall to Pieces." They sounded like middle-ground indeed -- not STP, not GNR, but a seamless amalgam of the two intertwined with other influences.

Velvet Revolver delivered each one as if it had been performing them for years, with only a somewhat muddy sound mix sullying arrangements as taut as Weiland's torso and as dynamic as his engaged, prowling stage presence.

The fit between the band members was more comfortable than is often seen with these kind of "supergroup" collaborations. It certainly helps that the three GNR alums have their tightly shared past (and are a formidable rhythm section on their own). But it's also clear that there's an aesthetic affinity with Weiland and Kushner that gives Velvet Revolver additional strength and cohesion -- a hopeful sign that this group could stick and maybe even lace out another record (or more) before we ever see one from the actual GNR.

Here's Velvet Revolver's set list:

"Suckertrain"
"Do It for the Kids"
"Headspace"
"Crackerman"
"Illegal"
"It's So Easy"
"Fall To Pieces"
"Big Machine"
"Set Me Free"

Encore 1:
"Used To Love Her"
"Slither"
"Sex Type Thing"

Encore 2"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Negative Creep"


-- Gary Graff, Detroit

[billsguy]

Um, yes, I did see the girl in the overalls, that was nice.  I thought she was gonna get up on someones shoulders and flash the crowd, but she didn't.  Still, nice outfit.

Mike

[MR.BROWNSTONE]

Thanks for the reviews. Sounds like the tour has been great show far.    

[Rebecca Duff Rose]

OMG!  
You guys are sooooooooo lucky!  
Meeting Duff- going to the VR concert!  
Oh wow!  
I realllllllllllllly hope they come to England!  
We need you!  
They are all cooooooool!  
The setlists rock!  

Brilliant reviews guys!    
I'm soooooooo jealous!  

[Pviljoen]

Rebecca I nerely got a ceizure from looking at your post...

 

[Rebecca Duff Rose]

Rebecca I nerely got a ceizure from looking at your post...

 

 

As long as it don't affect MY Duff when he reads my beloved posts!!!!!!