| Velvet Revolver written By Lynn |
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VENUES:
8/20/07
Tweeter Center at
the Camden
Waterfront, Camden,
NJ
8/24/07
Toyota Pavillion at
Montage Mountain,
Scranton, PA
8/20/07
Tweeter Center at
the Camden
Waterfront, Camden,
NJ
8/24/07
Toyota Pavillion at
Montage Mountain,
Scranton, PA
| It's definitely been a great summer for CD releases, and along with those releases, it's been an equally great summer for concerts big enough and loud enough to blow your socks off. Between the new bands and the old bands, the reunions and the festivals, 2007 has turned out to be a concert season like no other, and the shows are still happening. Although they're not technically either a 'reunion' band or new music, in a way, Velvet Revolver sort of brings us the best of both of those worlds, and you can't get any better than that, can you? With the July 3rd release of the band's second and highly- awaited CD, Libertad, Scott Weiland, Slash, Duff, Dave Kushner and Matt Sorum have been back on the road and bringing their special brand of rock and roll to major arenas across the US with their Re-Evolution Tour, proving to us once more that the good don't always die young (or middle aged?), and that they have the staying power to continue to release great new music while not resting on any old laurels, no matter how great those laurels might be. This is still a new band and they're still playing good, strong stuff, with promise of an illustrious future, even if they do like to toss their audiences a few "classic" treats for good behavior. Supported by the infamous Alice in Chains, who welcome their newest member lead singer William DeVall, and for the first leg of the tour Chicago's hardest-working band ever, Kill Hannah, I got a chance to see the show, both in Philadelphia/Camden, at the Tweeter Center at the Waterfront, and then a few days later in Scranton, at the Toyota Pavillion at Montage Mountain. I personally have no complaints over either performance at either venue, but I have to say, I'm really disappointed in my fellow Philadelphians, who were a little less than exuberant that night. Apparently they were saving their energy for Linkin Park later in the week and decided not to overly stress themselves, which had me leaving that show a little annoyed for the bands themselves, who put on a great show and in my opinion didn't get half of what they deserved in response for it. The performances played by all three bands definitely demanded a much heartier response than what they got as Alice in Chains brought out the old, and Velvet Revolver gave us the new, but I guess sometimes that's just the way it goes Also, for being Kill Hannah's first arena tour supporting another band, a spot they earned apparently by Scott Weiland's knowledge of the band and requesting them specifically, their welcome was lackluster, a complete letdown compared to six weeks prior, when Kill Hannah headlined the Brotherly Shove-Fest at the Trocadero. But as many of you who have read my reviews before already know, I know that band, and they are one of my absolute favorites, and they have a lot more to give than what the Philadelphia crowd took away with them. I've also seen Velvet Revolver perform this show once prior to this performance, back in May, and to a much more receptive audience, so let's just say that in my opinion, The set continued on to include Sucker Train Blues, Do It For The Kids, Superhuman, Big Machine, Pills, Demons & Etc., Stone Temple Pilot's Vaseline, The Last Fight, and STP's Interstate Love Song. Then slowing things down a little, the lighters and cell phones came out for a beautifully-done acoustic version of Guns-n-Roses' Patience before returning to some more songs from Libertad including Gravedancer and Just Sixteen, and a rocking rendition of the GnR hit It's So Easy. As if that weren't already a spectacular set, the band continued on with Get Out The Door, also off the new release, and favorite Fall To Pieces, off the previous VR release, Contraband. Libertad's first single, She Builds Quick Machines was next, followed by Set Me Free. An amazing encore followed, putting a perfect ending on a perfect evening as Velvet Revolver performed GnR's Mr. Brownstone, Stone Temple Pilot's Sex Type Thing, Wish You Were Here,by the infamous Pink Floyd, and finally, their own Slither. After already hitting the east coast, Velvet Revolver's Re-Evolution tour is on a short hiatus through September 7th, at which point the tour picks up once more in Vancouver, BC, then starts working its way along the pacific coast. The tour will then start its way further east and south. Thus-far published dates end at the end of October, back in Canada once more, and with a final show date on 10/26, back home in Irvine, CA. For continued tour information, or to buy the band's CD Libertad, go to their extensive official web page,or visit their Myspace. You can also find links to the band member's personal myspace pages and webpages there too, for the real die-hard fans that want to stay informed of everything going on with our favorite rock and roll gunslingers.Thanks goes out to Kristine Ashton and Chelsi Schriver, who made this review and my photos possible, and who so nicely accommodated me despite equipment failure, allowing me to get these awesome pics. |
Philadelphia did not live up to it's history of being a real rock-and-roll
crowd, which I'm sure was a little bit disappointing for all of the
bands involved, as I hear the response to the tour has been amazing,
otherwise. Philadelphia, you dropped the ball! Hey, I tell it like it is,
so instead of getting annoyed at me, wake up!
It was a completely different story in Scranton however, as
unexpected as that was. Maybe it was because of the great weather
that night, or maybe it was because the open-air pavilion is more
conducive to a great rock and roll show, but from Kill Hannah's first
song through Velvet Revolver's last, the place was alive and kicking,
with noise that could probably be heard for miles around. A much
better show and a much better audience, which, if you know
anything about live bands, generally means an even better
performance. The response to Kill Hannah and Alice in Chains was
superb, and by the time Velvet Revolver took the stage, the place
was screaming. The band took the stage proudly, as they well
should, and proceeded to rock the Toyota Pavilion for a solid two
hours. There was Slash, with his trademark top hat and his cigarette
dangling from his lips (I never actually see him getting a new one - is
it the same cigarette the entire time?), Scott, with his slinky moves,
policeman's hat and his megaphone, and Duff, Dave and Matt ably
backing them for a good old rock-n-roll time.
After a dramatic opening with Slash playing, silhouetted behind a
black curtain that was eventually dropped to reveal the band, Velvet
Revolver opened with the first two tracks off the new CD, Let it
Roll, and She Mine, immediately setting a fast, hard-hitting pace and
getting the audience worked up and on their feet.
crowd, which I'm sure was a little bit disappointing for all of the
bands involved, as I hear the response to the tour has been amazing,
otherwise. Philadelphia, you dropped the ball! Hey, I tell it like it is,
so instead of getting annoyed at me, wake up!
It was a completely different story in Scranton however, as
unexpected as that was. Maybe it was because of the great weather
that night, or maybe it was because the open-air pavilion is more
conducive to a great rock and roll show, but from Kill Hannah's first
song through Velvet Revolver's last, the place was alive and kicking,
with noise that could probably be heard for miles around. A much
better show and a much better audience, which, if you know
anything about live bands, generally means an even better
performance. The response to Kill Hannah and Alice in Chains was
superb, and by the time Velvet Revolver took the stage, the place
was screaming. The band took the stage proudly, as they well
should, and proceeded to rock the Toyota Pavilion for a solid two
hours. There was Slash, with his trademark top hat and his cigarette
dangling from his lips (I never actually see him getting a new one - is
it the same cigarette the entire time?), Scott, with his slinky moves,
policeman's hat and his megaphone, and Duff, Dave and Matt ably
backing them for a good old rock-n-roll time.
After a dramatic opening with Slash playing, silhouetted behind a
black curtain that was eventually dropped to reveal the band, Velvet
Revolver opened with the first two tracks off the new CD, Let it
Roll, and She Mine, immediately setting a fast, hard-hitting pace and
getting the audience worked up and on their feet.
