Velvet Revolver, Brixton Academy, 25 March 2008

UPDATE: The May (I think) issue of Classic Rock magazine has a great coverage of the moments leading up to the break-up. Ross Halfin was of course privy to all of this and took the last ever group picture of the band. Anyway here's a better clip of Patience and a quite good clip of The Last Fight.

UPDATE: Scott's response... siiigh, wish it didn't have to come to this. But his comments are fair in light of the statement released by the others.

UPDATE: Well it's official, Scott's leaving Velvet Revolver. While I am not surprised, I do feel a bit sad. I just hope it won't be the last time I hear Scott sing The Last Fight - I have already decided that no other band will do that song justice other than the original VR line-up!!

UPDATE: Hahaha I found this on the net and it's quite hilarious. Let's face it, if some fans had their way, we would have wanted GnR and STP to still be together respectively and for VR never to have existed!

ORIGINAL POST:
Setlist: Let It Roll/She Mine/Sucker Train Blues/Do It For The Kids/Just Sixteen/Big Machine/American Man/Vasoline/The Last Fight/Interstate Love Song/Patience/She Builds Quick Machines/Get Out The Door/Fall To Pieces/It's So Easy/Slash Solo/Set Me Free (Encore) Mr Brownstone/Sex Type Thing/Slither

Ok, don't tell my parents, but I sorta planned my trip back home around this Velvet Revolver gig. Yes, I am a terrible daughter who put her selfish desire to see a volatile and completely unapproachable rock band over and above her parents wish for their youngest to come home for a visit asap. Will I burn in hell? Probably. Was the gig worth the 4 or 5 day delay? I hate to say it, but, hells yeah! That doesn't mean I didn't experience some bad karma for my calculative move. There was the whole Scott arrested for DUI debacle, Scott missing a gig due to "transport problems", Scott checking into rehab, the cancellation of the Australian leg of the tour, Scott and Matt's online handbag fight with each other, Scott hinting of a break-up.... so naturally, up until the very second they turned up onstage on Tuesday night, I had severe doubts as to whether or not the gig was going ahead, which didn't help on the guilt front!

The gig was sold out and there was a sea of old Guns N Roses t-shirt wearers and ageing, overweight, long-haired fans (where do they come from??). Sadly, I only spotted one Stone Temple Pilots t-shirt wearer (more on that later). Matt and I were early so I decided to buy t-shirts for me and my cousin Eric (huge VR fan). The American dude who served me at the merchandise stall was talkative and said "Oh my God they have been playing so well these past few nights although there is a bit of tension and fighting but I shouldn't really say anything more, especially after Axl turned up at one of their shows in the US blah blah blah". I replied "Well I don't really care if they split up because Stone Temple Pilots are reforming and I prefer them to Velvet", much to Merchandise Boy's horror.

Anyway, VR were supposed to come onstage at 9.15pm but came on at 9.30pm instead (heck, this was impressive, especially compared to Axl Rose's record). I have to admire their professionalism, despite all the recent internal conflict and struggle, they pulled it together. The first half of the show (up until just before The Last Fight) came across as going through the motions, although Scott seemed to be giving it his all. Clearly keen to try and dispel rumours of a split, Scott announced about 3 or 4 songs in "We are STILL Velvet Revolver and we STILL play rock and roll". Ok, whatever, let's see if the 3rd album surfaces before I believe that!


I have to say though, VR songs sound bloody awesome live. Contraband I found somewhat mediocre (apart from Slither) and I much prefer Libertad, but I guess they were always going to be heavily scrutinized seeing as they formed from the ashes of 2 of the greatest rock bands (IMHO) of the 80s and 90s.

The atmosphere started changing from The Last Fight onwards. The Last Fight is by far, their best song, it's a shame most people fail to realise this! Then came Interstate Love Song, which saw me and probably only 2 other STP fans go mental! Then, the turning point... Patience. Bloody hell was there a complete eruption! Hallelujah for rock ballads eh, especially GnR power ballads! Even I have to admit that a wave of nostalgia engulfed me at that point and I swayed along and ironically, I was never the biggest GnR fan. The crowd's reaction to Patience confirmed my suspicions that a lot of VR fans are made up of hardcore GnR fans who clearly miss the good ol' days because, at the end of the night, it was the 3 GnR songs (Patience, It's So Easy and Mr Brownstone) that were the clear favourites and got the loudest reactions. From Patience onwards, VR cranked it up to 11 and gave it their all. The highlights for me where The Last Fight (beautiful), Patience (for reasons stated above), She Builds Quick Machines (2nd best song on Libertad and amazing live), Fall to Pieces (I was surprised, I never liked it on the album but damn it sounded great live), Slash's solo (as Dewey Finn would say, it was a face-melting solo. Legend!)...



....the 3 encores and finally seeing Scott Weiland slither (haha geddit??) about onstage doing his thing... Scott Weiland is a fucking enigmatic frontman and he makes me want to go back to lusting after bad boys!! He looks and behaves exactly how a rock star should (although this whole substance abuse thing is getting kinda old).



By the end of the night, VR blew my socks away. VR are LOUD live and my ears have not stopped ringing. I was disappointed that they didn't really add any surprises to the setlist (it's remained more or less the same for the past couple of shows) and I did initially wish that they would play other STP songs (e.g. Plush and Big Empty) but it was probably best that they didn't as it would have been wasted on the mostly GnR fanbase, so I'll just wait for the reunited STP to come to London. By the way, what is wrong with you Brits? Are you guys not aware of the greatness that was/is Stone Temple Pilots? Bah humbug. It's also a shame that there's not really much love between the band and Scott so we probably have another Audioslave situation (but don't expect Axl to reform with the rest of 'em).

It's also worth mentioning that they delivered on Slither. Fantastic climax.

Despite what I said to the merchandise bloke, it would be a shame if VR did split up because they do put on a great live rock show (when they pull themselves together that is). Only time will tell.


Oh, and there was this annoying, ugly, fat, long haired bitch near us most of the night. I have nothing against fat people but she was a nasty piece of work. She was obnoxious and rude to everyone around her and determined to take anyone who stood in her way down. During the concert she kept "headbanging" and her long fucking, dirty, coarse hair kept hitting me and Matt in the face and it was like being hit with a broom. Stupid cow. By the end of the night, even her friends had become sick of her as she seemed to have been deserted by them.

Clips of Slash's face-melting solo and Patience. Enjoy and rock on and all that.