104.9 Triple M Journalist says, 'Slash and the Conspirators are a better live band than NuGNR'.

[BBA]

New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. A Tuesday night in Adelaide. After just three songs, they are neck-and-neck.

This reviewer did not set out to compare the Slash show at Thebarton Theatre last night to Guns N' Roses all-bells-and-whistles outing at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino which rang in my 2012.

That had probably been my personal gig of the year to date, with Axl Rose’s wailing version of AC/DC’s “Riff Raff” a spine-tingling highlight, and this was ... well ... a Tuesday night in Adelaide.

But given the pulsating, compelling, crushing delivery of “Halo”, “Nightrain” and “Ghost”, the comparison had quickly grown unavoidable. Slash’s new album may be a little too modern rock for these ears but this is already a visceral, life-affirming spectacle.

By the time “Standing In The Sun”, “Back From Cali” and “Mr Bownstone” flash by as songs four, five and six respectively, it’s official: Tuesday night in Adelaide is actually BETTER than New Years in Las Vegas.

Myles Kennedy, replete with understated dark buttoned shirt and chain wallet, is as close to perfect as any vocalist you could hope to be. He doesn’t try to imitate Axl or any of the other singers he is “covering” tonight – but makes every single tune (aside from the two sung by vocalist Todd Kerns) his own.

Slash is like a footballer who has become a tennis player. Before, you could only glance at him occasionally – now he is the centre of attention despite uttering barely a word into the microphone all night.

And he stands up to the scrutiny. To say his is a God-like presence as he grimaces, smiles and plays classic riff after classic riff is the suggest you expected anything else – and I didn’t.

Here is what does surprise, delight and entrance:

Slash has decided to stick with a band – The Conspirators – rather than continue down the purely solo path. As I said, the recorded result of this is not quite to this writer’s taste.

But live, the punkish aesthetic of Appetite For Destruction, born out of squalid camaraderie, has been gloriously resurrected. Axl once once said an early 2000s incarnation of GN’R could “play the shit” out of the early songs. Well the Conspirators can play the #!#% out of them – with all the subtlety of a rhinoceros on Viagra.

“Rocket Queen”, “Nightrain”, “Mr Brownstone”, these guitar-driven anthems from 1987 get their most anarchic, authentic renditions from this band. The current GNR, on the other hand, leans heavily in style and feel towards the over-blown but magnificent Use Your Illusion albums – into which Slash did not delve at all last night.

Pauses between songs while pianos and the like are wheeled out – and the number of slower tunes – suck the momentum away from current GN’R. It’s only the Blues Jam and “Godfather Theme” which do that to Slash’s gritty set.

Ultimately, Slash gets out of the DeLorean from scummy 1988 where this was the size of venue Guns were playing. Axl is from still from 1992, when they were in stadia. That’s the difference.

Current GN’R are not cabaret – but compared to Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, they are.

Both bands, morally, could convincingly call themselves “Guns N’Roses”. Both finish with “Paradise City”, shooting confetti into the stalls. But the Conspirators can’t afford to give away a mic every night when their singer throws it as far as he can.

When Velvet Revolver’s “Slither” ends the main set and the same band’s “Fall To Pieces” starts the short encore, something else is glaringly apparent.

The idea of reassembling VR with a new singer to replace Scott Weiland is patently ridiculous. Slash already has the best live rock band on the planet right now.

http://www.triplem.com.au/sydney/music/news/blog/review-photos-slash-rocks-adelaide-and-proves-he-has-best-live-rock-band-on-the-planet/20120829-h2dh.html

[deepfreeze]

Come on BBA, you didn't need to make this thread.

...I mean it's like saying sugar is sweet and that water is wet. It's something everyone already knows.

[LuanVictor]

Another cupcake thread. lol

Well, I already went to shows from Guns N' Roses and from Slash. Guns have a much better show, IMO.

[deepfreeze]

I went to a recent Slash live show, and have tolerated the videos of Guns N' Roses on YT. Slash doesn't play any Chinese Democracy so the shows are much more palatable.

FYI Myles is wayyyy awesome live. Get your tickets.

[bacardimayne]

Much better at this point, though a bit less Apocalyptic Love filler ala One Last Thrill would've been nice.

Edited August 29, 2012 by bacardimayne

[sleeper]

Way to go Slash! And to think he shows up on time and can stand up all the way through the gig! Plus you can wear any kind of t-shirt you want.

[Kapitch_77]

I agree completely. I saw both bands and Slash and the conspirators to me are the best of both band. It's not even close. You see Slash you witness a good solid rock show. You see Axl and.. well.. you witness long pauses between songs, long boring solos and slow songs that just suck.

Edited August 29, 2012 by Kapitch_77

[JayGatz]

I agree completely. I saw both bands and Slash and the conspirators to me are the best of both band. It's not even close. You see Slash you witness a good solid rock show. You see Axl and.. well.. you witness long pauses between songs, long boring solos and slow songs that just suck.

Yep.

Slash has only got better with age...his playing/presence live is just kickass! Axl on the other hand...If we're being honest the guy's vocals range from mediocre to pathetic considering what they once were more than 60% of the time...seriously it's not a good sign when you're the draw that people come to see and you're the weak link of your touring band.. and that's not even mentioning his punctuality.

[LA_0013]

The Slash show I caught in London was pretty off the hook. The GNR show was good and all, but didn't have the same urgency. And the raw sound that Slash gets out his Les Paul can't really be replicated on those old GNR songs, even with 3 guitarists

LA

[Gibbo]

I went to this show and it was killer all 5 mates liked it better then the gnr show in 2010

Edited August 29, 2012 by Gibbo 27

[classicrawker]

Much better at this point, though a bit less Apocalyptic Love filler ala One Last Thrill would've been nice.

Another fan converted to the darkside.............

[bacardimayne]

Much better at this point, though a bit less Apocalyptic Love filler ala One Last Thrill would've been nice.

Another fan converted to the darkside.............

I give props where props are due. Slash's new band is insanely good live, whereas Axl himself is dogshit live, despite his band being pretty good.

I don't even consider this a cupcake thread. Compare any 2012 performance of Rocket Queen by Slash to any by GNR and it's like night and day.

[Naupis]

Myles is killer live vocally, which is why people always leave the Slash shows so impressed. Slash's playing right now is the best it's ever been, and he found a guy that vocally can deliver for him night in and out on a consistent basis. He will never be a showman like Axl, but as far as his live vocals go, 2012 Axl would give his left nut right now to be able to be that consistently good on a nightly basis.

Makes me sad in many ways, because I see Slash's band and Myles particularly and realize if Axl gave half a shit about his craft that is what he could have aged into. Myles is going to be 43 soon (not that much younger than Axl) and he still looks fit, modern and delivers kick ass vocals and isn't sucking wind every 2 songs needing a break. I think that is what many of us thought Axl would have been doing as he aged. Instead we got the plastic surgery, the poor physical fitness, the sucking wind and general apathy toward performing.

Slash is the walking embodiment right now of doing everything right as an aging rocker. He is still releasing music consistently, staying relevant, and putting on solid kick ass live shows that aren't trying to be over the top and recapture their youth. He isn't coming on at midnight because that is what he did when he was young. Like many people, he has matured and with it so has craft.

I am happy for Slash that he has managed to carve out a respectable solo career for himself right now that has him standing on his own 2 feet and not being relegated to a nostalgia act living off his success in the 80's. I can't really think of any other guitarists from that era that have pulled that off, as usually the front man was the one in 80's rock bands people really cared about (probably why GNR were different in the first place).

[Cosmo]

I've seen Slash on his last tour and I'm gonna seem 'em this November but I can say the concert I went to is nowhere near my 2010 GnR concert. Can't deny they're good, but IMO, there is no comparison. No amount of Slash can compensate for Myles's insignificant stage presence. Plus, I hate the fact it's a small show with no pyro, no effects, not even a big screen. 'It's a rock n' roll show, not a circus' fuck it. I like big productions, I like a badass frontman and, while I love Slash's playing, it doesn't compensate these flaws.

[vaida]

I'm still loving Anastasia, such a great track. It really is the best track on the album.

[Free Bird]

I dont care about pyro, effects or big screens, fuck it, its a rock and roll show, not a circus ;-)

In fact I love the rawness of small venues, especially when a great live band performs their show.

2010 I saw GNR. It was awesome, too. But it was a big venue and I was too far away from the stage. I prefer the smaller ones so I go for Slash.

Besides, his guitarplaying was technically never as perfect as it is now.

[Crash Diet]

This is an opinion

But i think Slash & Conspirators a better & tighter live band

But i strongly disagree on the myles vocals part: Myles's voice is a bit annoying and monotone

Axl nowadays is ummm.... well

Both bands are good, but the vocals...

[dalsh327]

At least he's coming from being a GNR fan and basing iit on the performances of the band and not just Slash v. Axl.

The debate really should be VR v Conspirators.

[Tom-Ass]

This is an opinion

But i think Slash & Conspirators a better & tighter live band

But i strongly disagree on the myles vocals part: Myles's voice is a bit annoying and monotone

I would have agreed with you a couple years ago but Myles has came along way. I think it just took him time to get used to singing these songs his own way.

[izzydoezit]

I'm still loving Anastasia, such a great track. It really is the best track on the album.

Yeah, it is such a great song. I wish Axl had released a song on par with Anastasia during the last 20 years. They could have done awesome work together with Slash, but that's the bad thing about huge egos.