Velvet Revolver / Zico Chain

Both these bands appeared at the Download Festival this weekend, meaning they are in the UK for some shows. Tonight’s gig sold out way in advance, and the venue is a strange one, as the last time Velvet Revolver played here was at the substantially larger MEN Arena, so the switch to a smaller venue now that they are more well know must be down to timing.

Zico Chain have the vocals stylings of one Kurt Cobain (if he sang heavy metal). Much of the crowd are here early, and the floor and seated areas are full up. They’re catchy Motorhead sound is evident in songs such as ‘Where Would You Rather Be?’ and ‘Rohyphol’, and their lyrics about paedophiles and such means that they are not just another band singing about girls in an emo/rock/nu-metal way.



The real stars here are Velvet Revolver. An impatient crowd are getting a bit agitated as the supergroup are twenty-five minutes late on stage. However as soon as they do show up, especially Slash in that unmistakable hat, the place goes ballistic. Scott Weiland is looking better than he has at recent shows, sporting cropped dark hair when not wearing his captain’s hat. His slithering moves onstage fit around Slash’s expert guitar solos, and is backed up by a fit-for-his-age Duff McKagan on bass.



Fellow ex- Gun n Roses member Matt Sorum keeps the rhythm section in check. The only member I feel sorry for is Wasted Youth’s Dave Kushner, as who can stand on stage second to the mighty Slash? Weiland’s addition of the megaphone on many of the songs just boosts up the crowd even more, with the spotlight moving mainly from Weiland to Slash and McKagan. A lot of songs are played from ‘Contraband’, namely ‘Fall to Pieces’, as well new songs from upcoming album ‘Libertad’ (‘She Builds Quick Machines’, ‘Get Out The Door’ and ‘The Last Fight’).


I am a little disappointed there are no Stone Temple Pilots songs played, as I am more a fan of these than Guns n Roses. Now that they have two VR albums they have their own back catalogue to play, rather than play the hits from their previous bands many of us would like to hear. Still, the show is one that rock music was made for; top quality musicians, unique stage personalities coming together and making this huge sound.


For the encore we get covers of Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ (it always reminds me of Phil Collin’s ‘I Wish It Would Rain Down’; I’m sure he borrowed some of the Floyd’s stuff for that one) and Talking Head’s ‘Psycho Killer’. We do get a second encore of ‘Slither’, appropriate for Weiland’s dance moves. The show runs twenty-five minutes over curfew, so we do not lose out at all. With the demise of the other supergroup about at this time (Audioslave) it’s up to these Hollywood rockers to carry the crown until another contender comes along. Personally I think they will hold onto it with shows like these.

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.