Velvet Revolver / The Datsuns
21 January 2005
Brixton Academy
It was great to finally start gigging in 2005, though unsurprisingly on a night when the guest list was reportedly so full, people were being kicked off, we were unable to obtain a photopass. Johan therefore got to just enjoy the gig and all the photos attached to this review were taken on my small digital.
First up The Datsuns who I believe have fallen foul of the general rock crowd and been mistaken for being indie. Their arrival on the scene coincided with an influx of indie rock bands called "The", such as The Hives, The Strokes, The White Stripes. Also their most recognisable song to date, Harmonic Generator, is hardly representative of their rocking sound and was a hit on alternative radio. When it`s aired tonight the audience goes flat as if in a collective thought of "you`re an indie band aren`t you."
As it turned out, aside from that and the usual Brixton opening band sound problems, which got better as things progressed, The Datsuns delivered a pretty good set. Lead singer and bassist Dolf de Borst has very little to say, if anything, between songs and the band just fire through their allotted time. MF From Hell gets the best response and an extended jam during closer Fink For The Man had me thinking they`d do better in a more intimate venue. The Datsuns should really be filed in the same genre as another "The" band, The Hellacopters.
The Datsuns set list:
Blacken My Thumb / Sittin` Pretty / Messin` Around / Girls Best Friend / MF From Hell / Harmonic Generator / Fink For The Man
"Who saved rock`n`roll?", Scott Weiland asks us, before telling us, "Not us, you did." Well not everyone here Scott I`m afraid as there were some real idiots in attendance tonight, who obviously don`t get out much, let alone attend gigs. One fool next to me decided it would be funny to shout "rubbish" repeatedly between every song despite the fact that he was obviously enjoying the gig. Weirdo!
Anyway, after a very long wait for Velvet Revolver and a few more showings of the trailer for Team America on the giant screens, which are more geared to an arena, but gave us fantastic close up views, eventually the lights went down. Usually the next thing you see is a drummer sneaking behind a kit, but not Matt Sorum, he`s milking the crowd and geeing them on. Then the familiar silhouette of Duff McKagan appeared, stood on a raised platform stage front and the band launched in to Sucker Train Blues.
Scott Weiland was slithering round all over the stage in a very amusing and, frankly, camp fashion, though looking every inch a rock star. In fact confronted with a bunch of bona fide celebrity rock stars, with the circus around Guns N`Roses in particular, it`s easy to forget that these guys can actually play. In particular they play well as a unit and it`s obvious they were enjoying themselves and had had been justified in taking such a long time to secure their correct frontman in Scott Weiland.
Obviously with one album as a band, they were going to play a lot from it and it fact everything other than Spectacle and Loving The Alien. Illegal I gives Duff chance to take the spot light for an extended bass/drum intro. Quitting the drink & drugs and taking up kickboxing has left him looking very healthy, I thought to myself whilst having another sip on my beer. Slash also got an extended solo in this song, with some very effective rolling red clouds super imposed behind him on the giant screens.
On the way in tonight we were given lighters with a frankly rip off mobile phone ring tone scam on them. Whether the band knew about this I don`t know, but when Fall To Pieces commenced the crowd was a sea of little flames.
The band were hitting a run of strong material now with Big Machine warming them up before Guns N`Roses` It`s So Easy sent them nuts. Weiland could double for Axl during the GNR songs with the same swaying swagger. Not to be overlooked we got two Stone Temple Pilots songs in Crackerman and the particularly energetic Sex Type Thing, with Weiland careering around the stage singing through a megaphone.
The band returned for an acoustic interlude of Used To Love Her and the excellent You Got No Right. Mr Brownstone caused mayhem before Slither seemingly wrapped things up.
Due to the idiot shouting next to me I couldn`t hear what Weiland was saying, though Johan thought he`d said their were a couple of Sex Pistols in the audience and hence a riotous version of Bodies ensued.
Both Duff and Slash had mentioned during the set how they wanted to play Brixton and with that achieved perhaps they`ll be visiting the bigger venues in future. Given they`d also sold out four nights at Hammersmith on this tour that would seem to be the case. Whilst Axl tinkers with his album and Guns N`Roses line-up, Velvet Revolver have justifiably built a large following by concentrating on the type of energy that made Guns N`Roses huge in the first place. It`s going to be very interesting when Chinese Democracy finally sees the light of day.
Velvet Revolver set list:
Sucker Train Blues / Do It for the Kids / Headspace / Superhuman / Crackerman / Illegal I / Fall To Pieces / Dirty Little Thing / Big Machine / It`s So Easy / Sex Type Thing / Set Me Free / Used To Love Her / You Got No Right / Mr Brownstone / Slither / Bodies
LINKS:
Velvet Revolver
The Datsuns
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