This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Frequently lost in the constant speculation of whether guitar icon Slash will ever reunite with his old band, Guns N' Roses, is the fact that his current band, Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, is a damn fine rock 'n' roll group.
It wasn't lost on the capacity crowd of 1,200 Thursday night at The Depot in Salt Lake City, though.
Those in attendance for the 2-hour performance were treated to a show that was low on banter and high on tight grooves, anthemic melodies and virtuoso guitar playing. The 20-song set was dominated by Slash's oldest and newest material (seven songs apiece from GN'R and The Conspirators' 2014 album "World On Fire").
By the time Slash, Kennedy, Frank Sidoris, Todd Kerns and Brent Fitz wrapped up a little past 11 p.m. with the closing notes of the Guns' classic "Paradise City," it's doubtful anyone left the venue thinking, "If only Axl had been here …"
Opening song • "You're A Lie," the lead single from The Conspirators' 2012 album "Apocalyptic Love" set a frenetic pace and got the crowd involved early with a newish song that's nevertheless instantly recognizable.
Crowd favorite • While there was definite appreciation shown for Slash's "solo" stuff, it goes without saying that virtually everyone there first fell in love with his Guns N' Roses music. Every GN'R song prompted a rush of smartphones raised aloft to record the performance. And there wasn't a soul in the building not singing along to "Sweet Child O' Mine."
Highlight • A four-song sequence near the end highlighted the guitarist's — and the band's — versatility. "Bent To Fly" featured some soulful, impassioned crooning from Kennedy and a head-bobbing groove from the rhythm section. "World On Fire" was pure intensity and energy. "Anastasia" showed off Slash's technical ability, as he wielded a 12-string and alternated between the flamenco-style opening and histrionic soloing. The band then held the notes of that song long enough for Slash to switch to a six-string Gibson Les Paul and transition right into the iconic "Sweet Child" riff.
In the crowd • The Depot was sold out and packed to the rafters, with some 1,200 people in attendance and loving every minute of it.
Encore • The lone song after the main set was "Paradise City." Kennedy wailing "Oh won't you please take me home?" one final time sent the crowd reluctantly on its way.
Opening act • British three-piece RavenEye sound like the illicit love-child of Wolfmother and Crobot, though with more of an emphasis on sludgy rhythm than dirty blues. Singer/guitarist Oli Brown proved both a capable shredder and a captivating frontman, drawing in the audience by sitting at the edge of the stage, straddling the barricade, and even wandering into the crowd for a guitar solo whilst momentarily crowd surfing. Check out the single "Hey Hey Yeah."
Twitter: @esotericwalden —
Setlist
1. You're A Lie
2. Nightrain
3. Avalon
4. Halo
5. Back From Cali
6. Wicked Stone
7. Too Far Gone
8. You Could Be Mine
9. Doctor Alibi (Todd Kerns vocals)
10. Welcome To The Jungle (Todd Kerns vocals)
11. Beneath The Savage Sun
12. Mr. Brownstone
13. The Dissident
14. Rocket Queen
15. Bent To Fly
16. World On Fire
17. Anastasia
18. Sweet Child O' Mine
19. Slither
Encore:
20. Paradise City