Coming off a cancellation in Austin due to Scott Weiland coming down with bronchitis, there was a question of the set’s quality as fans entered the building. These questions were quickly extinguished when 5 figures came out of the shadows and kicked into Sucker Train Blues.

Bassist Duff McKagan began with a chugging bass line which was quickly accompanied by guitarists Slash and Dave Kushner. As drummer Matt Sorem kicked in, Weiland slithered across the stage to retrieve his microphone. With a single wail, questions disappeared and bodies began to move. The show had begun.

As the band tore though four of the songs from their debut album, Contraband, Slash fell to his knees to complete blazing solo after another while McKagan ran from end to end on the stage taunting audience members who happily played along with high-pitched screams and cheers.

Without a word, the band kicked into a Stone Temple Pilots classic, Crackerman. Weiland took no time to gather his megaphone for the push/pull choruses in the song. This was one of two STP covers performed on the night, the other being a blistering version of Sex Type Thing to close the first encore. The edge of Sex Type Thing came off sharper than it had ever seemed before on this night.

Of course, there were some Guns n’ Roses songs thrown into the mix. The first of which was It’s So Easy, which saw Weiland’s voice drop down to mimic Axl Rose’s vocals. The highlight of the song was tightness shown between McKagan, Slash, Kushner and Sorem. The song hit with bone crushing ferocity as each downstroke was met with a hard snare.

There were also a few relaxing moments in the set, which gave the audience a bit to sing along rather than jump wildly. Fall to Pieces brought the night to life, but not as much as a back porch version of I Used to Love Her. With the band lounged around on the stage and Slash opening the first encore with his top hat and cigarette that had become iconic during his Guns n’ Roses days, the audience went wild for this old favorite.

The band ripped through a set and two encores leaving nothing behind as they finally closed with a cover of Nirvana’s Negative Creep, which blew the night open. With chants of “More,” the band retreated to the backstage and the lights came up. There was not a person in the house who wanted this night to end, but happily the audience filed out giving hi-fives to each other and adding in their commentary on the night. This night moved beyond concert and became an experience.

Main Set:
Sucker Train Blues
Do It for the Kids
Headspace
Crackerman - STP
Illegal I
It's So Easy - GNR
Fall To Pieces
Big Machine
Set Me Free

Encore 1:
Used To Love Her - GNR
Slither
Sex Type Thing - STP

Encore 2:
Mr. Brownstone - GNR
Negative Creep - Nirvana