Review by Andrew Bansal, photos by Carsten Steinhausen
October 23rd 2015, The Palladium, Hollywood CA: Rock guitar icon Slash has been busy formulating a solo career over the past five years, and after the 2010 self-titled debut album which featured guest musicians on every track, he found a more solid and recognizable band for this project, both for the studio recordings as well as live performances, better known as The Conspirators, comprising Myles Kennedy (vocals), Brent Fitz (drums), Todd Kerns (bass) and Frank Sidoris (guitar). Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators released the album ‘World On Fire’ in 2014, their second as a group, and have been on a world tour ever since. On the North American leg of the tour, SMK&C arrived at the Hollywood Palladium last Friday October 23rd 2015 for a full set of original material along with an assortment of Guns ‘N Roses classics. The venue was packed to near capacity, and the audience awaited a rock ‘n roll treat.
SMK&C hit the stage at 10:20, and went on to play a 20-song set that lasted a whopping two hours and 20 minutes, many of the songs improvised with extended jams and solos. Right from the get-go, the vintage Slash guitar tone was very much evident in the band’s sound, and playing on a full-size stage in this 3700-capacity ballroom, he was unabatedly able to express an enormously amplified guitar sound to fill all confines of the building. Myles Kennedy was at his peak as a vocalist and frontman, while the rest of The Conspirators did their bit as well, each getting their moment in the spotlight, Todd Kerns impressing in particular and making a lasting impact as he took center stage to sing ‘Docter Alibi’ off of the 2010 debut album on which Lemmy Kilmister lent vocals and bass in the studio.
The set was expectedly dominated by selections from the three albums worth of Slash/SMK&C material, but the band also played seven Guns ‘N Roses songs and Velvet Revolver’s ‘Slither’ towards the end of the set. While the crowd obviously did not hold back in showing their excitement at the instantly recognizable opening notes of every Guns ‘N Roses song in the set, the band did not seem to share the same level of enthusiasm in playing these songs, as most of these tunes sounded rushed and contrived. This show was certainly more geared towards fans of the Slash/SMK&C songs that are far more modern and by no means 80s classic rock, and not Guns ‘N Roses fanatics. In all honesty, the current Axl Rose fronted incarnation of Guns ‘N Roses does a far better job performing the same songs. That being said, SMK&C’s preference and conviction for their own material is completely understandable. The individual and colletive musicianship of the five performers on stage was fully on display here, and the audience showed their appreciation for it.
The unique aspect of Slash’s group is the involvement of his band mates, as unlike most other bands led by iconic/virtuosic guitar players, this is by no means a merely Slash-centric show with everyone else confined to a corner of the stage. And for that reason, this band should simply be called The Conspirators, because let’s face it, it would be more convenient than the name ‘Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators’ or the abbreviation SMK&C. The show was enjoyed by all in attendance as almost everyone stayed till the very end, and most certainly a success in terms of the turnout, indicating a probable return for SMK&C to the Palladium or even bigger venues on the next touring cycle. But the sound quality at the Palladium was a noticable negative aspect, and it seemed like this band could come across clearer and a lot more balanced and powerful in a better-sounding room. The Palladium is by no means a bad-sounding venue, but the quality of the output really depends on the type of music being played on stage, and this was far from the best this place had to offer, sound-wise. But the biggest negative was undeniably the length of the set, as two hours and 20 minutes was far longer than ideal for this band. Quantity never beats quality. Aside from that, the show was a solid exhibition of the longevity and consistency of Slash the guitar player, the soaring vocal abilities of Myles Kennedy, and the competence of The Conspirators. With a shorter set in a better-sounding venue, this show is highly recommended for Slash fans.
Photos:
Set List:
01. You’re A Lie
02. Night Train
03. Avalon
04. Standing In The Sun
05. Back From Cali
06. Wicked Stone
07. Too Far Gone
08. You Could Be Mine
09. Doctor Alibi
10. Welcome To The Jungle
11. Beneath The Savage Sun
12. Civil War
13. The Dissident
14. Rocket Queen
15. Bent To Fly
16. World On Fire
17. Anastasia
18. Sweet Child O’ Mine
19. Slither
20. Paradise City
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