January 21, 2005 - London, England - Carling Academy Brixton

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General Information

Date: January 21, 2005
Location: London, England
Venue: Carling Academy Brixton; 211 Stockwell Rd Brixton, London, SW9 9SL, England [ Venue website ]
Box Office Number: 0870 154 40 40
Additional Info: Support Act: Second Line, The Datsuns

Set List

• Sucker Train Blues
• Do It for the Kids
• Headspace
• Crackerman
• Superhuman
• Illegal I
• Dirty Little Thing
• Fall To Pieces
• Big Machine
• It's So Easy
• Sex Type Thing
• Set Me Free
• Used to Love Her
• You Got No Right
• Mr. Brownstone
• Slither
• Bodies

Reviews (9) [ send in your own review/pictures of the London show ]

Thanks to teecee140: I saw Guns N Roses at Wembley Stadium in the 90s and they were excellent but ...I reckon Velvet Revolver are even better. They obviously enjoyed themselves, the music was great, the venue small so the view even from the back was excellent, Scott Weiland fits the band like he's been there forever. This was not Guns N Roses without Axl, he slipped into the past on Friday night. This band is 100 percent Velvet Revolver, live, loud and totally fucking brilliant.

Thanks to www.raysgigs.com: 21/22/23 Jan 2005 Velvet Revolver last 3 shows of UK tour, Brixton Academy and two Ham Apollo. Velvet Revolver back in London after their two shows here in London a couple of weeks ago. In the end I ended going to all five London shows. Each night though the band turned up late at the venue which meant there were a few boos in the far too long gap of 60 mins between the end of The Datsuns set and start of the Velvet Revolver set. The shows this weekend were much better than the warm up shows a fortnight ago . The band were tighter and the crowd were the hard core fans who were the first to buy tickets when they went on sale. Pretty much the same set as a couple of weeks ago. Plenty of great songs like 'Fall To Pieces' and 'Big Machine' along with three Guns And Roses tunes (see previous review ). The Brixton show was the best of the bunch and tonight was the only night on the tour they played Sex Pistols 'Bodies' and dedicated it to Pistols bassist Glen Matlock who was in the crowd tonight. The following two nights at Hammersmith Apollo were excellent as well. The Sunday show was finished off by The Doors track '5 To 1' .The band themselves were totally blown away by how popular they are here. They are a great live rock n roll band. Have a look at the website www.raysgigs.com to see what happened backstage

Thanks to Wroed: 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.

"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.

Thanks to Harry Mustoe Playfair: Ok...so my sister (Viki), Helen, Matt and I were scrawling round London in the car, the concert was supposed to be 'beginning' at 7 and The Datsuns (the supporting act) started playing at about 7:45, and by the time we found the car park (which gets locked up at 11:30pm) at 8pm but managed to get in pretty soon after that, I got a free lighter on the way in and we all kept our ticket stubs.

So, we got inside, it wasn't too crowded and we were able to get ourselves right towards the front, we were all on the right hand side (the stage's left) and Matt and I were about 3 rows from the front, Viki and Helen were on the second row. So, the Datsuns were playing when we came in, they were pretty awesome, nice, loud, bassy stuff, with lots of rhytm and catchy clicks

When the Datsuns had done their last song there was about a 1 hour gap from quarter past eight to quarter past nine, lots of suspense and people cheering at nothing o.o fun fun

But then it came....

Duff, the bass, came on, followed by Matt, the drummer, then Dave, second guitarist, then (omg) Slash! XD He's so kewl! And then the lead singer, Scott came on, featuring the trademark hat thingee that Axl always used to wear. He doesn't really look nothing like Axl but he is so effing brilliant!

As the night went on they played all the best songs, Loving the Alien, Big Machine, etc, With Slash and Duff going all about the stage, Matt drumming away at the back (I swear he looked me in the eyes a few times ), Scott absolutely pulling his moves on the stage, doing a really good show. Everyone was having a really good time, it was great!

Ok really kewl thing here! Duff, the Bassist, looked at me and smiled and winked at me! WOW!! I was so excited! I think I must have been the youngest person there! Literally! LOL! It was the greatest! I swear Slash looked at me too! Cos I was small and jumping like crazy with red streaks in my hair I couldn't really see his eyes behind his hair tho.

So, as they finished playing what seemed like their last song...they went off the stage....but they came right back on, Matt had some maraccas and Slash did an awesome, somewhat Mexican, guitar solo, right after Matt's wicked some drum solo and after that comotion, they went off stage again. But only to come back on, Slash wielding his double guitar and his trademark top hat!

Slash and Scott sat down on a stool in the middle of the stage and started doing the good 'ole Guns n Roses song, Used To Love Her I loved singing along to that so fun but that wasn't it...they played two more songs...which I have to admit I don't know the names of but I recognised them alright.

Most people thought that was it...but they came back on, with the AWESOME SLITHER! 'twas just the best ever, I completely threw my back out and my voice from singing and jumping, but the most awesome ending ever! Duff threw two things into the crowd on the other side of us and Scott threw something in the middle and then Matt came over and threw his drumsticks right at us! But I didn't really manage to get one because he gave one to the bouncers g/f and one to someone else he knew (aparently).

But that ended it, at 11:15, 15 minutes to get to the Car park, we RUSHED out, not forgetting to get a t-shirt from street sellers for a tenner and then jogged down the streets, frantically trying to get into the car park haha...and awesome end to an awesome night AWESOME!

Thanks to Joe Killen: This show reminded me of going to the drive in with my kid brothers baby sitter. So intense, sexy, rude, dirty, to sum it up Rock n fucking roll. The laugther, the tears, the blood, the cheers. This band reachs out across the age barrier. Young and old alike rocking out to the greatest rock band to ever walk the planet since Led Zep. Slash's amazing guitar work (and foot work), Duff's thunderous bass lines, Matt's brain mashing drum work, Dave's thrashing and some good soloing, and last but certanly not least Scotty, Scotty we salute you. A true showman. You reach out to us and we love you. Thank you for the ride dude. Rock on Velvet Revolver!!!!

Thanks to LIA from Sweden: I came all the way from Sweden to see Velvet Revolver! IT WAS SO GREAT! I HAVED THE BEST TIME EVER! I almost died in the front but...it was great!! It was me who had the flag!!! Great show! I loved it!

Thanks to Richy Rich: Full on hard core rocking gig. So so good and so refreshing to see legends who have been there done that seen everything genuingly enjoying themselves on stage. Rock and roll still lives

Thanks to Patrice: Usual show for Velvet Revolver, they played Bodies from the Sex Pistols and dedicated it to Glenn Matlock bass player for the Sex Pistols who attend the show. Glenn met Duff and Matt backstage after the show. Some people said that Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) was seen in the dressing room before the concert.

Thanks to Adam Fitzgerald: As predicted Velvet Revolver rocked!!

The mix was spot on, set list even better (although can't quite remember the order in which it played!) but included some of the Guns N Roses classics... Mr. Brownstone, Used To Love Her and It's So Easy which Scott managed to pull off so well it was arguably better than Axl!! The whole band gave 110% and resulted in the best gig I've EVER been to. Would love to see them again on this tour but can't find tickets (please let me know if you can help adam.fitzgerald@networkrail.co.uk)

thanks

P.S. would just like to add, The Datsuns also gave an excellent performance