Gig review: Slash + The Struts + Rose Tattoo at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

Live review: Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators,  The Struts + Rose Tattoo at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, Saturday, February 24 2024

By BRIAN GIFFIN

THIS was another weekend full of huge music events across Sydney, concentrated mostly at Olympic Park where the Taylor Swift and blink-182 tours were right alongside each other. For those whose tastes lay more firmly in hard rock territory, however, modern day guitar hero Slash and his formidable band were taking over the Hordern Pavilion this evening with an equally indomitable undercard.

Veritable Aussie rock legends Rose Tattoo hit the stage first – and almost 10 minutes early – and proceeded to unleash a solid no-frills set wall to wall with hits. Without much room to move and none for banter, the Tatts used every second they had to just straight-up rock, from “Rock n Roll is King” to a stomping version of “Nice Boys”. It was a tight and tidy set that still allowed for a little jamming, Mark Evans looking dapper in a flat cap and Mick Arnold and Ronnie Simmons trading off during “Bad Boy For Love”. Angry looked and sounded comfortable even as he bellowed through “Scarred for Life” and the band was just starting to really get a groove on when they had to wind up, leaving everyone hungry for more rock and roll.

If Rose Tattoo were about the raw power of rock and roll, The Struts were all about having as much fun as possible. If the Tatts roared, the Struts positively sparkled, getting the crowd dancing immediately after bounding onto the stage. A pouty, exuberant mix of The Darkness and a youthful Cheap Trick, Luke Spiller led the near-capacity Hordern crowd through big hooky rock songs. “Prima Donna Like Me” opens their rambunctious and high-energy show and “Too Good at Raising Hell” takes things up a notch with the entire crowd now in their hands, except for the two guys in Slipknot and Coal Chamber shirts behind me who are determined not to let the band interrupt their conversation. Spiller sets the audience participation stakes high with a crowd sing-off during “Put Your Money On Me” and good money says The Struts won plenty of fans this evening.

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, to give this ensemble its full name, entered the frame almost casually and kicked straight into “The River is Rising” as an introduction to a sprawling set. All guns blazing, they move into “Driving Rain” and “Halo”, the band really on fire now. Slash leans into his solos, the warm tones coming from his guitar mimicked by similar tones from Kennedy. I’ve written before about my ambivalence to Kennedy’s vocal approach – he’s got a great voice, but he never seems to do anything spectacular with it – and even now I still feel that way. Bassist Todd Kerns has a raw and sharper rock and roll voice and when he takes over for a run through of the Lenny Kravitz track “Always on the Run” I’m feeling the vibe more. Still, “Mind Your Manners” rocks madly ahead of the trippier “Spirit Love”, Slash’s consummate guitar god moves never a disappointment. 

Guns N’Roses can never be too far removed from Slash but with a deep repertoire of his own there’s no need for him to fall back on it here; when he does it’s the UYI deep cut “Bad Apples” getting played live for the first time, with Kearns on vocals. It’s an odd choice that even the keenest GNR fan wouldn’t have seen coming but they pull it off nicely, mainly as a showcase for Slash’s blistering soloing. “Starlight” is glorious, a song that actually shows off Kennedy’s true gift for a powerfully emotional vocal performance. The set has been building towards a monster jam and “Wicked Stone” delivers with the top-hatted one unleashing a solo of epic proportions. “You’re a Lie” descends with a ferocious riff close to the end and “World on Fire” takes band introductions to a ridiculous level ahead of the obligatory encore. For that, we get the man on a lapsteel and Brent Fritz on piano for a singalong version of “Rocket Man” ahead of a celebratory jam through “Anastasia” as final proof of what a smoking hot band Slash has around him. Regardless my thoughts on Kennedy, this is a powerhouse unit that delivers a huge night of rock and roll in spades.