Co-headliners Stone Temple Pilots and Rival Sons teamed up with Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown for one hell of a lineup.
When you have a band like Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown opening the show, it gives you an idea of how great of a night lies ahead of you. The gathering crowd was still slowly making their way into the venue when the Nashville boys took to the stage. Those lucky enough to have made it there for the early start managed to catch a performance worthy of a headlining spot.
Back in July, Bryant and team headlined a show at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. This time, they made full use of the larger stage, as the energetic frontman barely stood still for a minute. As always, their set was packed full of bluesy riffs and licks, and a drummer who can never be contained behind his kit. This was the last night for them on this tour and they made sure they made it one to remember. You have to have heard of them by now, but make sure you go see them live. It truly is an experience.
By the time Rival Sons took to the stage, the Aragon Ballroom had filled out nicely. Jay Buchanan had the audience captivated from the very first note, with the crowd singing along with all of their might. Scott Holiday looked every bit the rock star, with the guitar chops to back it up.The guitar-laden, riff-heavy set kicked off with “Back in the Woods” from their latest release which perfectly showcased Buchanan’s bluesy, gritty vocals. The 12-song set was an eye-opening taster for those had never seen them live before, or were maybe there to catch Stone Temple Pilots. However, looking at the crowd, and how many were singing along word for word, there were clearly a number of Rival Sons fans in attendance.
After two performances like these, the crowd could easily have gone home happy. But there was still more to come.
Trying to replace the singer of a band is not an easy thing to do, and more often than not, it means the end of the line. Having to replace them a second time? Many would not even attempt that hefty task. Stepping into the shoes of Scott Weiland and Chester Bennington must be an absolutely daunting task. Jeff Gutt, however, looked like he took it all in his stride.Watching the fans react to Gutt as he jumped down from the stage and into the arms of the fans in the front rows of the Aragon Ballroom, they have clearly embraced him (quite literally). This is by no means the end of the road for Stone Temple Pilots, and they still have so much to give. Gutt’s performance was lapped up by the ample-sized crowd, who were obviously happy that they were able to find a new frontman to help them continue their legacy and bring the music out on the road.
The set was heavy on tracks from their first two albums, Core and Purple, the latter of which is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year. Stand-outs from the set were “Sex Type Thing,” “Wicked Garden,” and “Plush” which all had the Chicago crowd fired up and singing their heads off.
Three incredible bands in one night are such a treat, and this was definitely one of those nights. It was also a night of engaging and charismatic frontmen who each brought something unique to the table and captivated all in attendance.STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
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RIVALS SONS
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Rival sons. Top top band. Should be bigger than they are. Can’t wait for them to come back to UK, this Autumn. (Fall). If you haven’t listened to their recent LP. Feral Roots, go listen. Hellfire it’s good