L.A. Guns
10.8.2018
L.A. Guns are known for their ties to a Los Angeles hard-rock band, Guns N’ Roses. Axl Rose was even the band’s singer for a time, before the group merged with the band Hollywood Rose to become Guns N’ Roses. Their hits are “It’s Over Now” and “The Ballad of Jayne,” and many others. There have been many touring versions of the band over the years, much to the confusion of fans, but this lineup features founding members Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis.
L.A. Guns’ 2017 album, “The Missing Peace,” which had great reviews. Blabbermouth.net called it “easily the finest moment yet by a heritage act looking to remain relevant.” Lewis was happy with the support and reaction from fans media, but not shocked, to say the least.
While I was sitting in front of Shank Hall in Milwaukee, I was chatting with some of the more hardcore fans of L.A. Guns, talking about sold out shows of times past, reflecting on the 80’s and 90’s, and have come to the realization: the rockers never fade away!
Tracii and the crew, along with TEEZE, have scorched across the us once again, making their mark on the ears of fans Monday night in Milwaukee.
The night opens up with the first act, Teeze, from illinois, and they banged out the 80’s nostalgia, keeping the rock alive. Shredding leads, hair flipping and overall grind started the night.
As L.A. Guns crew sets up, the crowd encroached the stage, waiting anxiously for these seasoned rockers to light up the night.
Then...lights dimmed, and the hall filled with sound with an Ozzy-esque intro. Tracii walked onto the stage first, with the crew following suit. Once the intro faded, they dropped right into “Mercy”.
Phil still holds strong after all these years, as his raspy English vocals on “Electric Gypsy, before heading into the guitar challenge of ” The Flood Is The Fault Of The Rain” off their new album The Missing Peace.
Watching Traci using the bow, in an almost Page like fashion, made the guitar moan like an angry apparition, falling right into “Over the Edge”.
The dirty, sleazed up riff of Sex Action was an illustration of the strip. Moreover, the band kept driving through the night. Malaria, Never Enough and the glam of, I Wanna Be Your Man, before the lighter inspired, The Ballad Of Jayne and punk vocal fuelled Rip and Tear brought the evening to a suitably dirty end.
L.A. Guns, with Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns, plays this Thursday, at the Green Bay Distillery,
For more on the band, visit www.lagunsmusic.com.
Set list from the show:
Intro
MERCY
ELECTRIC GYPSY
BOW SOLO/OVER THE EDGE
SEX ACTION
FLOOD
SPEED
I WANNA BE YOUR MAN
ONE MORE REASON
KISS MY LOVE/HELLRAISER
MALARIA
NEVER ENOUGH
JELLY JAM
BALLAD OF JAYNE
RIP AND TEAR
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