C O L U M N S

Road Reports

L.A. Guns / Red Sky Mary / Budderside
Tupelo Music Hall . Derry, New Hampshire, USA

By: Joanne Laroche
Show Date: 2/18/2018
Published: 3/16/2018
"The fans had a great time, the band was in great form and it was a great trip down memory lane"
When introducing L.A. Guns to the stage, the sold out crowd was told to stand up and within moments the band burst onto the stage with the song, "The Devil Made Me Do It." The energy could be felt immediately as they followed with "Electric Gypsy" and "No Mercy." It was a pretty intense song choice to start with and the audience enjoyed every minute of it. The generally mellow crowd was fist pumping and dancing/cheering/singing along.

They continued to play their singles as well as some lesser known tunes, including new material from their 2017 album, "The Missing Peace." While this tour is being marketed as a reunion tour of sorts, their backdrop specifically had the names Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns along with their logo.

There were some really good high energy moments where there was a connection between the audience and the band. The playing was superb and Phil Lewis sang his heart out. Throughout the set, the band members had plenty of eye contact with each other as well as the audience. They took a pause from the hard rock to play some non-L.A. Guns songs. In this case, it was guitarist Michael Grant who stepped up and did a stunning rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain." It was an amazing tribute start to finish, but I'm not sure if it translated to the crowd who were there to see an 80s glam/hair/rock band. They also teased us with the intro for AC/DC's Hell's Bells before ripping into one of their most popular tunes, "Never Enough."

At times the concert did feel a bit "forced" into a retro look/feel in the overall presentation. It was definitely Hollywood, but we should expect no less from a band called L.A. Guns. With so many of their hits being played; which included "Sex Action," "One More Reason," and the very powerful and popular slow tune, "The Ballad of Jayne."

The fans had a great time, the band was in great form and it was a great trip down memory lane. Overall a solid rock show with some excellent playing and all the attitude of the 80s. Well worth seeing if you get the chance.

Check out our show gallery here: L.A. Guns Gallery

LINKS
L.A. GUNS W/Tracii Guns And Phil Lewis Official
L.A. GUNS Facebook


[Other Maximum Metal Columns]

<< back >>





RANDOM ACTS OF METAL
. Anvil. Bathory
. Opeth. Sinner
. Vehemence. Disturbed
. Grave Digger. Impellitteri
. Skullview. Dirty Power
. Queensryche. Godflesh
. Rawhead Rexx. Mortician
. Widowmaker. Dr. Butcher
. H.I.M.. Goat Horn
. Byfist. Nicta
. Sevendust. Nordheim
. Stryper. Savatage
. Mnemic. Silent Scythe
. Murdercycle. Whitesnake
. Krisiun. Royal Anguish
. Dreamaker. Hard Echo
. Mother Misery. Force Of Evil
. Drowning Pool. Superchrist
. Cryonic Temple. Scala Mercalli
. Jag Panzer. Babylon Mystery Orchestra
. Evanescence. Bang The Union
. W.A.S.P.. David Shankle Group
. Metalium. Low Earth Orbit
. Iron Angel. Judas Priest
. Spiral Madness. Juggernott
. Schenker/ Pattison Summit. Destructor
. Scorpions. Dream Evil
. After Forever. Psychotron
. Lullacry. Otep
. Division. Neurosis
. GWAR. Tartharia
. Dark Ruin. The Lizards
. Negative Creeps. Karmakanic
. Dark Tranquillity. Motley Crue
. Emerald Sun. Gods Of Fire
. Ligeia. Entombed
. Seige of Hate. Suidakra
. Angtoria. John Sykes
. Samael. Cemetary
. Marduk. Boomerang
. Derek Sherinian. Soul SirkUS
. Sinisthra. Fastkill
. Babylon. Grand Magus
. Burden Of Grief. Groundcrew
. Raging Speedhorn. Maximum Overdrive
. Evemaster. Supagroup
. Ritual Killer. Devil Lee Rot
. Wetwork. Painmuseum
. Mercyful Fate. Dragonia
. Crystal Fate. ASG
. The Firstborn. Vinterriket
. Thrones. Even X
. Crystal Ball. Doomfoxx
. Wolfmother. Asrai
. Skullshifter. The Tenth Circle
. Mental Care Foundation. Thryfing
. Southern Black Sand. Naked Beggars
. Beyond Fear. Firehouse
. Moonspell. Vore
. 8th Sin. Sun Descends
. Azure. Space Odyssey
. She Said Destroy. Swashbuckle
. Dendura. Nachtmystium
. Paul Bonrud. Shadows Within
. Woodtemple. I
. Death Breath. Anata
. The Abominable Iron Sloth. Battle Bratt
. Mastodon. Cult of Daath
. Lordi. Panzerchrist
. Quest of Aidance. Steve Cone
. Gaza. Throne of Katarsis
. Dream Theater. In This Moment
. Warbringer. Manticore
. Lord Belial. Merciless Death
. Zyklon. Dezperadoz
. Blood of the Black Owl. Passion
. Pantera. Throneum
. Fight. Dantesco
. I Shalt Become. Gutted With Broken Glass
. Pop Evil. Straight Line Stitch
. Equilibrium. The More I See
. Son of Eric. Crown The Lost
. Caliban. Earthen Grave