Velvet Revolver Belfast Odyssey 08.06.05

This was Velvet Revolver’s first visit to Belfast- an eagerly awaited gig that hopefully won’t be their last. Seeing two rock legends such as Duff McKagan and Slash in the flesh is completely surreal, although the most bizarre sight is definitely frontman Scott Weiland. He slithers about on stage like a human eel, and looks like a frenzied concentration camp escapee. If you would like to send Weiland some food, forward it onto BMG Records. Nearly every song off Contraband is played with highlights being Do It For The Kids (an apt title considering the average age of the audience), You Got No Right and Fall To Pieces. Halfway through the gig, Weiland suddenly comes off the stage and goes up the steps to the middle of the seated crowd. "This is all about trust," he says earnestly. Really? I would have said it was more about being completely overblown and pretentious. Of course, a little pretentiousness can be good, but this was so cheesy I couldn’t watch it without crackers. While every song is received well, it is It’s So Easy that gets the best response of the night. Maybe the crowd were there to see ex Guns N’ Roses members rather than the actual band. But all in all, a good show, and the closing song Slither goes down a storm. …Perhaps more could be written about this concert, but it was a good solid gig- nothing more, nothing less. Coming a few days before Motley Crue started the UK leg of their tour, you have to say that the Carnival of Sins spectacle blew Velvet Revolver away. Maybe VR’s fans would argue that they are there to focus solely on the music rather than the theatrics. But I know what I would rather watch.   6.5/10 Suzie