Slash brings the guitar-rock noise to Vancouver this summer

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      Fresh from performing at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for his old band Guns N' Roses, top-hatted guitar hero Slash brings his arsenal of Les Pauls to Vancouver's Queen E. Theatre on Saturday (yes!), July 14.

      When he isn't producing horror movies or vowing that TV's Glee will remain Guns N' Roses free, the iconic rocker makes new music with a band that includes vocalist Myles Kennedy, drummer Brent Fitz, and bassist Todd Kerns, a former Vancouverite who locals may recall from his time with Age of Electric back in the '90s.

      As well as the odd GN'R classic, the quartet will be showcasing material from Slash's upcoming studio album, Apocalyptic Love, which is scheduled for release on May 22.

      The last time he was in town, in October of 2010, Slash apparently left "blood, sweat, and tears" on the stage at the Commodore.

      Tickets for the Queen E. show are priced at $49.50 and $29.50 (plus service charges and fees), and go on sale this Friday at 10 am at www.livenation.com.

      You can follow Steve Newton on Twitter at twitter.com/earofnewt.

      Comments

      8 Comments

      out at night

      Aug 19, 2012 at 10:30am

      Why is this article constantly popping up on the home page? No, I wasn't there, but the friend I gave my ticket to told me it was generic - what you'd call "able, proficient and uninspired" or "phoned in" My friend also told me it's just as well I missed out on the antics of a too-drunk, boorish crowd.

      G 'n' R's "Spaghetti Incident" notwithstanding, Slash is as good a reason as any to re-invoke the contempt I developed for dinosaur rock way back in the late 70s when the punks were mounting their challenge to the old guard. Sure, I might have thrown out a few babies with that bathwater then (turns out Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin are pretty awesome after all!); but the fact is that glitzy, long-haired rock music founded upon the empty-headed values of hedonism, misogyny, material wealth and wankishly long guitar solos is, all these years later, still sucking.

      Pat Crowe

      Aug 25, 2012 at 9:52am

      I'd rather shave my head with a cheese grater while chewing on tin foil.

      out at night

      Sep 16, 2012 at 10:13am

      Okay, really? This story is so popular it needs to keep coming back on the home page?!

      Guess who is coming to town though (without much notice from Straight)? Uh, a little old guy named Bob Dylan for one.

      What Slash can offer in technical virtuosity and rock star stage tropes Bob Dylan more than trumps with his froggy, phlegmy cracked voice, primitive pianer playin' and rudimentary strumming.

      Why does Bob beat Slash? He has a SOUL.

      out cold

      Oct 5, 2012 at 10:29am

      "punks were mounting their challenge to the old guard" - Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Holy shit man, did you write that with crayon!

      out at night

      Oct 6, 2012 at 1:25pm

      @ out cold

      Sure it might come across as a bit maudlin - so sorry!

      But have you ever been cornered in the schoolyard by jocks and pushed around because you liked The Clash and Ramones and didn't care so much for the thousand or so bearded dude, business-class bands (Doobies, Supertramp, Bob Seger, Styx, Foreigner...) who ruled the airwaves in 1977-78? I have.

      Those of us who were more than ready to throw off the wide-collared, flared trousered yoke of flatulent dino rock back in the day and embrace the minimalist, nearer the ground sounds of Iggy, Pistols and The Jam knew what we were doing and what it meant. And all kidding aside, we met with some pretty stiff opposition from those who had bought into the line about punk rock being the end of music and an evil to be stamped out. It really was like that, silly as it sounds.

      Oh sure today we're all friends and everybody is proud to have music collections spanning disco, rockabilly, techno, metal and folk. But it was the punks who started all that experimentation and genre mashing in the first place. Joy Division became New Order who made disco cool again and led to Manchester techno while the Clash did reggae, dub and brought in rap, while world music came in through a thousand new wave bands and roots rock came back big with some kids from Athens and a whole continent of eager listeners ready for real rock and sick of progressive concept albums about spaceships. If punk rock had never happened the Alan Parsons Project would be an actual government department and that singer from Styx would be president!

      So, you're welcome. I still think Slash is a boring poopiehead.

      Jessie1

      Oct 21, 2012 at 4:17pm

      @crowe - a discerning comment from the guy who didn't know who QOTSA were!

      Pat Crowe

      Oct 24, 2012 at 9:16am

      What are you talking about, Jessie?
      I've seen QOTSA a few times.
      You've got the wrong guy.

      Mr jim 374

      Dec 1, 2012 at 7:42am

      Ha ha ha ha did you ever get the feeling you've been cheated?