LA GUNS, Hollywood Dirtbags, Deathbed Confession, Crusher @Roadhouse 6/3/2012

RTM and LA Guns have a long history. The group were second on the bill on the first gig we ever saw as a 16 year old in 1991. The last time we saw a version of the band was in Las Vegas in 2005 while over for a wedding. So it is something of a surprise that they are playing The Road House tonight.

But, when you look a little deeper it is perhaps not that strange. The particular version of the band isn’t the “official” LA Guns that played The Robin last year, but rather it is a version of the band – who also think they are the “official” LA Guns - featuring original guitarist Tracii Guns and three of his mates. This vintage of Guns has had issues with its singer. The last, Dilana Robichaux (who originally found fame on the Rockstar reality TV show, lasted barely two months.)

Another thing this vintage of Guns has done is bring with them lots and lots of support bands. Four of them in total and all in an enormous tour bus. Although RTM gets there too late to see the first. We are there to see Switzerland’s Crusher, though. The young five piece have clearly spent a lot of time listening to vintage Poison records, with the song “Sweet As Sugar” catchy and impressive. They are however, the sort of band that will be forever low down the bill on these types of shows.

Denver hard rockers Deathbed Confession are up next and they are more modern in sound. “House of Cards” is their standout number and whilst they are efficient and quite entertaining, but they too suffer from a distinct lack of that certain something which will elevate them above the crowd.

If it was 1989 then Hollywood Dirtbags would be the dirty ying to Warrants pretty boy yang. From the second that singer Justin Martin opens his mouth and lead guitarist Shaun Botten’s plays the opening riff, it is abundantly clear that this is an entirely different proposition to anything we have seen before this evening.

Yes, there are hints of Guns N Roses in there – they play “Its So Easy” so its not like they are hiding it – and yes it’s reminiscent of Faster Pussycat at times, but also the more grimy end of sleaze, with a hint of RTM faves Crank County Daredevils too. Title track from their new record “Sinner Takes All” and “That’s Rock N Roll” are superb. They might be the sort of band that’s better live than on record, but live they are pretty damn good.

The audience had been sparse for all the other bands, but minutes before LA Guns hit the stage about 50 people appear from the bar next door. They had probably heard about Tracii Guns little red hat, which he perches jauntily on the side of his head. Or maybe they knew is bass man Jonny Martin’s birthday (a roadie appears with a tasty looking cake at one point.)

Whatever the reason they chose not get their monies worth and hats and cakes aside, the newly reinforced audience are treated to exactly what they wanted and expected: A set of the LA Guns greatest hits one which kicks of with “Electric City, “ and includes “Over The Edge” and a still fantastic sounded “One More Reason.”

Guns – the man not the band – still oozes star quality and can still play the guitar as well as any of his contemporaries. The problem is singer Scott E Harris. To be frank, the young looking vocalist isn’t all that good, and his rendition of “Ballad of Jayne” (Guns big US hit) is really poor.

He is much better on the faster songs and “…Jayne” apart it doesn’t spoil the gig too much. No one ever went to a sleaze gig for the musical ability lets be honest, they went for songs like “Sex Action” – which Guns use to close the show here.

And thus an entertaining evening comes to a close, now all that remains, surely, is all of the groups patch up their differences and Tracii Guns leaves the official LA Guns to re-join the other official LA Guns maybe they could call themselves the Real Official LA Guns or something?