LIVE: STEVEN ADLER – Perth, 18 May, 2018

Shane | 21 May 2018 | Reply

LIVE: STEVEN ADLER – Perth, 18 May, 2018
Capitol, Perth, Western Australia
Reviewed by Karl Infirri
Photography by Damien Crocker

When I first heard that the original drummer for Guns N’ Roses, Steven Adler was going to be touring Australia with his Mum – well, I was very intrigued about what that would entail. I already knew that he was restarting his old GNR covers/side band Adler’s Appetite, but what was his Mum doing coming Down Under too?

Deanna Adler has had a harrowing experience raising her son Steven throughout his hard times in the face of drug addiction. She’s the author of a new book titled Sweet Child of Mine: How I Lost My Son To Guns N’ Roses. Along the trek across Oz, Steven and Deanna would be having a Q and A session conducted by Melbourne’s own Cherry Bar King, James Young. I knew I didn’t want to miss out on this.

It was refreshing not having to see any support acts on the evening, at least as a once off. As the doors opened at 7:30pm a plethora of people from Perth’s rock n’ roll scene were in the building. It was really cool to have a bit of time to mingle and it felt like a big reunion of sorts for a lot of people that hadn’t seen one another in a while. Many drinks were being consumed with excitement and energy in the air. Not many people knew what to expect of the evening but you could tell that we were all there to show Steven some love.

[Show picture list]

The Q and A session began and James Young did a great job hosting. I was a fan of the fancy shiny suit and cowboy hat. Steven and Deanna answered many pre planned questions from James, with it being a great platform for Steven to be cheeky to his mother. Many laughs were shared throughout the Q and A, and it was really eye opening to learn Steven had overdosed on drugs over 28 times. He truly is lucky to still be with us. His poor mum! A lot of the other content of the Q and A focused on how he became friends with Slash and how he’s been denied the chance to rejoin GNR as it stands today. The crowd booed in support of the fact we can all agree this man should be the drummer of Guns N Roses, because it’s always been him!

With the Q and A coming to an end, the vibe in the room was great, and the turnout was better than expected, with it being a near packed house. The stage was set and it was time for a bit of Adler’s Appetite.

The band started off with It’s So Easy to the delight of the fans. You really feel the difference when hearing the drumming of these songs live from Steven. When I saw GNR in Perth last year perform without Steven, the drumming I heard on that evening never sounded right to me. It’s confirmation to me that Steven needs to be back in GNR for the long haul permanently. He’s still got it, and can perform at a high level – he has a groove that nobody has really been able to capture since.

The musicianship within the rest of the band was great. Lead guitarist Michael Thomas did a sterling job in the ‘Slash’ role for Appetite. I think the only shame of the evening was that vocalist Constantine Maroulis wasn’t 100%. It was a constant distraction the whole set that it was quite obvious that he couldn’t sing in the octave he needed to. It’s my understanding that he was sick, so I admire the fact he went out there and did the best job he could. I’ve been there too – there’s nothing more frustrating than being unable to perform your best… but, boy, it really did take away from how well the music was being played.

It really was a celebration of the 30th anniversary of Appetite for Destruction though, so even though the crowd had to do most of the singing, it was still a great vibe celebrating a truly important album. We were given a few Use Your Illusion gems as well that Steven originally played on, but my personal favourite was Anything Goes. It’s a track that doesn’t get enough love.

The only true disappointments in the setlist was the fact Reckless Life (played in Adelaide), Out Ta Get Me and You’re Crazy weren’t played. It wasn’t the end of the world. I was just happy to see one thing – Steven Adler happy. To see him smiling and see how much he loves those songs. It was obvious how much Appetite means to him – and he could tell how much it meant to all of us, and I hope he always remembers it.

The band, of course, finished off with Paradise City, and it was time to say goodbye after a great show.