May 13, 2007 - Toronto, Canada - Kool Haus

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General Information

Date: May 13, 2007
Location: Toronto, Canada
Venue: Kool Haus; 132 Queen's Quay E.; Toronto, ON M5A 3Y5 [ Venue website ]
Box Office Number: 416-869-0045
Additional Info: Special guests: The Actual

Thanks to RIP for the set list!

Set List

• Let It Roll
• Do It For The Kids
• Sucker Train Blues
• Superhuman
• The Last Fight
• She Mine
• Big Machine
• Get Out The Door
• Fall To Pieces
• Vasoline
• Just 16
• She Builds Quick Machines
• Set Me Free
• Wish You Were Here
• Used To Love Her
• Psycho Killer
• Slither

Reviews (12) [ send in your own review/pictures of the Toronto show ]

Thanks to Jason Macneil from the Sun Media: The last time Velvet Revolver played Toronto, it was more like watching Stone Temple Roses or Guns N' Pilots, a "supergroup" with a new album but primarily armed with a slew of previous hits by their previous bands. At the sold-out Kool Haus Sunday evening, the group showed they have definitely come into their own.

The band, featuring three former members of Guns N' Roses and former Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland, rarely reached back into the past during the blazing 17-song, 90-minute set.

Starting off with the powerful garage rocker Let It Roll off the upcoming sophomore album Libertad, Velvet Revolver rarely let off the gas early on. Weiland, who initially appeared looking like the long lost Amish Blues Brother, often whirled his bare-chested frame around the stage when not standing atop the riser delivering lyrics.

Following the strong one-two punch of Do It For the Kids and Sucker Train Blues, Weiland announced they were here for some "mother f------ rock and roll."

And while they generally provided that, songs like Fall to Pieces and the mid-tempo The Last Fight tended to temporarily take things down a gear or two.

As for the six songs performed off Libertad, which will be coming out in early July, Let It Roll and the equally frenetic and punk-ish Just Sixteen were highlights. The first single She Builds Quick Machines is also sure to be a tune cranked on many car stereos this summer.

But like most audiences, the crowd responded best to the songs they knew, resulting in the 2004's Contraband tracks getting the bigger reactions. A good example of this was Set Me Free which closed the main set. Here bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum propelled the song along while Slash displayed some showmanship by playing his guitar behind his neck.

Fans thinking they were going to hear some Guns N' Roses staples like Mr. Brownstone or Paradise City were sadly disappointed. After touring South America earlier this year, the group has decided to put most of those to rest. The lone exception was Used To Love Her which caused some crowd surfing.

Velvet Revolver did reach back though for the Stone Temple Pilots hit Vasoline which seemed to draw the biggest reaction of the night. The grunge-laced number had Weiland being drowned out by the audience early and often.

Prior to closing out the show with their first big hit Slither off their Contraband album, Velvet Revolver nailed some choice covers. Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here had Slash putting his own stamp on David Gilmour's signature solos while all five members, particularly Slash and fellow guitarist Dave Kushner, tore into the final frenzied moments of Talking Heads' Psycho Killer.

If you didn't happen to catch them this time on their small club tour, summer North American dates with Alice In Chains are slowly leaking out and a Canadian tour is also in the works.

Opening for Velvet Revolver were The Actual, a band who actually didn't come across too badly. Although relatively unknown, the California group, signed to Weiland's own label Softdrive Records, closed with a decent rendition of Cheap Trick's Dream Police.

Sun Rating: 4 out of 5

Thanks to Zepsun: Fuckin awesome show. I agree about scott...I was listening to his voice to see if he was any better and HE IS!
He has more control now...seems like he was hitting higher notes too...just great.

Slash was amazing as usual as well as the rest of the band.
One of the best concerts ever...way better than GNR at the ACC. I remember covering my ears during the BF guitar solo cause it was so loud and screechy. Slash has such awesome tone and sound.

Thanks to HardrockRugby: I must say also that Scott really has come a long freaking way with his vocal power!!!

His performance last night reminded me of the time they performed at MuchMusic after Shangri-La came out. That show won Scott over for me and this one yesterday cemented him in my list of great front men.

Dave is so underrated, he is an incredible player and really came alive during Vasoline like you wouldn't believe!!!!

The former GNR boys were great as expected!!! Front row rocks, although the VIP package for this venue SUCKS HINEY. The regular crowd got in 30sec's after us. AT LEAST I got right up to the barricades for the whole night without having to rush there. That was all my 'VIP' status gave me.

Oh ya, the band wasn't very into giving autographs after the show, Scott signed one guys things (the whimpy twig) and that was it....not very impressed.

LOVED THE SHOW on the whole. Can't wait for the tour with AIC, they were fu&king awesome when I saw them in November.

Thanks to Pipifantasma: Wow..just to let everyone know..Scott has come a long way from how he sang 3 years ago. He was awesome on stage.
Slash rocks!

Thanks to Christine: I thought last night's show at the Kool Haus was horrific. The sound was terrible. It didn't sound like Scott Weiland singing. The sound was audible for Pink Floyd's cover of "Wish You Were Here." The Talking Head's cover of Psycho Killer was sad. I thought the band was somewhat restrained in their interaction with crowd. This was my first and probably last time seeing VR.

Thanks to Paintendave: This show f--ken rocked right out. VR sounded mint not miissing a beat. I think the only thing that was hurting was the right side of the speakers when they whent poof for a few seconds. They realy had the wick turned up when that happend it was f--ken rocken. Good time boys thanks much respect.

Thanks to Mike: What a night. First time at the Koolhaus and it has to be one of my fav venues. Bars all around the place with top notch bartenders...if you know what I mean! It's 1 pm the following day and my ears are stilling ringing!! Greatest SHOW EVER the intimate setting, the AWESOME CROWD and the best band around just rocked the place for a solid set. I will personally never experience a show like that again, simply the best damn show ever. One disappointment - all night only one girl got up onto her friends shoulders. BUT the problem wasn't that she was blocking my view of Slash in a solo but she didn't take off her shirt, I MEAN COME ON!! I bet the boys on stage saw her getting up and were like alright...but no...just blocked views for us...next time just do us the favour and make it worth it for us behind you! VR RULES!

Thanks to Guillermo: WOW what a show.... it was really good compared to 3 years ago. But the purpose of this comemnt is to let everybody know about Scott's performance....he killed it!! He has come such a long way from where he was 3 years ago. I loved the show....best one in my life....Slash rocks!!

Thanks to Cari74: I have to agree with RIP that VR was absolutely amazing. The energy was unbelievable. I loved seeing them in such an intimate venue. My focus was Scott Weiland. My eyes didn't leave him for almost the entire show. He was pure energy and I was mesmerized. Now that I have been spoiled, this is the only way I want to see Velvet Revolver!! Forget those arena shows! Thank you, Velvet Revolver, for a terrific rock show I won't ever forget.

Thanks to Chris J D: The show at Toronto was a 10/10 in my books. The sound was much better and easier on the ears than the show in 2004. (LOUD but crystal clear) I found that the show in 2004 was one of the loudest shows I have ever been to in my life. It was hard on my ears and was killing me 3/4 into the set.

Scott's energy and vocals were very stong and punched through the mix much better than other shows back in 2004/2005. Slash's solos were also very clear as opposed to previous shows I have been to.

The only thing I found odd is that Slash didn't say much to the crowd as he did in previous shows. He was certainly into the show/crowd, bouncing around doing he's skip from side to side and making those odd "funny smerky lip, slash funny faces" to us in the front rows. He always says how much he loves us in Toronto. Maybe Perla was in the back and cranky about him working on Mother's Day!?!?

Matt, Duff and Dave were very solid though Duff seemed a bit quite as well.

I don't know if anybody noticed, but the light show seemed a bit less this show than in the Kool Haus show in 2004.

Bar none, the best show I have been to so far!! They totally have their sh@t together and it's beyond tight. Can't wait for July 3rd - LIBERTAD!

Thanks to Al: So sick man, I saw them in Ottawa about 2 years ago, they were sick then and they are just, well even more sick man. Vasoline was pretty f'ing sweet and same with She Builds Quick Machines, sure to be a hit man. Slash, Duff, Matt, Dave and Scott, keep on rocking man, sweet show.

Thanks to RIP: Show was simply awesome. Having VR in an intimate venue after 3 years of waiting Velvet Revolver returned to the Kool Haus and rocked the crowd. I was able to stand pretty much front row in front of Slash's amps and had a view of the entire stage. The band got on late...which wasn't much of a surprise since it's happened the other times I've seen em...but they made up for it be delievering a killer set. The entire band was on fire. Scott sang with such force...I've never seen him give so much like he did tonite. Dave was solid and got a couple solos in...Matt's drumming was loud and tight and Duff's playing pure rock. As for Slash...I focused my attention on him for the majority of the night and he was flawless...the crowd responded to all his solos....the crowd was bowing to him and the people around me were left speechless at his great performance.

The set was similar to setlists posted for the previous shows...the new songs sounded great and though many ppl weren't familiar with them they still loved their high energy and rock n' roll rhythms. The Last Fight was a big crowd pleaser. Slash's guitar playing on that track was well above the work on Contraband. I'm sure everyone is looking forward with great anticipation for Libertad. The Contraband material drove the crowd into a frenzy and four covers were played, three of which were new to me. Vasoline was awesome...the guy next to me just nodded and said "fuck yeah!". Dave played the solo on that song...Wish You Were Here sounded amazing....another Slash highlight of the show with the doubleneck Gibson. Used to Love Her made the crowd go insane...even with chants for Brownstone....and Psycho Killer was done real well. Slash did some amazing slide guitar work on his knees right infront of me....

All in all the show was great and they should return up here at the end of the summer with Alice in Chains hopefully. The boys lived up to their expectations and more so...awesome show.