The sheer joy of watching someone perform at the top of their game is an experience like no other and there is no denying that Slash, the one time guitarist for Guns N Roses and now solo artist is in fact at the top of his game.
He brought the new band he now fronts which features Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators and literally blew the roof off the Hard Rock Rocksino in Cleveland Ohio on Sept. 26, 2015. Lets not get ahead of ourselves though, before Slash assaulted the audience everyone was treated to a performance by The Last Internationale a solid three piece band that features guitarist Edgey Pires, vocalist Delila Paz and the exquisite backbeat of Brad Wilk of Rage Against The Machine fame. They performed a high powered albeit quick set that certainly had all in attendance eating out of their hands. It was an unexpected yet welcome surprise and proved to be the perfect warm up for what was to come.
I personally had never seen Slash either solo or with GNR but good 
friend, kick ass photographer and fellow Rock Revolter Patrick Desmond (whose fantastic camera work you’re seeing with this review) had just recently witnessed him at the Rock on the Range festival and he promised me I was not going to be disappointed – and I sure the hell was not.
Opening their 20 song set with the powerhouse ‘You’re a Lie’ they quickly transitioned into the GNR classic ‘Night Train’ and that kicked off the nearly 2hour assault of blistering, ear bleeding guitar work that can only be adequately described as awe inspiring. I’ve been lucky enough to see many of this generations guitar gods perform live and I can tell you without hesitation – Slash is one of the best there has ever been. His technique, style and stage presence is that of legend and to be able to bear witness to that first hand is almost beyond explanation.
While the entire set was masterful, for this reviewer’s money ‘Anastasia’, ‘Sweet Child o Mine’, ‘Civil War’ and the Velvet Revolver hit ‘Slither’ were clear standouts. For an encore they brought us the insanity that is ‘Paradise City’ and they had the capacity audience in a rabid frenzy at that point.
Slash brought his A game but something tells me, that’s the only game he has and while I am sure that seeing him in a festival atmosphere would be amazing (as Patrick can attest) seeing him in this smaller, intimate setting is the stuff that heavy metal dreams are made of – if you are ever given the opportunity – latch onto it.
Kudos to the sound engineers who had the bands sound crisp, sharp and precise. I can honestly tell you that this may well be one of the top five concerts I have ever witnessed and all involved deserve credit for making that so.
Slash and the boys are winding down the U.S. leg of their tour this month but there are still a few shows left – check out his official site for those dates – then he is overseas to finish out the year but wherever you are, if you can see this tour, do it.
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Review by Dave Dreher, RockRevolt Contributor
Photography by Patrick Desmond, RockRevolt Photo Journalist
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