Coming out an hour late, forgetting lyrics, slurring apologetic introductions that get cut off by visibly annoyed band members–sounds like Weiland is back and better than ever! When Slash wakes up in a couple of hours and grabs The New York Times before enjoying his bagel (but after putting on on slippers, a bath towel, and a snake), the description of Stone Temple Pilots’ New York show will undoubtedly inspire a smirk.
Scott Weiland, the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, had just a few words for the crowd at the PNC Bank Arts Center on Saturday night, and that was probably a good thing. Two weeks into this post-grunge band’s reunion tour, he seemed bedraggled and bushed, like a scarecrow. His first comments were barely coherent, and what came next was dispiriting. “Sometimes you make crazy choices,” he said, in a distinctly undefiant tone.
Mr. Weiland noted that this was a hometown show for half of the band, the brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo, who play bass and guitar. “I apologize for …” he started to add.
“Apology accepted, brother,” Robert DeLeo said quickly, changing the subject and hustling on with the show.
… the feeling imparted by these performances was desultory and joyless. The band never rose above a sort of grim competence.
It was the same with Mr. Weiland. While he expertly struck the image of a rock star — strutting and preening, and shedding his white jacket and T-shirt to reveal a sinewy torso — his voice sounded less flexible than usual, and he sometimes seemed nearly out of breath. He forgot some lyrics and flubbed others, and often used a megaphone as a prop, or perhaps a crutch.
There’s already footage of Weiland’s attempt at apologizing for — I dunno, everything? — on YouTube.
Want more mumbling? Watch Weiland cling to the mic, before eventually sitting down, during “Creep.”
Can Weiland make it till Aug. 31, when the tour finally comes to a close at Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival? Can I resist noting that Stone Temple Pilots is planning to wrap up its tour in Seattle, which is kind of a “hometown show” for the band’s success?
Lead Singer Back in the Fold, Not Back From the Edge [NYT]
Stone Temple Pilots - Lady Picture Show @ PNC Bank Arts [YouTube via Blabbermouth]
Creep [YouTube]
Yes, it was as bad as everyone is reporting. Weiland was clearly wasted. I saw STP twice before they broke up and I saw Velvet Revolver probably 5 times — and every single time Weiland was absolutely captivating, slithering about the stage, engaging the audience, and hitting his notes. Saturday night was very, very sad.
Thanks. Ahhhh, sweet tasty schadenfreude.
Let’s fix this.
1. Weiland joins Pussycat Dolls.
2. Steve Perry hires on with STP.
3. Buckethead tours with both.
The world suddenly is more fun, if not quite a better place.
@okiedoke: If only for the baroque pleasure of watching Steve Perry sing “Sex Type Thing,” I shall pray for this.
@DaeSu: My…brain. The images.
Although I have passed my high school butt rock phase about 6 years ago, I have always held a special place in my heart for STP. So I went to this show, and yea, it was as bad as everyone is reporting.
Beyond being fucked up (I won’t speculate farther than that), Weiland’s voice is just gone. He can’t hit high notes and most of the songs were about 2 or 3 octaves lower then they should have been. I think that’s the major reason they rely on “Core” for their material, in addition to it being the most radio friendly album that the entire crowd seems to want.
However, the crowd was undeniably awful. What can you honestly expect our of a band when the crowd is booing during the wait, sending “junkie” text messages on the big screen, and pretty much only getting into it when “teh STP playz the song I know.” Not to get elitiest and play the “I’m a real fan” card, but it’s hard to feel like you had a great time when moderatly deep tracks (no pun intended) like “Lady Picture Show” get blank stares, but everyone pisses themself for an awful rendition of “Dead and Bloated.”
So all and all, the band sounded tight, Weiland did what we expected him to do, and the crowd had never heard the words “butt rock” before. Decent enough time, but I don’t think I’ll be seeing STP again.
And don’t get me started on the douchebaggery of Filter…
Oh, go on. What about Filter?
I’m sure everyone expected this to eventually become a massive shitshow eventually, but damn, less than month in and Weiland’s already half-dead?
Somewhere out there, Slash is laughing his ass off.
@Chris N.: Eh, why not.
So Filter was the middle act and I can’t hate on them for wanting to have the best show they could, but I really hate the artificial crowd interaction. Stuff like telling the crowd to get on their feet, or the “Take it, crowd!” kind of stuff.
Pretty much, Richard Patrick got mad that the people who paid for seats rather then the lawn were sitting down, and got mad that the entire crowd didn’t sing the chorus to “Hey Man Nice Shot” for him.
Thing is, Rich, you were the middle act. Your job is to maintain a steady energy for the headliner, not to get mad at the crowd who didn’t pay to see you. And don’t belittle people for not acting like they’re at a “rock show” when they are in a huge outdoor ampitheater and it’s still sunny out. They’re the middle act who haven’t had a hit in 10 years. They don’t get to be shot callers.
Considering STP was one of my three or four favorite bands in high school — damn, 11 years ago… — I had to go to the Jersey show. It was definitely a mixed bag for me; Weiland in no way compared to the whirling dervish he was on stage when I saw him in 2000. It was obvious from the start he was sadly pretty messed up considering I knew the lyrics to every song far better than he did, and I generally suck with that. His weird rambling comments also drew confused looks from all of us.
That said, for a longtime fan, the set included virtually every song I’d want to hear (with the exception of Atlanta). And he was sort of coherent for a good number of them. For nostalgia’s sake, it was what I was looking for. But yeah, even I admit this whole thing probably won’t end well.
Regarding Filter, who I know next to nothing about, we timed it relatively perfectly. We came in from the parking lot just in time to catch the last two songs — the only Filter songs I actually know. I had no desire to sing along.