Released by: Eagle Rock Ent
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Rock/Alternative
Links: http://www.stonetemplepilots.com/
Line Up:
Dean DeLeo
Robert DeLeo
Eric Kretz
Scott Weiland
Tracklist:
1) Vasoline
2) Crackerman
3) Wicked Garden
4) Hollywood Bitch
5) Between The Lines
6) Hickory Dichotomy
7) Big Empty
8) Sour Girl
9) Creep
10) Plush
11) Interstate Love Song
12) Bagman
13) Huckleberry Crumble
14) Sex Type Thing
15) Dead And Bloated
16) Lounge Fly
17) Piece Of Pie
18) Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart
I’ll be the first one to tell you that I have never been a big Stone Temple Pilots or STP fan. There’s just something about their alternative rock/grunge sound that never really resonated with me. I know they had a string of hit records most notable they’re first two studio albums “Core” and “Purple” which featured a few friendly radio tunes that you can still hear to this day on your every day sucky rock mainstream radio station, but to me the grunge era although early on was obviously huge and helped smoke in the dust the 80’s Hard Rock bands, as quickly as it gain momentum it faded into the dark even faster. To me STP faded away after the mid 90’s and to this day I have never really gone back to recant some of their records.
I was however fortunate enough to check out the band one hot summer in south Florida at ZetaFest the local radio rock station festival as they we’re the headliners, alongside the Deftones and a few other mainstream rock bands. While I was impressed with their sound then, this was around 2000 in support of their No.4 record, their enigmatic and often troubled front man and vocalist Scott Weiland left too much to be desired when it came to his performance that day. Ever since that night I don’t think I have gone back and reflected too much on their music. This brings me to the present time and a few stints in rehab for Weiland, some heated personal battles between band members and a few break ups later.
Scott Weiland is no doubt an interesting individual, as it’s often with high profile band members, he has gone through some kind of turbulent past with countless stints in rehab from his implications with drug and alcohol. As much as he’s troubled past seemed to have been in the public light, his onstage presence and vocals has always been described as versatile, with his trademark megaphones and his array of flamboyant scarfs we’re all part of his on stage persona.
After his early success with the super group Velvet Revolver after leaving STP, Weiland left the band and reconcile with the Deleo brothers, this subsequently lead to STP getting back on the road in 2008 but never really commercially regain back the early years breakthrough. Forward back to 2010 and we have this DVD set that was filmed live from the Riviera Theater in Chicago, and it featured a slew of songs from their past to their sixth self title record. The film is captured in HD prestine quality as it was recorded in DTS-HD.
The venue itself is a more private, reserve setting then you may remember from the band earlier years, and regardless of the sold out crowd; here the band tears through some STP crowd favorites the likes of “Vasoline”, “Sex Type Thing”, “Creep” among others notables. Most of the songs are performed effortslessly, with a few clunkers that the band was trying to incorporate form their later catalog the likes of “Hollywood Bitch” and “Hickory Dichotomy”.
The night ends on a big note with the STP staple “Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart” as they close the night out with a bang. I was a little let down when the band omitted the excellent song “Down” from this particular performance, but hey it happens.
I was actually surprised at the band as they still sound marginally solid and Weiland can still magnetize it’s audience with his odd stage antics, his vocals however are lacking some strength which I’m sure are attributed to his battered past; that would be my only complaint. This is a nice treat for Stone Temple Pilot fans as the video is recorded in High Definition at a more reserved setting which is something guitar player Dean DeLeo had said in the past that the band was wanting to do more shows aimed at smaller venues. For fans of the band I don’t see anything wrong……….with checking into this DVD package.
Written by Denys
Ratings Denys 7/10
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