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Stone Temple Pilots concert a glass half-full

By: Melissa Martin

16/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 8

Stone Temple Pilots' front man Scott Weiland and members of the band entertain a crowd of approximately 5,200 at the MTS Centre Sunday night.

DAN HARPER/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Stone Temple Pilots' front man Scott Weiland and members of the band entertain a crowd of approximately 5,200 at the MTS Centre Sunday night.

STONE Temple Pilots fans are a lot of things: faithful, patient, forgiving.

What they are not: diverse. The 5,000 faces at the MTS Centre last night filled a narrow demographic -- mostly male, mostly within a few years of 30. For our generation, the Stone Temple Pilots meant endless repeats of Plush on big black Discmans, a pilfered mickey of rye and a boom box in the bush.

Man, that band was awesome.

Then Scott Weiland fell to pieces, and kept falling. Haunted by drugs and drama and DUIs, he wouldn't write an album sober for over 15 years. And so the STP story ended with a whimper, a record nobody listened to, and a 2003 greatest-hits package, Thank You.

Then came spring 2008. Mere days after Slash and Duff booted Weiland, 42, from Velvet Revolver for "erratic behaviour" (having presumably had their fill of, ahem, challenging mic jockeys), the singer's STP cohorts gave him his dusty old job back.

Now, a year and change into the reunion, with a new album on the way, Winnipeg got to see if the STP resurrection truly lives.

A decade has passed since we last saw Weiland, drummer Eric Kretz and the DeLeo brothers (Robert on bass, Dave on guitar). Not that you'd know that from looking at the set list. With three exceptions -- including '99's seductive Down, a highlight -- it was like everything after Purple ('94) never happened.

Instead, shortly before 8:30 p.m., the quartet made a subdued march onto stage and banged out oldies

Silvergun Superman, Wicked Garden, Vasoline, and Big Empty in quick succession. The sound was tight, the performances eerily pitch-perfect. We might have been listening to our big black Discmans again.

But something wasn't quite there -- and it stood tensed in the middle of the stage. Slick and skinny in a white vest and blazer, Weiland looked feline, taut for a pounce that never actually came. His ripped-raw voice sounded like gold, but his body rooted like lead, and the DeLeos flanking him were hardly more energetic.

This wooden delivery could explain why the crowd was awfully quiet for the first hour. Occasionally, a robust "STP" chant rose from the floor, which Weiland coaxed. But between less-zeitgeisty tunes like Army Ants and Sour Girl, you could hear sneakers shuffle. There was head-bobbing where a thrashing floor pit should have been.

So, while they're definitely not half the band they used to be, they might be about three-quarters. Still, STP did finally get the amps to 11 almost an hour into the set, when the bombastic Crackerman and its accompanying video, Road Warrior, blew up the party big.

The Pilots then hit cruising speed with meaty performances of Plush and Interstate Love Song before skidding to an encore close with Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart, the only real glimpse into '96's Tiny Music: Songs From The Vatican Gift Shop.

Too bad about that part: All this show needed to be great was a big bang, baby.

Concert review

Stone Temple Pilots

Nov. 15

MTS Centre

Attendance: 5,200

Three and a half stars out of five

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 16, 2009 D2

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8 Commentscomment icon

I agree with Tracey - when you write an article please make sure to get your facts straight. Even though this article was less than flattering to the band, Dean deserves to have his name right.

I had the pleasure to see STP two nights in a row - Regina and Winnipeg. The audience (at least in the stands) were lame in Winnipeg. Bands feed off the energy of their audience and if the crowd is lame then the show isn't as good. I have been to many shows to know this is true. The drugs and age of the band is only part of the equation. As for Scott's voice, buy one of his solo albums, and you will see he still has it.

Everyone is allowed their opinion and this is mine, I had the best time at both shows because I lived in the moment and enjoyed the music that I have loved for so many years. I didn't waste my time comparing to the days of old or VR etc. (though I do have to admit VR did kick butt) The band may have stumbled over the years but it is nice to see them together again and making a go of it...

Ditto on "ONEofMANY" comment....but we saw STP in St Paul, MN, June 08 and WOW, that was an amazing concert. He was flying "high" that night and not to forget, his appearance was even more entertaining too, pink hair et al.

Hey, it goes to show excessive use of drugs and alcohol will slow ya down...we saw it last night. Don't get me wrong, STP will still remain one of my favorite bands but it kills to see such great talent diminish that way.

Good luck with the rest of the tour STP...

Melissa,

You should have you're copy editor double check your articles. The DeLeo brothers are Robert and Dean...Not Robert and Dave.

I know columists are not fans of eveything or everyone they write about but you should at least make an effort to get the names right...

I absolutely agree with ONEofMANY.

I was at the VR concert in Edmonton (spring 2005?) and was amazed at Scott's performance. From his vocals, to his interaction with the crowd it was what I thought an unbelievable show.
Having said that, I myself was a little disappointed in last night's show. I understand we are 'all' a bit older now and we don't move or sound the same as the early '90's I shudder to think that this was more a cash grab for the band than anything else. Very real lesson my 12 year old learned last night; this is what decades of drug and alcohol abuse looks like.
Still love the band, and will continue listening to them in younger times!! Best of luck to the band and their upcoming performances, may they last the length of their tour.

Yeah I thought the show was pretty predictable and not the bombastic thing it was in the past.

However in all fairness to the band, looking at their touring schedule the Winnipeg show was the 6th straight night in a row for the boys with no breaks at all. So I'm thinking the old dogs were a little beat up is all. If they had a day off or 2 before our gig I think the energy level would have been higher.

All in all it was a good show. Scot's voice was great and Dean sounded excellent...Rob still looks like a porn star. Like the "STP" design on the drumset and the video screen was pretty standard fair these days but cool anyways....

"So, while they're definitely not half the band they used to be, they might be about three-quarters."

That doesn't even make sense. Wish they would have played Big Bang Baby or Lady Picture Show, though maybe Weiland's voice couldn't make it work. Other than that, great show.

I thought the show was good, not great. However, it seems from recent reviews on line, STP is stora phoning it in on this tour. Either way, I'm happy that STP FINALLY came to Winnipeg to headline. Very happy with the set list overall!!!

As much as I love STP - this was a bit of a dissapointment. I saw Weiland in Edmonton fronting Velvet Revolver and you would think it was two different vocalists. Classic example how drugs (all of them) can take away one of the best voices in modern music.

Still - no Big Bang Baby or Lady Picture Show or Tumble in the Rough ??????

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