When I learned that the Stone Temple Pilots were playing in Vancouver I got very excited! There was no way I was going to miss one of the most dominant & influential band of the nineties! Check out my review of the band that never made it out to New Zealand :( Rumour is that they are going to visit NZ! Here are some reasons why you must go if you are a fan!

( From left to right - Robert DeLeo, Scott Weiland, Eric Kretz & Dean DeLeo )

Stone Temple Pilots

November 4 2010, Pacific Coliseum Vancouver BC

Setlist:

Crackerman

Wicked Garden

Vaseline

Heaven & Hot Rods

Between The Lines

Hickory Dichotomy

Still Remains

Cinnamon

Big Empty

Dancing Days (Led Zeppelin Cover)

Silvergun Superman

Plush

Interstate Love Song

Huckleberry Crumble

Down

Sex Type Thing

Encore

Dead & Bloated

Trippin' On A Hole In A Paper Heart

Stone Temple Pilots broke into the music scene in 1986 producing their brilliant debut album "Core" in 1992. They are from San Diego, California and flourished during the alternative rock/grunge era of the early nineties to become one of the most well recognized rock bands in my generation. They went through many up's and down's with lead singer Scott Weiland being jailed for drug possession and fracas with the brothers in the band, eventually leading to the breaking up of STP in 2003. Now, they are back and playing concerts across the globe ... Good news New Zealand Stone Temple Pilots have plans to tour down under! I recommend going to this show if you get a chance!

Concert Review

My party of four were delighted of the news of four tickets for $100 at Ticket Master (not including all the fees and bloating which brings it to $33 each) that we snapped it up and got the beers going on at the Cambie sacrificing the no namer band on beforehand. I was excited about heading to the venue for two reasons, firstly it is STP! Secondly it was at Pacific Coliseum home of the Vancouver Giants hockey team and old home for the Vancouver Canucks. (where they played the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals!)

I was playing over in my mind what I thought they might open up with and asked the guys what they thought? None of us got it right as they ploughed into the show with Crackerman off Core.  Taking a look around the crowd I realised it was not a sell out but there was an energy and focus of a lot of us undoubtedly seeing the band for the first time. So there was a good buzz in the air. Following up with Wicked Garden & Vaseline got the crowd going and really impressed me as I was always worried what songs were going to get missed from their impressive song catalogue.

One of the big highlights during the show was a song that they admitted they do not play very often. Now, I've heard that during STP shows in the past they would rip into a rare song in each show. Well, this time it was the cover of Dancing Days (originally by Led Zeppelin) off the Led Zeppelin tribute album Encomium. The two biggest songs to draw the crowd's reaction were back to back in Plush & Interstate Love Song. These songs are pretty much the big two of the bands 15 single history.

I was a bit gutted that they did not play Sour Girl from No. 4 or more off Tiny Music ... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop but if you look closely at the setlist and are a fan, you realise that this was definitely a STP rock night! What made up for the lack of hearing more songs that I wanted to hear was the encore with the opening track off Core "Dead & Bloated" (which I totally wanted to hear!) & then the grand finale of the guitar hero number one hit "Trippin' on a hole in a paper heart" They also played songs from their new "9 years later" self-titled album which fit into the set very well.

I'm so glad to have finally been able to see these guys play live in concert as they bring the energy and raw rock sound that a lot of people in their twenties and thirties grew up with. I am satisfied after seeing a band that captivated me for so many years and hope that you can watch them too when they come on tour to your town!

Here is an oldie but a goodie of the encore song "Trippin' on a hole in a paper heart" off Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop (played live in concert)