Concert Review
L.A. Guns
Wednesday April 23, 2025
West Herr Riviera Theatre
North Tonawanda, NY
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
Looking back in July of 2004 at the now defunct Club Infinity, L.A. Guns played a show to a mere thirty-one people. I know this because I walked around the venue and counted the attendees. The band had played many other shows throughout the years where the attendance was not quite what one expect from the “Kings of the Sunset Strip”. The band returned with original guitarist Tracii Guns in tow last year as they were special guest to KK’s Priest. That show saw LA Guns at their best as they were clearly enjoying playing to a packed house. This time around they are touring in support of their brand spanking new release Leopard Skin.
L.A. Guns probably own some kind of record with having many different members and countless lineups throughout the years. Heck at one point there were two versions of the band out touring at the same time making it hard for fans to know which version they signed up to see. The band lineup has thankfully stabilized over the past few years. This version has been around since 2022 when drummer Shawn Duncan took over behind the kit. I must say this version is perhaps the best since the original lineup. Led by guitarist Tracii Guns and vocalist Phil Lewis, the band is rounded out by bassist Johnny Martin and guitarist Ace Von Johnson.
The night kicked off with “Cannonball”, the song that open their 2021 release Checkered Past also one of vocalist Lewis’ favorites from the catalog. A triple shot of what Lewis called “the nuggets” consisting of “Electric Gypsy”, “Over the Edge” and “Sex Action” followed.
After that the band decided to unleash the brand new “Hit and Run” which has an old school 70’s feel to it. It went over well for being a new song. They also chose to mix in the powerful “Speed” and “Like A Drug” both culling from recent releases The Missing Peace and Black Diamonds respectively.
It was the triple whammy that brought the house down. Ending with “Never Enough”, “The Ballad of Jayne” and “Rip and Tear” may have been the perfect ending to the evening. This being the second night of the band’s tour, Lewis was quite pleased with the crowd, calling it much better than the night before in Warrendale, PA. I was even surprised how loud and enthusiastic the crowd was singing on “Jayne”. Lewis appeared to be truly enjoying it.
The band has come full circle experiencing the highs and lows of being a band from their genre. Right now this is the brightest the band’s future has been since Guns left following the band’s most underrated album Waking The Dead back in 2002. Leopard Skin is the bands fifth album since the Lewis/Guns reunion in 2016. Currently they are playing headlining shows in smaller, more intimate venues before jumping on Tom Keifer’s 2025 late-summer tour. It goes to show in this fickle music business how perseverance sometimes pays off. However you slice it, if they play anywhere near you we highly advise catching this lineup and see for yourself.
Set List
Cannonball
Electric Gypsy
Over the Edge
Sex Action
Hit and Run
Like a Drug
Speed
One More Reason
I Wanna Be Your Man
Lucky Motherfucker
Never Enough
The Ballad of Jayne
Rip and Tear
