Skid Row — one of the last metal acts to enjoy mainstream success before grunge shook up the airwaves — hit the Aztec Theatre Saturday for a show that had the sweaty, enthusiastic crowd throwing devil horns like it was the ’90s all over again.
Yes, Skid Row may have made its Alamo City debut with Bon Jovi in 1989, but the band is more correctly associated with the early ’90s defined by Guns N’ Roses — let’s call it the “snakeskin boots era.” It’s telling that Skid Row’s second gig here in 1991 had support from Pantera. That was when the headliner was pushing its Slave to the Grind LP, a rare instance when an act got heavier after its debut.
Had things stayed on track, Skid Row might have become as big as Pantera or GnR. Instead, the band kicked out singer Sebastian Bach after a middling third LP, citing his ego and the difficulty of dealing with the associated bullshit.
Skid Row has repeatedly shot down any reunion talk since. And you gotta give the members credit for sticking to their guns, given the payday promoters are likely offering Bach’s return.
Not to mention, things have been, well, a little rocky since Bach’s ouster. Current vocalist Erik Grönwall is the group’s fourth replacement — a challenge for loyal fans and a tough hurdle for any musical act to clear.
So, despite that baggage, did Skid Row pull off its Aztec show? Judging from fans’ reactions, consider it a “yes.”
Not surprisingly, 11 of the band’s 13 songs were from its debut album and Slave.
The surprising part of the evening was that the songs still felt relevant somehow, a bit of age-related humor aside. The group’s set-closing anthem “Youth Gone Wild” contains the line “We are the young, so raise your hands.” The couplet brought a smile to anyone self-aware enough to consider the performers’ (and fans’) current ages.
Skid Row hit the stage with “Slave to the Grind,” a perfect high-energy song to open its set. The tune’s Motörhead-style fury reminded the crowd that they weren’t there to see Poison.
The band played in front of a backdrop with graphics intended to look like American flags, but the red stars looked more like forgotten communist imagery — surely a philosophy that wouldn’t be popular with its target market. We’re guessing “Youth Gone Wild” is no secret paean to Ho Chi Minh.
While Grönwall was a capable frontman, bassist Rachel Bolan remains Skid Row’s most charismatic member. He’s the primary author of its songs, and it appeared to hold court like a gothic vampire, barely aged over the past three decades.
The set unfolded quickly with minimum amount of banter. “I Remember You” was the big singalong, of course, but “18 and Life,” “Big Guns” and “Makin’ a Mess” were also highlights, as was the powerful “Quicksand Jesus,” an almost-ballad from Slave.
And “Monkey Business” — arguably Skid Row’s best song — was another obvious highlight. Grönwall capably handled Bach’s scream near the beginning, nailing the long-gone vocalist’s signature move.
Need more evidence that Skid Row’s current incarnation is invoking the early ’90s? How about its openers, Buckcherry and Kurt Deimer? Neither looked back to the poodle era of the late 1980s.
After a brief set of brawny commercial hard rock from Deimer, Buckcherry played for an hour, making its set just five minutes shorter than Skid Row’s. The hefty allotment of time made the evening feel co-headlined.
In a situation directly opposite from the headliners’s revolving-singer problem, Buckcherry frontman Josh Todd remains that group’s only original member.
Todd takes his cues from GnR vocalist Axl Rose, particularly his low-end melodies and lithe movements. However, he also owes a debt to Stone Temple Pilots’ Scott Weiland in the way he composes a melody and carries himself.
These two sides were particularly apparent in the set-opening “Lit Up,” whose “I love the cocaine” refrain wasn’t the most subtle lyric of the night. More of an AC/DC vibe prevailed as Buckcherry’s show progressed, particularly on the songs “Ridin’” and “Hellbound.”
While Buckcherry’s instrumentalists offered capable support, Todd was the star. He led the way through a fun cover of Bryan Adams’ ubiquitous “Summer of ’69,” as well as a set-closing medley based around the band’s own “Crazy Bitch” that included a shoutout to Tina Turner and a snippet of “Proud Mary.”
Skid Row and Buckcherry have been around for decades now, so maybe the Aztec show was a nostalgic evening. Or maybe not.
The attendee were clearly making new memories as they enjoyed the show, so maybe the message was simply to live for tonight. For some, the days of youth going wild are long gone, but a night of fun music remains timeless.
