Events

[ROCK] It’s been a long hard ride for Dean and Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz—the musical core of Stone Temple Pilots. Brilliant but deeply troubled vocalist Scott Weiland helped brand the band’s sound and catapulted them to superstardom, but Weiland seemed determined to tear down what the quartet had worked so hard to build, despite sporadic efforts to turn things around. Now with Jeff Gutt (of X Factor fame, oddly enough) as STP’s vocalist, the band is on the road in support of a new self-titled album that dropped on Rhino in mid-March. Since he’s going to fall under extreme scrutiny, it’s a relief to report that Gutt tackles some of Weiland’s finer vocal qualities very well, bending notes with plenty of snarl and swagger, channeling that grunge-inspired bellow that originated with Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, which so many talented vocalists – Weiland included – have emulated since. But It’s also important to remember that Scott Weiland was one of a kind: there’s no real replacement to be made. So, STP is a different band now, albeit one that sounds pleasingly enough like the original. That’s going to have to suffice if you choose not to tune out, which is always an option.  They’re headed to Town Ballroom (with plenty of old material in the set) on Wednesday, May 9. Richmond’s Camp Howard is in the opening slot.