Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.

It might be easier to say, “I saw Slash at the YouTube Theater on February 18th.”

You could kind of shorten it to, “I saw Slash with Myles Kennedy.”

But that would be a disservice to the band. Because make no mistake about this, Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators is a real band, not just Slash and some backup guys playing some tunes. After 10 plus years and four albums, they have their on-stage sound down.

Sure, that sound is built around the unmistakable tone that Slash pulls out of his Les Paul and a few others axes during the show. (Slash on the Flying V! Slash on the double-neck!) Vocally, Myles Kennedy is almost the perfect compliment to Slash’s playing. (There is that other guy in that other band.) Being with Slash shows a slightly different side to Myles compared to his work in Alter Bridge. He has a confident, strong voice that breaks through and takes on a bluesier feel when he works with Slash. He also is a multi-talented musician as he proved with his work on the triangle to open “Whatever Gets You By.” Myles isn’t afraid to show his feelings either. The touching new song, “Fill My World” is written about his dog, Mozart.

But Myles isn’t the only one singing on stage. Bassist Todd Kerns not only provides backup vocals and harmony, but also took the lead on a cover of Lenny Kravitz’s “Always On the Run” and “Dr. Alibi,” a Slash track that originally featured Lemmy from Motorhead. The band’s drumming engine is Brent Fitz and on rhythm guitar is Frank Sidoris. Slash likes to work with a second guitarist and Sidoris can hold his own next to a hall-of-famer.

This is a powerhouse of a band and really, there aren’t many of their kind still around. So we can the thank the gods of rock that a guitar god like Slash has an itchy vibrato finger, makes new music and brings it to the people. And although his name fronts the band, Slash didn’t say a lot during the show. He obviously prefers to let his music do the talking. The one time he did come to the mic to address the audience was to introduce his version of the Elton John classic, “Rocketman” which really became another chance for Myles Kennedy to show just how amazing and effortless his range is.

The YouTube Theater is a totally modern venue, connected to the home of this year’s Super Bowl, SoFi Stadium. So if you’ve seen Slash and the guys in a smaller, funkier, grittier, dirtier setting, the upscale, almost bougie feel might have thrown you for a moment. But halfway through the opener, "Driving Rain", from their last album, the band showed that they owned that extra large stage. Although there were moments during certain solos that Slash was so far away from the band he seemed to be in his own little corner of the universe. A Slashverse unto himself. One more step and it was exit, Stage Left. But then when the solo ended, he would head back and join Myles and the others.

There weren’t any big surprises or guest stars like certain past shows when Duff McKagan might join them onstage for a song or two. So maybe that was a surprise in and of itself, no GN’R songs, no Velvet Revolver songs. But the audience was on their feet the entire show, singing along. They knew the lyrics. They knew the catalog. They loved this band for who they are now. Not for what they represented from the past. Or songs they hoped to hear.

Setlist:

Driving Rain
My Antidote
Shots Fired
Serve You Right
Back From Cali
Bad Rain
The River Is Rising
Whatever Gets You By
Always on the Run (Lenny Kravitz cover) (Todd Kerns on Vocals)
No More Heroes
Speed Parade (Slash’s Snakepit cover)
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Fill My World
The One You Loved Is Gone
Call off the Dogs
Doctor Alibi (Slash song) (Todd Kerns on Vocals)
Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time) (Elton John cover)
Nothing to Say
You’re a Lie
World on Fire (Extended)

Encore:

Anastasia 

A note about the set list: There were five songs from the new album, 4. The first single, “The River is Rising”, as well as, “Whatever Gets You By”, “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”, “Fill My World”, and “Call Off The Dogs.”

So that meant they literally played half the album. That’s because 4 rocks. And apparently, they are also playing “C’est La Vie” while on tour. So that makes six songs they are confident enough to play on the road. And those are at least six great reasons to listen to Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators 4.

It was the first SMKTC album with all five members recording as a group instead of parts being pieced together. It could also be the first album where the band completely sounds like a band track to track. Maybe because it was executed in more of an old-school way by producer Dave Cobb and I think Slash made the right decision in gathering the band on a bus and heading to Nashville to get it done. Even if they faced unexpected COVID issues along the way.