I started college in 1994 and STP’s Purple and Live’s Throwing Copper were the soundtracks of my freshman year. Soul Asylum had been popular while I was in high school, and their appearance on MTV’s Unplugged is still a vivid memory for me. While age has affected these artists, and the songs didn’t seem quite as crisp as they did in the 90s, this concert was a lot of fun in a nostalgic way, and all three bands did sound very good.
I can’t change the world by complaining
Soul Asylum was always to me about singer David Pirner who always seemed to be very energetic on stage. He still commands a presence, but tonight’s performance was just as much about the whole band as they played a seven song opening set. “Someone To Shove” is a song I remember from the 90s, but like everyone else, I was looking forward to singing along with “Runaway Train!” They did not disappoint, and this song was the highlight of this enjoyable opening to a good night of music.
Deep enough to dive
I have been a fan of Live since the 90s, and this was the first time I would get to see them. I had looked at their set prior to the concert and was very excited with them opening with “Top” which happens to be a favorite. They would play seven other songs from Throwing Copper, and the strong set also included three songs from Secret Samadhi as well as a new song “Lady Bhang.” Singer Ed Kowolczyk’s voice is still strong, and they sounded great across the 14 songs they played.
As with every set tonight, Live’s performance was enhanced with a great visual presentation that complemented their music dealing with its dark overtones. “Freaks” and “The Dolphin’s Cry” stand out, but I felt there wasn’t a weak moment in the set. For the second encore, Ed dedicated “Lightning Crashes” to everyone and wished them luck in their own journey. This was a strong set, and definitely a highlight of the night.
Got time and time to wait for tomorrow
Stone Temple Pilots came on stage, and new singer Jeff Gutt sounded a little off to me as they began “Meatplow.” But on “Vasoline” and for the remainder of the set, he gained stride and did sound at times a lot like Scott Weiland. He definitely had a strong stage presence, as did bassist Robert DeLeo. They did a good job playing Purple in its entirety, and I really appreciated the tribute they gave to Scott Weiland’s legacy on “Still Remains”
While the songs from Purple comprised the highlight of the set, I was waiting for the four songs from Core they were going to play because that album has a special place in my music memories. “Plush” is a favorite, and a song I was very excited to hear. This was also a strong set and STP’s energy made them exciting to listen to. Like Live, I look forward to possibly seeing this band again as well.
It has been a strong year for bands from the 90s who are touring, and a show that highlighted two of the best albums from 1994 was special to this reviewer. It would’ve been awesome to see STP with Scott Weiland, or Live at Woodstock, but some things are not to be, and a great Sunday night show at Ruoff showed that these bands still have it. For those of us who came of age in the 90’s, this is good news indeed!