The history of the LA Guns is a long and complex one fraught with bitter disputes, which have bizarrely resulted in two versions of the band touring under the same name: that of longtime frontman Phil Lewis, and tonight’s offering, which features original singer Paul Black and founding member and guitarist Tracii Guns. The situation has divided (and often confused!) the band’s fanbase, some of whom view Lewis’s line-up as more credible and some of whom argue that Tracii’s recently reunited version features more original members and is therefore the authentic one. Paul Black is often considered the unsung hero of the LA Guns, contributing to much of the band’s debut album before he was replaced by Lewis in the mid 80s. Having seen Phil give an enjoyable performance a couple of years ago, I was looking forward to seeing how Paul would fare in comparison and moreover, what kind of a show he and Tracii would be able to pull off together after all these years. 

As the band opened with Wheels of Fire, Black’s vocals were a noticeable contrast to Lewis’s; they were more gritty and raw, with a lower range, and his voice took some getting used to after being accustomed to hearing the Guns’ records. However, this was definitely a good thing, as he put his own spin on the material, even singing his own lyrics on tracks such as One More Reason, No Mercy and One Way Ticket. And he was still one hell of a frontman. As well as carrying the tunes with confidence, he looked great, was constantly animated and engaged the audience at all times, even diving into the dense crowd on several occasions.  

Tracii Guns was on top form and his trademark guitar stylings sounded as impressive and as fresh as ever. I was partly expecting a ‘Tracii Guns Band’ scenario, but while a good deal of the focus was inevitably directed at the group’s legendary axeman, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the band’s dynamic was extremely well-balanced. Tracii’s son Jeremy ably rocked out on bass, and Chad Stewart, the replacement drummer for Nickey Alexander (who was, in true Spinal Tap fashion, absent tonight) seemed more than capable of filling his boots. Some may criticise the LA Guns for being a bit of a circus (they’ve managed to clock up a total of about forty members over the years) but this incarnation was a solid machine; their onstage chemistry was great and they all seemed to be having a blast.  

The Guns predictably performed plenty of old favourites like Electric Gypsy and Rip ‘n’ Tear, their renditions of which, perhaps surprisingly, didn’t stray too far from the familiar recorded versions. Part of me was expecting the band to do something a bit different with them, although on the whole the balance between originality and giving the audience what they wanted to hear seemed about right. My personal highlight was sitting onstage next to Paul Black during The Ballad of Jayne, during which he invited up most of the first couple of rows. Although the song sounded considerably gruffer with Black on vocals, it worked quite well and he gave the track a distinctive edge. 

As well as the obvious choices, the set also included Over the Edge, a welcome addition which hinted at the band’s darker, more introspective side. There was also a cover of the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always Get What You Want, as well as Shut The Fuck Up, by Tracii’s erstwhile project, Brides Of Destruction. Tracii even treated us to a taste of the Sweet Child O’Mine riff, which went down well with the audience. 

I spoke to Paul Black after the show about the whole LA Guns saga and it seemed there was still a degree of hostility between the two line-ups. It may well be that neither can claim to be the original, bona fide version, but both have different yet equally valid qualities to offer. Phil Lewis’s group may be slightly slicker and more polished, but Tracii Guns is undeniably an integral part of the band and Paul Black is a talented songwriter and showman. The ‘real’ LA Guns may not exist anymore, but both of today’s incarnations are definitely worth seeing.

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