Fourteen years ago Kurt Cobain was still alive (well, barely) and so was grunge, the punk-inspired off-beat genre that paved the way for alternative's explosive, commercial takeover. Leading the pack was Stone Temple Pilots, a San Diego four-piece fronted by the enigmatic Scott Weiland.
At the time, three things characterized Weiland's sudden occupation of rock's attention: His deep, suave vocals, his blatant drug abuse and the fact that his band's second album "Purple" was the wickedly dark new staple of a generation.
It was the perfect recipe for "rock star" and when Stone Temple Pilots took to the Summerfest main stage that year, it was a memorable event as the band cranked out hit after hit off the country's then-No. 1 pop-chart album.
Friday night we saw a slightly-aged, but a very much refreshed and ready-to-go Stone Temple Pilots, and if its half-cover of "We Will Rock You" was any indication, it was determined to pick up right where it left us that summer back in '94.
It's the Fourth of July and, wouldn't you know it, Weiland came out wrapped in Old Glory, with only his pencil-thin jet black jeans and stark white short boots showing. Donning his now-signature tattered cowboy hat (there may have been more copy-cat cowboy hats in this audience than at Tim McGraw the night previous), he led the band into "Big Empty," followed by one of several "Core" hits, "Wicked Garden."
The crowd went ballistic. It wasn't as packed as the '94 show, but the first two sections were full, as was the lawn, leaving only holes in the bleacher wings.
After a raspy introduction to "Lounge Fly," Weiland ditched the American flag for a megaphone, which further amplified his sultry, smoky drawl ... it's actually amazing how drugged out he sounds despite his sobriety. His ability to harness an audience has possibly only grown with time, as he managed to near hypnotize the fist-pumping herds with his spazzy stagger and awkward dance moves. And when he sat down on the front of the stage to sing a nostalgic version of "Creep," the lighters flickered across the darkness of the Amphitheater and a hush fell upon the once raucous crowd.
It was great getting Weiland's running commentary on his music, especially the old stuff that was obviously a blast for him and his recently reunited bandmates to play together again. Before diving into "Plush" he admitted that touring with Megadeth back in the early ‘90s was tough -- "wet" was the term he actually used, explaining that the metal head fans often chucked beer at him on stage -- until STP came out with that song. Post "Plush," however, he'd gained respect from the set who was there to rock ... hard.
Most telling, perhaps, was his into to "Interstate Love Song," which he called his favorite STP song of all time. He called the making of "Purple" a "golden experience," citing that it only took the band 10 days to write and another 10 to record. The album went on to debut at No. 1 and was certified platinum six times over.
As the evening pressed on, so did Weiland's eventual strip tease, and before long he was shirtless (And he wonders why Megadeath fans threw beer at him?). At 40, he still looks and acts the part of a man half his age. The band has announced plans to head back into the recording studio this November for a sixth album ... we'll see if his youthful rejuvenation can carry STP on for a new generation who missed out the first time around.
Frank Black (born Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, amazingly enough) opened the show. The year was 1985 when the now legendary songwriter introduced himself to the rock world as Black Francis, the frontman for the Pixies. When the band re-united in 2004 and toured (including a Summerfest stop in ‘05) the fan reaction was that of elation.
Tonight, unfortunately, was a different story. Either the nostalgia had worn off, or this simply was not Black's crowd (the more likely scenario), but the mostly-wandering audience was disengaged from his performance and there were even a bit of booing from the back. Maybe next time, Frank, if there is one.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
