Photo by PETE TROSHAK
He might have used up more than his allotted nine lives with his seemingly bottomless appetite for self-destruction, but on Sunday night at the Keswick Theatre Scott Weiland seemed a man reborn. He smiled, snaked and strutted his way through a career-spanning setlist to the delight of a loud and adoring audience. Dressed impeccably in a skinny sharkskin suit, the recently engaged rocker seemed hale, healthy, and resolutely sober, having requested only Gatorade and bottled water from the staff. His only apparent vice was a few mid-set puffs on a cigarette. His backing band was strong, with special props going to his Jerry Garcia-esque looking lead guitarist who nailed every note. But the real star of the night was Weiland’s voice – dark, soulful, and still powerful — which remains one of the most recognizable rock voices of the last 20 years. Highlights included the original verse version of STP’s “Crackerman,” the rarely played “Mockingbird Girl” and a witty reinvention of Velvet Revolver’s “Do It For The Kids.” But the most telling moment came halfway through the set when Weiland unleashed an epic, ceiling-rattling cover of Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song.” It was a fitting choice from a man who has climbed and fallen down his share mountains, but has always managed to get back up and try again. — PETE TROSHAK