L.A. Guns kicked off their Black Diamonds tour this past week with a holiday weekend performance on Sunday, July 2 at Jergel’s that began earlier than anticipated. With a packed-in crowd that began lining up mid-afternoon, there was no parking to be found by the time the band hit the stage just after 8pm. With a single opening act, local favorites, Dying Breed and a rapid-fire set from L.A. Guns, the show was over around 9:30 pm, which is when you’d normally expect a headliner to start at Jergel’s…
We arrived just in time to capture the energy as the band kicked things off with “Cannonball” from their 2021 release Checkered Past before diving into old favorites “Electric Gypsy” and “Over the Edge,” and the opening track from the recently released Black Diamonds album, “You Betray.”
The band’s touring line-up features the dynamic duo of Phil Lewis on vocals and Tracii Guns on guitar, along with Ace Von Johnson (Faster Pussycat) on guitar, Johnny Martin (The Chelsea Smiles) on bass, and Shawn Duncan (Odin) on drums. However, it is notable that the multi-talented Adam Hamilton, who has played both bass and guitar live with L.A. Guns, can be found performing on drums and strings on the studio tracks of the new material.
Highlights from the set included the high-octane “Speed” from the 2017 release The Missing Peace, as well as the ballad medley of “Crystal Eyes” and “The Ballad of Jayne” which always tops my list. But, if I had to pick crowd favorites “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Rip & Tear,” take the prize.
Follow us @ThePureRockShop for more captures, recaps, news, and interviews from of local and regional concerts and festivals including the Live/Loud Tour with Tom Keifer, Winger, and John Corabi, The Glam Slam Metal Tour II with Enuff ‘Z Nuff, Quireboys, and Bad Marriage at Crafthouse, Vixen at Jergel’s, and The Struts at The Roxian this month!
Recap and Live Photos by Editor and founder Kara Marie Uhrlen for The Pure Rock Shop. Posted on 7/3/2023.
