[aussiecreeder]

On Sunday the 27th the Hedonism express or Velvet Revolver show touched down in Melbourne. 3/5ths of this band were with Guns and Roses that toured in 1993 (the proper band not Axl's egotistical junket) that was full of sex, drugs and rock and roll....and more of the former. Most of the band save for eternal womaniser and bachelor Matt Sorum are happily married men but that element of danger still surrounds the band and adds a bit of excitement to a rock world otherwise full of dull counterfeits.

Australian act The Screaming Trees primed the crowd for an orgy of rock and had the crowd in high spirts with old favourites and some new doses of Aussie pub rock of the finest tradition. They played an energetic set of about 40 minutes in duration. About 15 minutes later the main attraction came on stage. The band opened its set with album opener "Suckertrain Blues" and singer Scott Weiland had the David Bowie gender-bender thing going on as well as pulling moves straight from the Mick Jagger book of entertaining a crowd.

While Weiland is the frontman Saul "Slash" Hudson was the obvious crowd favourite. His ripping solos, top hat, big hair and occassional cigarette had the crowd begging for more. His own little spot where he came out with a double-necked guitar before the rest of the band joined him for "You Got No Right" was an obvious highlight as well as time to pull out the lighters "Fall to Pieces". Matt Sorum's drum solo was also a crowd favourite that introduced "Set Me Free". Weiland went on a bit of a rant about the youth needing to start a revolution and saving the rest of humanity. Somehow he forgot to say what this was going to save us from. I found it highly amusing he spoke for about 5 minutes without making any real point. Kids when your parents tell do "don't do drugs" listen to them.....or you'll become Scott Weiland.

The setlist was very similar to previous concerts with most of Contraband played, GNR and STP covers and an Aeromsith cover. I doubt anyone left Vodafone Arena dissapointed, the crowd was treated to a rock show of the highest calibre.