Stone Temple Pilots and Bush performed in São Paulo and will be going to Rio and Belo Horizonte.
Stone Temple Pilots and Bush have more in common than just their grunge roots, or post-grunge as some prefer. They are two great bands capable of generating a lot of excitement in those who spent their childhood and adolescence in the 90s. Younger audiences, however, are likely familiar with other, more famous music, and should respect the names.
Another characteristic they have in common, and what makes their joint tour in Brazil so intriguing, is the band members. Both groups showcased members who had never performed on a stage in the country before, making their Brazilian debut at Credicar Hall in São Paulo.
The frontman position for Stone Temple Pilots passed from Scott Weiland to Chester Bennington and from him to Jeff Gutt . The other members are the same as at the beginning of the band: guitar and bass with brothers Dean and Robert DeLeo , and drums with Eric Kretz .
Bush's vocalist remains the same, and always energetic, Gavin Rossdale , alongside original drummer Robin Goodridge . The new members are Chris Traynor and Corey Britz , on guitar and bass respectively.
The guys from Stone Temple Pilots, who came on stage first, no longer have the same energy as before. That's why Jeff Gutt is almost a forty-something crutch among his bandmates who are over 50. This age difference makes Gutt seem more relaxed on stage. And his resemblance to Scott Weiland is striking. It's like a cosplay that fools everyone and takes photos pretending to be the original.
Gutt dances, shrugs his shoulders, jumps, and seduces in a way that only a seasoned rocker can. On vocals, he holds the fort left by the two former singers, who were better than him. The highlight of the performance was "Plush," one of the band's anthems. Meanwhile, Dean DeLeo was soloing, eliciting screams from the audience, and Robert interacted with the crowd, making faces with his characteristic style.
Bush entered with the stage already set. Gavin and company opened the show with "Machinehead," as if they wanted to get out of the way what they knew everyone was expecting. From then on, it was all about being surprised and enjoying a show whose setlist barely strayed from the 90s (just like STP's).
The singer interacted with the audience the whole time. He came down from the stage and sang along with the general public, from the regular standing area, not the wealthy section as he made a point of emphasizing. All the English sarcasm was present as he joked with the audience, talked about global warming, and swore. He was a kid from the 90s, seemingly transported to 2019 by Doctor Who. At the fans' request, the band played "Greedy Fly" impromptu. Meanwhile, the new members kept up the good work, energizing the crowd, smiling, and joking around.
While the post-grunge era may be over, the renewed spirit of the current lineups brings a mix of nostalgia and novelty. It's a strange feeling of seeing the original band, but with the feel of a cover band or a tribute. Energy was certainly not lacking. And if it can't bring light to the new generation of audiences, at least it keeps alive the energy that was fading in the former 90s teenagers.
Photos of Bush by: Mila Maluhy
