Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators

The name Mammoth WVH might not be a familiar one outside of rock circles until you realise that the initials stand for Wolfgang Van Halen, the son of acclaimed guitarist Eddie Van Halen. Opening for rock legend Slash at the Manchester AO Arena, Mammoth WVH displayed a tight set with Don’t Back Down, proving that the band could shine in their own glory regardless of pedigree. Hopefully, the next time the band visits the north, they will be headlining their own gigs.

With his signatory top hat, sunglasses, and Les Paul guitar, Slash is one of the most instantly recognisable figures in rock music. The Guns ‘N’ Roses guitarist arrived in Manchester with his new band, The Conspirators, for a two-hour blues and rock-infused set that had many ups and very few downs.

Rather than be a side project from his main job, Slash and the Conspirators, featuring Alter Bridge’s powerhouse vocalist Myles Kennedy, were forceful and ferocious. Bassist Todd Kerns gave a stunning version of the Guns ‘N’ Roses classic Bad Apples along with Always on the Run, the latter a cover of the Lenny Kravitz song co-written by Slash.

Wicked Stone gave the opportunity to demonstrate a dextrous guitar solo from Slash, though at nearly ten minutes long, it took the shine off one of their best songs, and the energy of earlier tracks The River is Rising and Driving Rain seemed to dissipate.

The mood changed yet again on a cover of Elton John’s Rocket Man, with Slash now playing a pedal steel guitar—yet another surprise on a rollercoaster of songs that peppered this memorable gig. Anastasia was the prefect goodbye on a night as Slash, Myles Kennedy, where the conspirators came up smelling of roses.