Review: Scott Weiland Stands Tall at CMW
For all the critique Scott Weiland has received the past few weeks from fans, social media 
comment specialists and press outlets (Riffyou.com included), what’s often gotten lost in the words is that Weiland is still that quintessential rock n’ roll frontman we first fell in love with during his time with Stone Temple Pilots.
This, mark our words, doesn’t mean that his troubles – including that fateful night in Texas last month – don’t ever feel that far away. But, on Thursday night in Toronto as part of Canadian Music Week (CMW), Weiland and The Wildabouts were wild just about the whole time. The troubles on this night stayed away.
When smacking out standout tunes like “The Way She Moves” and “White Lightning” from his 2015 album Blaster, Weiland displayed his distinct ability to deliver new, sweaty rock chuggers with swagger, crunch and groove.
As these new editions were widely welcomed by The Mod Club audience, it was Stone Temple Pilots classics like “Meat Plow” and “Big Bang Baby” that leaped from the set list sheet. After “Vasoline” was introduced, smartphone cameras went into motion perhaps with the anticipation of getting the tarnished Texas version – but that was not to be. Weiland nailed it.
On “Dead & Bloated,” Weiland and the fellas kicked up the tempo with a fresh arrangement of this early ’90s rock staple. Although some sideways glares were shared in the crowd, the embracing of it was much more prevalent – and a freshness was felt.
A steaming version of “Unglued” rang through the sweaty room, during the encore, as VIPs in the Jim Beam-sponsored section didn’t likely think about the irony of a hard liquor being so thickly promoted at a Weiland gig. Maybe they’ll put the pieces together in a few days – once they sober up.
As for Weiland’s stage presence, he is not much for the stage banter. Occasionally a wry song intro will emerge, but largely he is all business: sweating, slithering and vocally holding his own. The bombast may not be as hammer-to-nail-heavy anymore – it’s just more controlled and unleashed when the timing is right.
While it was a bit disappointing that the set ran under an hour, the audience seemed satisfied – even the sickies that half-hoped for another Texas-sized train wreck.
It is easy to view Weiland in a negative light: he’s been known to give us reasons to do so. He’s an easy target and easy to fault for not always coming through in the clutch.
In Toronto on this night, however, Weiland was clutch. He balanced nostalgia with relevance; mystique with audience appreciation; and a confidence with vulnerability.
He was the Scott Weiland we should always see – not just during a good stretch.
-Review and Photos by: Adam Grant
-Stay tuned for the Riffyou.com photo spread of the show.
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