Concert Reviews

“I played here in f—king 1987,” said McKagan, 60.

Duff McKagan with Lee Ving’s Range War at the Paradise, Nov. 4, 2024

As he stepped out onto the stage at the Paradise, Duff McKagan couldn’t help but get a sense of deja vu all over again.

After spending the past eight years playing sold out stadiums with Guns N’ Roses since that band launched the highly successful “Not In This Lifetime” reunion tour, the bassist has returned to his roots, embarking on an intimate club tour while promoting his third solo release, “Lighthouse.”

It was a unique change of pace for the musician, who still has a special place in his heart for the Comm Ave. venue.

“I played here in f—king 1987,” said McKagan, 60. “I’ve been traveling the world before that and ever since. I’ve seen a lot of people, visited countless coffee shops, museums, churches and castles. You name it. I observe and I f—king love it.”

Those experiences have been the inspiration for his latest solo offering. Relying heavily on that material, the Seattle-based bassist showcased his musical musings during a briskly paced, 90-minute, 22-song set.

“For those of you who invested in the ‘Lighthouse’ and ‘Tenderness’ records, it’s going to be a cool night for you all,” he told the crowd.

Dressed in a black vest and matching dress shirt with “1964” emblazoned on his chest and skull and crossbones on the back, McKagan set the tone. His atmospheric opener “Forgiveness” was matched by the catchy chorus of “Chip Away.”

Although not known as a vocalist, the musician managed to make the most of his frontman status. His unique Tom Petty-meets-Bob Dylan-ish twang worked well on an array of material. It also enhanced the laid-back groove of tunes like “This is The Song.”

He continued to shift gears and genres at will, going from soulful rock at one point to country swagger on the next, with a bit of punk thrown in for good measure.

The acoustic intro of “I Saw God on 10th St.” was eerily reminiscent of the “GN’R Lies” era of 1988, leading to its cigar-chomping guitar crunch. The ballad “Tenderness” showed a softer side of the musician’s rough-and-tumble persona. Other cuts such as “Feel” bordered on the spiritual.

But in the end, McKagan maintained his hard rock roots with his talented quartet following him every step of the way. Lead guitarist Tim Dijulio made “Holy Water” sizzle. Guitarist/keyboardist Jeff Fielder joined the fray during an extended jam on “Fallen.” Drummer Michael Musburger and bassist Mike Squires held the back end on The Stooges cover “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” and the Crickets cover “I Fought the Law.”

McKagan also tested the quartet with the power pop precision of “Longfeather,” arguably the best tune of the night. “Just Another Shakedown” showcased the band’s anthemic punk polish.

The bassist also got a little help from his friends. Fear frontman Lee Ving — who opened for McKagan with his band Range War — joined the headliner for an impromptu take on “All Turning Loose.”

The 74-year-old singer was up to the challenge on the song, which in classic punk style clocked in at under two minutes.

McKagan was also joined by special guest Jakob Dylan, whose group The Wallflowers plays the Wilbur Theatre Wednesday night. The son of Bob Dylan, Jakob assisted McKagan on a pair of songs, including the Johnny Thunders cover “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory” — the track was originally covered by Guns N’ Roses on their “Spaghetti Incident” release — before sharing lead vocals on the David Bowie classic “Heroes.”

The legion of fans in attendance dressed in Gun N’ Roses regalia were also treated to a rip-roaring rendition of “You’re Crazy,” off Guns N’ Roses multi-million selling debut “Appetite for Destruction.”  The song, which got the biggest reaction from the crowd, was originally played by GN’R at the Paradise back on Oct. 27, 1987, over 37 years ago.

Times may have changed, but the hard rock memories remain.

Setlist for Duff McKagan at the Paradise, Nov. 4, 2024

• Forgiveness
• Chip Away
• This Is the Song
• I Saw God on 10th St.
• Tenderness
• Feel
• Holy Water
• I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover)
• All Turning Loose (with Lee Ving)
• I Just Don’t Know
• Fallen Ones
• Fallen
• Wasted Heart (Duff McKagan’s Loaded song)
• Longfeather
• Just Another Shakedown
• True To the Death
• I Fought the Law (The Crickets cover)
• You’re Crazy (Guns N’ Roses cover)
• Lighthouse
• You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover with Jakob Dylan)
• Heroes (David Bowie cover with Jakob Dylan)
• Don’t Look Behind You

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