Duff McKagan at Paradise Rock Club, 11/4/24

Concert reviews

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

Duff McKagan with Lee Ving’s Range War in Paradise, November 4, 2024

When he walked out on stage at Paradise, Duff McKagan couldn’t help but feel deja vu all over again.

Having spent the last eight years playing sold out stadiums with Guns N’ Roses, since that band released the hugely 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. location.

“I played here in f—king 1987,” McKagan, 60, said. “I traveled the world before that and since then. I saw a lot of people, visited countless cafes, museums, churches and castles. Name. I notice and love it like crazy.”

These experiences were the inspiration for his latest solo offering. Drawing heavily on that material, the Seattle bassist laid out his musical thoughts during a 22-song, 90-minute set.

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

Dressed in a black vest and matching dress shirt with “1964” emblazoned across the chest and skull and crossbones across 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 status as a leader. His unique Tom Petty-meets-Bob Dylan-ish timbre worked well on a wide range of material. It also enhanced the relaxed tempo of songs like “This is The Song”.

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

Acoustic intro to “I Saw God on 10th St.” it was eerily reminiscent of 1988’s “GN’R Lies” era, leading to her guitar beat. The ballad “Tenderness” showed a softer side of the musician’s rough character. Other cuts like “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 filled the background on The Stooges’ cover of “I Wanna Be Your Dog” and the Crickets’ cover of “I Fought the Law”.

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

The bass player 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 rendition of “All Turning Loose.”

The 74-year-old singer was up to the challenge of the song, which in classic punk style lasted less than two minutes.

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

The legion of fans in attendance, decked out in Gun N’ Roses regalia, were also treated to a rocking rendition of ‘You’re Crazy’, from Guns N”s million-selling debut Appetite for Destruction Roses. The song, which got the biggest reaction from the crowd, was originally performed by GN’R at Paradise on October 27, 1987, over 37 years ago.

Times may have changed, but hard rock memories remain.

Setlist for Duff McKagan at the Paradise, November 4, 2024

• Forgiveness
• Chip away
• This is the song
• I saw God on 10th St.
• Sensitivity
• Feel
• Holy water
• I Wanna Be Your Dog (The Stooges cover)
• All Turning Loose (with Lee Ving)
• I just don’t know
• The fallen ones
• Fallen
• Wasted Heart (Duff McKagan’s Loaded song)
• Longfeather
• Just another Shakedown
• True dead
• I Fought The Law (The Crickets cover)
• You’re Crazy (Guns N’ Roses Cover)
• lighthouse
• You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (cover by Johnny Thunders featuring Jakob Dylan)
• Heroes (David Bowie cover with Jakob Dylan)
• Don’t look behind you