L.A. Guns – Lucky MF’R Tour 2026 // Sticks ‘N’ Stones // Live Review // Electric // Bristol
Thirty-eight years after releasing their self-titled debut album, and after enough line-up changes, break-ups, and reunions to fill a book, it would be easy for L.A. Guns to simply trade on past glories. The reunion of Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns several years ago was welcome news for fans, and tonight, at Electric Bristol, the years once again seemed to fall away as the band delivered a thrilling reminder of why they’ve endured while so many of their contemporaries have faded.
Canadian rockers Sticks N’ Stones supported the headliners with an impressive seven-song set that deserved far more than the polite early-evening reception most opening acts get. Opening with “Alone”, they immediately showcased a sound that successfully bridges generations of hard rock and metal. At times, their downtuned, muscular guitar work veered into modern djent territory, while elsewhere it stayed firmly rooted in bluesy hard rock swagger and classic metal riffing. Songs such as “How Does It Feel”, “Going Down” and “Feel Again” demonstrated a band unafraid to blend contemporary heaviness with old-school hooks. Frontman Adam Hanson impressed throughout, his powerful vocals combining the melodic approach of classic hard rock singers with the aggression and range expected of modern metal vocalists. “Reverie” brought a slightly more atmospheric feel before a storming cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Cold Sweat” earned one of the biggest reactions of their set. Closing with “Living In A Dream” and “Walking Dead Machine”, Sticks N’ Stones left the stage having undoubtedly gained a few new fans.
Review: Steve Gibbons
Photography: Emma Painter
As the familiar strains of Def Leppard’s “Switch 625” blasted through the PA, anticipation around the venue noticeably increased. Looking around the packed room, fans ranged from those who probably bought the band’s albums for the first time to others young enough to be their children. It reminded everyone that great songs have a habit of finding new audiences. Launching straight into “Cannonball”, L.A. Guns immediately made their intentions clear.
Phil Lewis emerged sporting shoulder-length white hair and a striking gold-and-green jacket over a matching waistcoat, looking every inch the rock star. With his silver hair and flamboyant attire, he looked more like he was auditioning to be the next Dr Who than the frontman of a sleazy Sunset Strip rock band. Tracii Guns, armed with a Stratocaster decked out in Eddie Van Halen’s iconic Diver Down artwork, looked completely at home on stage and clearly relished every minute. Meanwhile, Ace Von Johnson handled much of the evening with a low-slung Les Paul, providing the perfect foil to Tracii’s effortlessly fluid lead work. More importantly, Phil sounded superb throughout the evening, delivering a performance that belied the band’s long history.
What followed was essentially a dream set for long-time fans. Barely stopping for breath between songs, the hits came thick and fast. “Electric Gypsy”, “Sex Action”, “One More Reason” and “Over The Edge” all landed perfectly, drawing huge reactions from a crowd that seemed to know every word. Before “Over The Edge”, Tracii slipped in a teasing snippet of Ratt’s “Back For More”, a nice nod to their fellow Sunset Strip veterans that certainly didn’t go unnoticed. While nostalgia undoubtedly brought people through the doors, newer material such as “Speed” and “Lucky Motherfucker” sat comfortably alongside the classics and proved L.A. Guns are far more than a legacy act living on former glories.
“Like A Drug” kept the momentum going before Tracii took centre stage for a guitar solo that reminded everyone why he’s always been one of the most distinctive players to emerge from the Los Angeles hard rock scene. Flashy when required but always tasteful, it never outstayed its welcome and drew deserved applause from the Bristol crowd.
Back to the songs, “I Wanna Be Your Man” and “Kiss My Love Goodbye” maintained the high standard as the band headed into the home stretch. A brief tease of AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” introduced “Never Enough”, my own personal highlight of the evening and one of the finest songs in the L.A. Guns catalogue. It sounded every bit as fresh and vital as it did decades ago and segued perfectly into the obligatory “Ballad Of Jayne”, with the Bristol crowd enthusiastically handling much of the vocal work themselves.
There was only one possible ending. “Rip And Tear” brought the evening to a suitably raucous conclusion, complete with band introductions and a crowd that needed little encouragement to join in.
No gimmicks, very little between-song chatter and no unnecessary filler. Just a veteran hard rock band walking on stage and letting a catalogue packed with quality songs do the talking. Nearly four decades after they first burst onto the scene, L.A. Guns remain firing on all cylinders, and this was another reminder of why these songs still resonate with fans young and old.
If there was one disappointment, it was the absence of an encore. As “Rip And Tear” drew to a close, the band still had one more song left in them, and “Show No Mercy” would have made the perfect send-off. Still, it’s hard to complain after witnessing a set packed with this many quality songs.
A masterclass in sleazy, streetwise rock ‘n’ roll.
