Drummer’s Show

A half-hour spent at a dentist’s office is far preferable than the 30 minutes I spent enduring the self-indulgent, languid musings of post-rehab Scott Weiland at the first KROQ “Almost Acoustic Christmas” show last Friday night. While reviewer Natalie Nichols and I might agree to disagree on Weiland’s performance (which I was looking forward to), can one argue with the sold-out crowd that initially greeted his appearance with effusive applause and ended the set sitting down silently with a few boos and catcalls (“. . . After Beck Steals the First KROQ Show,” Dec. 8)?

Weiland, apparently taking career advice from David Caruso and David Lee Roth, delivered an embarrassing set of “gothic cabaret rock.” To call his set more compelling than Jane’s Addiction’s is simply preposterous. Experiencing Perry, Flea, Dave and Stephen together was infinitely more fascinating than all but Beck, let alone the bush-league performance of Weiland. His appearance on KROQ’s bill would have been far more palatable had it been sandwiched between pretenders Chumbawamba and Blink 182.

TYLER SUCHMAN

Venice

Nichols claims that Sarah McLachlan’s performance seemed “even limper in the wake of Beck’s tour de force.” Beck’s performance verged on being ridiculous. McLachlan made him seem like a little boy not knowing what he was doing but making a lot of noise to arouse the crowd.

McLachlan’s songs are beautifully crafted, moving and sung with a voice that is unbelievably soothing and comforting. Maybe I’m just getting older and more critical of music, but after hearing her music everything pales in comparison--especially Beck.

JULIE BILBREY

Downey