L.A. Guns Live From The Guild Theatre Review
L.A. Guns
Live From The Guild Theatre
Cleopatra Records
2026
There are several bands from my youth that I still follow, but very few inspire the level of obsession that L.A. Guns does. They're easily among my top five artists of all time. I can't even pinpoint exactly why anymore; they've simply become part of who I am. If you've spent any amount of time around me, you already know I'm a junkie for anything related to this band.
And yes, I followed Riley's L.A. Guns too. The reason was simple: Steve Riley was a monster behind the kit and one of my drumming heroes. In fact, Riley's involvement with L.A. Guns is what introduced me to the band in the first place. When he left W.A.S.P. to join L.A. Guns, I figured they had to be worth checking out. So, I blind-bought the self-titled cassette, even though Riley didn't actually play on it.
The moment that tape hit the deck, my musical world changed forever.
Phil Lewis instantly became one of my favorite vocalists, and Tracii Guns quickly earned a permanent place among my guitar heroes. Since then, I've spent thousands of dollars on CDs, vinyl, cassettes, shirts, DVDs, Blu-rays, and concert tickets in the name of L.A. Guns. And you know what? I'm not sorry, disappointed, or ashamed. While the band has seen more lineup changes than most, the mystique has never faded.
One of the things I love most about L.A. Guns, aside from the music itself, is their relentless work ethic. For roughly the last decade, they've been pumping out studio albums, live releases, and assorted goodies at a pace that would make bands half their age jealous. And this kid has bought every damn one of them. As far as I'm concerned, there's no such thing as too much L.A. Guns, whether it's a studio album, live record, demo collection, or some obscure release only diehards care about.
Which brings us to the latest offering.
"Live From The Guild Theatre" captures what appears to be the band's record release show for their latest studio album, "Leopard Skin." Recorded at The Guild Theatre in San Francisco, the title gets straight to the point. The release comes courtesy of Cleopatra Records, a label that feels tailor-made for a band like L.A. Guns. At this stage in their career, Cleopatra understands exactly what the fans want and isn't afraid to give it to them.
The setlist offers a healthy mix of early classics, mid-period gems, and newer material. Naturally, some of my biggest highlights come from the latter-day era of the band. "Speed" and "Cannonball" absolutely rip, while the inclusion of "Hellraisers Ball" is a welcome surprise since it doesn't show up on the setlist much these days.
Of course, staples like "Sex Action," "Rip and Tear," "Never Enough," and "I Wanna Be Your Man" are present and accounted for. They helped build the band's legacy, so leaving them out would be criminal. The appearance of "Over The Edge" is another major highlight. Honestly, it's one of the finest songs they've ever written and remains incredibly underrated.
The newer material shines especially bright here, though. You can almost feel the energy of the band testing these songs in front of a live audience and feeding off the reaction. "Hit And Run" was already a favorite from the studio album, but hearing it performed live gave me a completely different appreciation for it. I walked away liking it even more than I did before.
"Lucky Motherfucker" lands exactly as you'd expect, a giant right hook to the jaw. Tracii's riffs were practically designed to be blasted through concert speakers. "Like A Drug" also hits hard despite originating from the album, "Black Diamonds," proving once again how seamlessly the newer material sits alongside the classics.
And yes, before you ask, "The Ballad Of Jayne" is here. The crowd probably would've burned the place to the ground if it wasn't.
My wife and I caught L.A. Guns during the "Black Diamonds" tour, and toward the end of the show she started getting nervous because they hadn't played it yet. She kept looking at me like the world was ending. I told her to relax, they weren't leaving without playing "The Ballad Of Jayne." Sure enough, a song or two later the opening notes hit. She screamed her head off and lit up with the kind of smile that every guy loves seeing on the face of a beautiful woman.
And she's not even the biggest L.A. Guns fan.
At this point, L.A. Guns are a legendary act that continues to stack quality releases on top of one another. The remarkable thing is that they rarely miss. Plenty of their late-'80s contemporaries are still limping along with one or two original members and releasing records that range from forgettable to downright painful. Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns remain one of Hard Rock's most dependable creative partnerships, and they're still proving it.
If you've never experienced L.A. Guns live, you're missing out.
Cleopatra has rolled out the red carpet for this release with cassette, CD/DVD editions, Blu-ray, double LP pressings, and just about every format a collector could ask for. No matter how you consume your music, there's a version waiting for you.
The kid already owns the CD, and you can bet I'll be grabbing the Blu-ray and vinyl as soon as they land. Because after all these years, I've learned one important truth: There is no such thing as too much L.A. Guns merchandise.
Yes, I'm that guy. Completely obsessed.
Then again, as the band once told us, "I shoot to thrill and I'm second to none."