Stone Temple Pilots / Dreamers @ House of Blues, Dallas, TX

Walking up to the House of Blues, it was hard to gauge the fans lining up for the show. Sure, on paper, it's a Stone Temple Pilots show. But, until now, the band had been led by longtime vocalist, Scott Weiland. And as much as I would have loved to see Weiland front the band, I could see why those attending the show were excited to see Linkin Park frontman, Chester Bennington, lead the way. And why not? He's been an integral part of one of the more successful alternative rock bands of the past decade. But would he be able to fill the shoes as the voice of STP? Only time would tell. And time told.

To put it simply, Stone Temple Pilots have been in a mild turmoil between the band and its longtime vocalist. He said this, he said that. It became a mess in a hurry. But that didn't keep brothers DeLeo from moving forward with a seasoned vocalist in Bennington. And he sure did fit the part. Opening with "Lounge Fly" before jumping into "Vasoline", you could see why the band picked Chester for the job. He fit the mold perfectly. His vocals were in the same range as Weiland's, not the screeching, raspy vocals you typically hear on Linkin Park songs. He was also very energetic, almost portraying Weiland-esque movements as he belted out line after line. Even going as far as removing his shirt three quarters into the set, it was obvious that the outline was still in play, regardless of who was fronting the band. But one thing's for sure, the band didn't skip a beat. They were tight and on top of their game. Songs like "Plush" and "Interstate Love Song" totally hit the spot, leaving you wanting more from the rock wonders. Overall, it was a pretty great set. Photos of the show are below:

Dreamers