Duff McKagan @ le Trianon, Paris - October 20th, 2024

Last night, Duff McKagan hit the stage at Le Trianon, bringing a dose of stripped-down, no-BS rock 'n' roll to the heart of Paris' red-light district. It’s been about 16 months since we last saw Duff with this small-time band called Guns N' Roses, but the man in the spotlight last night was the solo artist—more raw, more personal, and just as awesome. The last time he played solo in Paris was over five years ago in a small club, and now, with his new album Lighthouse, Duff came armed with heartfelt songs and plenty of swagger.

Lighthouse may sound slightly less "Americana" than Tenderness, but it’s still brimming with that same emotional honesty. Duff's songs blend the universal with the personal, and his easy, unpretentious demeanor made the Trianon feel more like a living room than a theater. He chatted casually with the crowd, cracking jokes with fans up front like an old friend—a punk rocker at heart, charismatic and down to earth.

But of course the man isn't alone, and his band is a cracking unit: with Mike Squires on bass, Jeff Fielder on both guitar and keys, Tim DiJulio on guitar, and Michael Musburger on drums, they knew just when to let the tunes breathe and when to blow the roof off. The setlist was killer, too—just one Guns N’ Roses song (like  his GN'R bandmate Slash), a few covers that were a little predictable but still fun, and a bulk of tracks from Lighthouse and Tenderness.

The turnout wasn’t massive, but what the crowd lacked in size, it more than made up for in energy. The diehard fans that filled the room were fervent, feeding off Duff’s every word and note. As the night went on, it was clear—whether in a stadium or an intimate Parisian theater, McKagan remains the coolest motherfucker in the room.