The weather report called for temperatures below normal and probable thunderstorms. So we piled the backseat of our hatchback with sweatshirts, ponchos, jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves and anything else that offered warmth and protection from the elements. Peeking inside the car, one might think that we were on our way for a week’s hike through the Appalachians. But really, we were just on our way to an outdoor show for a few hours. And we weren’t taking any chances that rain or cold were going to ruin what you might call the concert of a lifetime, Velvet Revolver.

To a Guns N Roses fan, Velvet Revolver is the ultimate reunion band, sans the allegedly deteriorated Axl Rose. Seriously, what fan of GNR wouldn’t want to see legendary 80s guitar god Slash rip some chords in his signature top hat, leather pants and open vest? And could you find one Stone Temple Pilots junkie who could resist Scott Weiland’s skeletal physique wriggling onstage with snake-like charm, topped off with rings of black eyeliner that only Robert Smith could outdo? That’s just what Velvet Revolver offers, and more. It’s a package deal band, which besides Slash and Weiland includes the remainder of Guns N Roses: bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum. This superstar lineup recently headlined a concert at New York’s Jones Beach Amphitheatre in Wantagh, Long Island. Opening up was radio-friendly pop band Hoobastank, but in comparison to Velvet Revolver, they’re hardly even worth mentioning. So let’s not.

With police sirens wailing and silhouetted images of women handling weapons flashing on large screens, Velvet Revolver burst onto stage with the opening track of the Contraband album, “Sucker Train Blues.” It was a picturesque hard rock scene as Slash tossed his mighty mane and Weiland pranced around, clad in what you could call a unique, but typically Weiland, stage outfit complete with pilot hat and pants so tight they might as well have been sewed on. Not that that’s anything to complain about.

Seeing this band live, it’s apparent that they love what they do. They’re into their songs, they’re into feeding into the crowd and feeding off of them, they’re into the whole live experience. These guys are true rock stars if there ever were any. And while they’re busy ripping up the stage and rocking out, there doesn’t seem to be any concern about being anything less than the best, because these guys are the real deal. Velvet Revolver is a great, entertaining band to watch, however, seeing them live leaves you wondering who in the crowd is actually there to see them, and who tagged along for a glimpse of the remnants of rock bands put to rest.

What became entirely obvious during the show was the shift of energy within the crowd when Velvet Revolver switched over from playing original songs to covering their former bands. During tunes like “Superhuman,” “Do It For The Kids,” and “Illegal i Song” (all rough, rowdy and raunchy picks), people were into it, moving around a little, mouthing the words that they knew. But the reaction was nothing compared to what it was when the band busted out with Stone Temple Pilot songs “Crackerman” and “Sex Type Thing,” and Guns N Roses classics “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone.” Because let’s face it, witnessing three-fourths of GNR crack into one of their hits is much sweeter than hearing a Velvet Revolver chorus about “cocaine, alcohol…[and] withdrawal,” even if the song is a killer one.

Speaking of substance abuse, Scott Weiland has sworn up and down, back and forth and side to side that he is stone cold sober. If he says he’s kicked the habit, for argument’s sake let’s just say that yes Scott, we believe you. However, he never promised to be of sound mind. And listening to him try and make a speech in the heat of the moment to say something, or anything that was remotely sensible, it became abundantly clear that his head is mostly full of applesauce. During the closing choruses of “Sex Type Thing,” Weiland scaled the stairs of the amphitheatre and in mere moments had perched himself on a guardrail on the third tier of stadium seats. And with this stunt, he proceeded the attempt to collect his thoughts and shout out something great and insightful to awe the crowd. Weiland shouted out, and he spoke passionately and from the heart, and he left everyone in awe, because no one had a clue what he was talking about. Between pauses in his nonsensical ramblings about power, rock and roll, and empowerment from rock and roll, we all cheered anyway because hey, this is Scott Weiland and he had something to say. We just didn’t know what it was.

So there we stood, in layers of winter clothes, watching this conglomeration of some of rock’s finest. It’s tough to beat. All in all, Velvet Revolver is more than worth your time. Even if you don’t know their stuff by heart, take solace in the fact that this may be your only opportunity to check out some of music’s real rock stars. Velvet Revolver will be joining this year’s annual Ozzfest for the last seven dates of the tour, so before you wind up like so many Guns N Roses or Stone Temple Pilots fans who wished they had just gotten off their couches and caught these rock stars when they had a chance, well, just get off the couch and go for it.