Lighthouse is a recording of a sold-out gig Duff McKagan and his band played at the Islington Assembly Hall, October 5th 2024, a venue very much smaller than the ones he’s used to playing in with his day job. The fact of a sell-out is no surprise, given he plays in an iconic rock band. The set performed is a varied mix of tracks from his recent solo work, mostly from Lighthouse, plus several interesting choices of cover versions. Towards the end of the set, ex-Sex Pistol Steve Jones joins the band onstage to run through a couple of well-known tunes.
Duff is to be credited for going a different way, as it’d be very easy for him to put a ‘Guns N Roses‘ type band together. Here, what he performs is Americana with a little blues, some country, and a detour into a few rock numbers towards the end of the set. This music is far more reflective, low-key, and insightful than what he plays with his other band.
The setlist opens with ‘Forgiveness‘ and is drawn mainly from his last solo album, Lighthouse, from which he plays most of the tracks. He performs a straightforward set, and it’s all about the music rather than ego and the self-aggrandisement of a rock star. With his name, he could probably pick an all-star band and play large venues, but he’s kept it all low-key. There’re no big names in his band, but they’re all good musicians who interpret Duff‘s music supremely well.
After ‘I Found God On 10th Street‘, Duff gives us a few tracks from his previous solo album, Tenderness, including the eponymous mellow title track—tenderness is what we need—’Feel‘, and ‘Chip Away‘, said to be a favourite with Bob Dylan. Following ‘Holy Water‘, the band rev up for a shortened version of The Stooges‘ classic ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog‘. A few more tracks from Lighthouse follow: ‘I Just Don’t Know‘, ‘Fallen Once‘, and ‘Fallen‘—I’ve fallen, but I haven’t hit the ground—before the band crank things up again with a version of the Bobby Fuller Four classic ‘I Fought The Law‘, followed by the only Gunners song he includes, ‘You’re Crazy‘, from GnR Lies. The excitement level increases when ex-Pistol Steve Jones joins the band onstage and they perform Johnny Thunders‘ ode to lost love, ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Round A Memory‘, and a sterling version of Bowie‘s ‘Heroes‘.
This is a more stripped-down set than he performs with the Gunners, and he sings in a more assured manner. His lyrical content, and his onstage declaration of love for his wife and family, suggests his self-destructive days are now firmly behind him.
Charity Auction
Duff McKagan also announces a Charity Auction raising money for Toys for Tots, MusicCares, To Write Love on Her Arms beginning November 5, 2025 via www.duffmckagan.com.
Over the course of the next 5 weeks Duff will be dropping stage worn clothing, custom signed jerseys and other memorabilia. The auctions will go live every Wednesday from Duff’s website and will run until the following Monday. All items will arrive in time for the holidays creating a special gift for fans while raising money for causes that Duff cares about.
