Slash is best known for his work as a guitar hero of 1980s hair metal with Guns N’ Roses, not to mention his work with Velvet Revolver in the 2000s. But the ax-wielding Saul Hudson is also a student, steward, and impresario of the blues. The last of those descriptors has come to the fore this summer with his S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival tour, and was on brilliant display on the second Saturday of July as Slash, Warren Haynes, Samantha Fish, and Eric Gales—along with a surprise appearance by Chris Robinson—swept into The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. For the better part of four hours across four different sets, fans who flocked to Los Feliz were treated to an inspiring and skillful array of blues’ past, present, and future.

This particular stop was a homecoming of sorts for Slash. For one, the show took place a short drive (depending on traffic) away from the Sunset Strip, where he and Axl Rose rose to fame nearly 40 years ago. It was an even shorter commute from the rehearsal space in North Hollywood where Slash brought together the musical talent and classic blues tracklist that would become his sixth and latest solo album, 2024’s Orgy of the Damned.

The communal, collaborative spirit that marked the album’s in-studio jam sessions came through in spades in the shadow of the Griffith Observatory. Prior to his own band’s set, Slash came out with the Warren Haynes Band to lend his electric guitar to a closing cover of The Allman Brothers Band’s “Soulshine”, a longtime staple of Warren’s performing repertoire, be it as a solo artist or with Gov’t Mule. Slash and Haynes previously shared the stage at the former’s annual Christmas Jam benefit concert in his hometown of Asheville, NC last December.

Warren Haynes Band, Slash — “Soulshine” (Allman Brothers Band) — 7/13/24 — Partial Video

[Video: RockShow]

Likewise, Slash’s time onstage with his Blues Ball Band was replete with guest appearances, similar to his most recent release. For a cover of Steppenwolf’s “The Pusher,” Slash welcomed Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes to sing and play harmonica, just as he did on the album. The main set ended with Eric Gales, the Memphis-based guitar phenom who opened the evening, joining Slash’s band to play Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free”, with Blues Ball collaborator Tash Neal on vocals. The Hendrix tributes were twofold as Slash and Gales locked into a guitar duel to the tune of Jimi’s “Third Stone From The Sun”.

Slash, Chris Robinson — “The Pusher” (Steppenwolf) — 7/13/24

[Video: Steven Rogers]

Slash, Eric Gales — “Stone Free” (Jimi Hendrix) — 7/13/24

[Video: EarthtonesOfficial]

At various points, Slash enjoyed guest support from Les Stroud. The 62-year-old Canadian, better known as “Survivorman,” also happens to be a spectacular harmonica player, as he demonstrated during renditions of Albert King’s “Born Under a Bad Sign,” Freddie King’s “Big Legged Woman”, and Elmore James’ “Shake Your Money Maker”.

To be sure, Slash was the standout of the night, thanks to his characteristically ripping guitar work. During the encore, he set aside his usual cast of Gibson Led Paul guitars to play pedal steel on a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry”.

Though Slash rarely spoke during the show, let alone sang at all, the band had plenty of vocal talent on which to rely. Keyboardist Teddy “ZigZag” Andreadis handled the bulk of those duties, including on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” and Freddie King’s “Key to the Highway”. Tash, meanwhile, showed some serious chops, particularly on Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well”, which featured vocals by country superstar Chris Stapleton on Slash’s album.

All the while, Michael Jerome and Johnny Griparic more than held down every rhythm on drums and bass, respectively. Indeed, Slash’s Blues Ball Band has long been a showcase for exemplary blues musicians, much like the S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival itself.

Eric Gales, known to many a Memphian as “Raw Dawg,” showed off his considerable blues chops by closing his opening stint with a version of Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” that dropped in bits of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” and AC/DC’s “Back in Black.” Samantha Fish put her Kansas City spin on MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams” and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You”, in addition to her original material.

And while Warren Haynes, with his bona fides, needs little (if any) such introduction, he and his band certainly took advantage. They jammed out to a selection of tracks from Warren’s catalog— including “Tear Me Down”, “Fire in the Kitchen”, “Invisible”, and “Thorazine Shuffle”—as well as a cover of Little Milton’s “That’s What Love Will Make You Do”.

In truth, Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival has been a platform for much more than just blues music. At every stop, the tour—whose acronym stands for “Solidarity, Engagement, Restore, Peace, Equality N’ Tolerance”—has highlighted a handful of nonprofit organizations that will receive proceeds from the shows. Those include the National Alliance on Mental Illness, War Child, The Greenlining Institute, The Equal Justice Initiative, and Know Your Rights Camp. Those groups, along with Slash’s blues brethren, will be busy spreading good music and even better works this summer. The S.E.R.P.E.N.T Festival is scheduled to snake its way across the U.S., along with a pair of dates in Canada, until mid-August. Find tickets and a full list of tour dates here.

Check out a gallery of images from Slash’s S.E.R.P.E.N.T. Festival in L.A. courtesy of photographer Josh Martin.