Alastair Greene: Live In Sin City Review

As I have attested to many times in the past, a band’s true talent can be evaluated by how well they perform in a live setting. Alastair Greene and his band have passed that test with flying colors with the release of their five-song EP Live In Sin City. This new offering was released on November 14 and was recorded live in Las Vegas, Nevada, while the band was on tour with George Thorogood. Band members on this project include Alastair Greene (guitar and vocals), Anthony Ambriz (drums), and Justin Sedillo (bass and backing vocals); and for a three-piece band, they really offer up some large, quality sound.

Greene has a rich musical background, beginning with family members who were musicians and influential in his musical direction. He is originally a California native who received a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he spent two years. He then formed the Alastair Greene Band in 1997 and has recorded a string of solo recordings while touring with the likes of Tab Benoit, Walter Trout, Alan Parsons, and Starship, just to name a few. Artists like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, The Allman Brothers Band, and Stevie Ray Vaughan were some of the greats who aided Greene in developing an interest in blues music.

Joe Bonamassa said this about him: “Alastair Greene is killing it! He is singing great, writing great; he is at the height of his powers.”

Live In Sin City comes out of the gate smoking with “Temptation,” and if you really want to create that live music vibe, go ahead and crank the volume up; and don’t turn it back down until the last song of this EP. “The devil is on your shoulder, whispering in your ear.” There is some really great guitar work in this tune, and don’t forget that this is a three-piece band creating all the sound you’re hearing. Up next is “Trouble At Your Door,” and the energy just keeps right on hammering away in this song. “You’re gonna hear trouble at your door,” sings Greene, and the trouble you’re hearing comes in the form of screaming guitar, thumping bass, and thundering drums.

I love the line in the third cut on this album that says, “What do I do; I’m up to my neck in blues?” The guitar riffs in this great tune sure remind me of Stevie Ray Vaughan. I love the blazing guitar break with the wah-wah in this song. The last tune on Live In Sin City is a masterful cover of the great Johnny Winter tune “Meantown Blues.” When I cued this song up during the review, it almost made me jump up and do a little boogaloo across the den floor. I’m sure many have covered this blues standard, but I doubt that few have been able to pull off the speed and precision that Johnny Winter was famous for. Alastair Greene does it with perfection.

While Live In Sin City is a five-song EP, it is filled with plenty of great live blues rock music that you are sure to enjoy. With the right volume, you might even forget that you’re not at the actual concert event. I was fortunate to catch Alastair Greene live back in 2023. He appeared with Tab Benoit, and Benoit actually filled in as the drummer for Greene (and, by the way, did a great job). Greene, in that live setting, was awesome, and I encourage you to go out to one of his concerts if you get a chance. If you don’t get that opportunity, and even if you do, I strongly suggest that you give this five-song EP, Live In Sin City, a listen. As for myself, I’m going back to check out some of his older material as well, because I have a strong feeling it’s going to be good stuff.

The Review: 9/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Temptation
– Standing Out Loud
– Meantown Blues

The Big Hit

– Meantown Blues