Todd Kerns and Friends’ Final Time Rocking the Vamp’d Stage!

Todd Kerns played Count’s Vamp’d on Friday, May 23, 2025, with support act Dr. Rock.

The end of an era approaches in Las Vegas with the closure of Count’s Vamp’d, long revered as one of the hot spots for rock and roll in Sin City for locals and out-of-towners alike. For 16 years, this us a venue that has given audiences and endless array of entertainment, not to mention great food and beverages.

These days, Todd Kerns is best known as Slash’s bass player, but the man has an extensive history going back to his days in Canada as a member of Age of Electric, and even playing alongside Brent Muscat in a lineup of Faster Pussycat. Mr. Kerns continues to participate in many bands and projects in addition to his solo releases. Kerns’ Vamp’d shows are always legendary, teaming him with a top-notch band and special guests.

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the VIP event before the main concert started. These sound checks are often as entertaining as the “real” show, with the band largely improvising and taking requests from the crowd, with results that range from impressive to outright humorous. Those who bought the VIP patch received some bonus gifts, as well as a photo op with Todd and his band for the evening.

Following the VIP festivities and some setup time, Dr. Rock took the stage. Mr. Kerns always knows how to pick great local talent to serve as his support act in these intimate, local shows, so getting Dr. Rock on the stage was definitely a great way to kick off the festivities. The group primarily played 80s rock covers, but what set this group apart from so many others that do so is that they incorporated some original tunes from a forthcoming release. Personally, I think this is the best route a band can take. Covers are often needed to sell and win over an audience during a set, but sneaking in a handful of originals to build interest is a smart strategy. In fact, these original tunes were my favorite part of the set. The covers played were quite diverse, including the band attempting to play Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody!”

Eventually, Mr. Kerns took the stage to an enthusiastic house, with a fantastic band that included ever-reliable bassist Barry Barnes. His setlists are often quite eclectic, utilizing some unexpected covers, some tunes from the Original Sin days out here in Vegas, as well as other songs from throughout his storied career. In this case, we got some of the tunes he’s famously played with Slash, including “Doctor Alibi.” But the real surprise here, of course, were the special guests. There was a who’s who of rockers joining Mr. Kerns for his final show on the Count’s stage. These include Hellyeah guitarist Christian Brady, Vegas favorite Michael “Doc” Ellis, his former Faster Pussycat/Original Sin bandmate Brent Muscat, and perhaps most notably, famed classic Skid Row vocalist Sebastian Bach! Bach’s most recent album, CHILD WITHIN THE MAN, was released last year, and featured Todd on several tracks and in the music videos. Ex-LA Guns/Crashing Wayward guitarist Stacey Blades was in the house, but sadly didn’t join the festivities on stage.

Probably my only minor complaint with the otherwise stellar set was not utilizing Brent Muscat earlier in the evening; these who have had a long-time camaraderie on the live stage, and it seemed strange doing some of the best and most famous Original Sin songs prior to his arrival. “Turn It Up” and the cover of Donny Iris’ “Ah! Leah!,” when played by the twosome, even have moments where Todd loudly announces Brent prior to the solos, so hearing these without those moments definitely felt a bit odd. That said, that’s a minor criticism. I had a great time rocking out with one of my favorite musicians and people, and a hell of a lot of great guests.

Hopefully after Vamp’d closes, Todd will find other accessible and rock-friendly venues around Vegas to do these kinds of shows. I’ll certainly be missing them. It was a fine send off, and I look forward to seeing what Mr. Kerns and company bring us in the future!