RAMA, Ont. - Casino Rama’s Entertainment Centre got a major shot of big-time rock and roll as ‘90s act Stone Temple Pilots pulled in for a sold-out show on Friday night.

The presence of Scott Weiland and company - who reunited last year after Weiland left his second group, Velvet Revolver, and made a stop at Downsview Park a year ago - meant barricades went up and the crowd rushed the stage even before the group began their 100-minute set about 40 minutes late.

Even without a new album to promote - the last release was Weiland’s second solo album, Happy in Galoshes which came and went last November - the band managed to incite and excite fans with their loud, chugging rock anthems and gleaming, slick-looking lights and video backdrop.

“It’s always a pleasure to come up to Canada and play,” said bassist Robert DeLeo as the night came to a close. “You’re great people.”

The band is rounded out by DeLeo’s brother Dean on guitar and drummer Eric Kretz.

Still, it seemed everyone mainly came for the Scott Weiland show as the shoulder-shaking, charismatic and famously troubled (although not lately) frontman wielded his particular brand of charm.

Taking the stage initially decked out in a eye-catching outfit of purple suede hat, purple sunglasses, a black fitted leather jacket, striped blue shirt and striped black pants, and a polka-dot tie, Weiland let it rip vocally on the opening song, Silvergun Superman, and never really backed down from there whether he was climbing the speakers at the front of the stage or singing into a bullhorn for dramatic effect.

Eventually, the hat, sunglasses and jacket came off showing off Weiland’s groovy asymetrical haircut and black hair and his head-bobbing, backwards dance moves took flight as the concert progressed.

Weiland sang intensely and never smiled until the very end of the night as Robert DeLeo, who played his bass vertically almost the entire night, leaned over and kissed him on the forehead as the entire band climbed up on the speakers to link arms and take their final bows.

Song standouts proved to be such big hits as Vasoline, Sour Girl - a nice break from the big, bold rockers with a little bit of David Bowie’s TVC15 inserted into the song - Plush, Interstate Love Song, Sex Type Thing, and Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart, and older tracks like Big Empty, Army Ants, Creep and Sin.

Hopefully, when Stone Temple Pilots return to these parts again they’ll finally have a new album to play.

RATING: 3.5 out of five

SET LIST

Silvergun Superman

Wicked Garden

Vasoline

Big Empty

Lounge Fly

Army Ants

Sour Girl

Creep

Crackerman

Plush

Interstate Love Song

Seven Caged Tigers

Down

Sex Type Thing

Sin

Unglued

ENCORE:

Piece Of Pie

Dead And Bloated

Trippin’ On A Hole In A Paper Heart