Here Today... Gone To Hell!

This is from Sportsnet.Ca (canadian sports network), one of the writers on the site went to a concert and gave it a terrible review:

"It's not how you start, it's how you finish.

We're not even close to the NHL finish line yet, but it's fair to define the first 16 games of the season as the "start", so lets just say teams like the Oilers and Senators are looking forward to validating the above statement. Which is where last night's Guns n' Roses show comes in.

The security line outside was delayed by a mulleted man in his early 40's wearing white high tops and sweat pants to match. Think Deaner from the movie Fubar. In fact, damn... come to think of it... it WAS Deaner. Anyway, he's pleading with a security guard to let him back in the building. His explanation? "my buddy got kicked out cause he's drunk, but he puked and he's in the back of the limo now, and I need to get back in before the show, man". Hope dude didn't pay for the damage deposit.

Four beer and 56 bucks later we're on our way to our seats for the first opening act. Now, I know what you're thinking: Why in Paradise City were you there for the first opening act Bigdude? Because it was 9:30, and we figured that was late enough to parachute in after the warm-ups. But given GNR's track record, we should have known better - Axl didn't stumble out until 11:30. But fortunately, the two hours leading up to GNR was worth the price of admission. Well, maybe not the price of admission, but definitely the 56 dollar beers.

We slowly pushed our way through a sea of freshly trimmed mullets, and eventually to our seats, where "Suicide Girls" was midway through their set. They had no musical instruments. Didn't need 'em. They're strippers. They strip to 'metal. Many of them at once. I had been a fan of the Suicide Girls for exactly four minutes, but four minutes into the show, I didn't care if Axl Rose EVER went onstage.

When the Suicide Girls finished "performing" - to the loudest ovation of the night - they were followed by Sebastian Bach (with his new band). Sebastian is the half-brother of former Phoenix Coyote goaltender Zach Bierk. And to be honest, I'm not sure who wears more leather on game nights. Bach's band was not Skid Row, but they did every Skid Row classic, and did both of them very well. Bach played the roll of arrogant, aging, self-absorbed rock star to a tee, right down to the white, ankle-high, zippered cowboy boots slightly hidden under black leather chaps. Bach's chatter between songs was littered with so much profanity that it was hard to decipher. "every &*%$* time we play this &*%$*# town we #$@* rock the mother #$@* house mother #$@*, so &*%$*#- sing this *&%$ with us &*%$*# suckers!!!" So we did. "You're crime is time and it's EIGHTEEN AND LIFE TO GOOOOOOOO".

But that's when it all ground to a halt. Guns n' Roses was terrible. There's no other way to describe it. Not only is Axl trying to sell us on his new character with dreadlocks, but he was under the misguided notion that we came to see him play the piano. If I wanted to see someone perform on a piano, I'd have arrived earlier for the Suicide Girls. Axl was terrible, his new band was terrible, and the sound was terrible. So when Mrs. Dude told me 45 minutes into the set that she had to go to the ladies room, I didn't flinch, and for the first time, I left a show early.

My point here is that it's not how you start, it's how you finish. And although we got full value for the first half of the show, when someone asks me how the show was, I tell them it was terrible because that's how it finished.

Are the Oilers and Senators off to terrible starts? Ottawa is little more troubled than Edmonton right now, but by all accounts, yes. But it's not how you start, it's how you finish, just ask the Suicide Girls."

this review is ridiculous. insane.
no other way to describe it.

A) Axl does not have dreadlocks and B) He's been under the impression that we came to see him play piano since the orginal lineup started playing November Rain live back in 1991. That has nothing to do with the new lineup.

Another closed-minded idiot who had his mind made up about GNR before they ever hit the stage.

What do you expect from sports fans? : ok:

Axl on a piano?!!? Oh my god.. Who would have thought.

Axl uses a piano? ::)
Is this a new thing he does? :nervous:

What planet is this reviewer on?

I don't know what annoys me more about this, the bad review or this guy mixing it with hockey references. >:(

haha yeah he bitches about the beer prices i suppose a sports writer should already know venues gouge people for booze huh? also looks like he left after only 8 songs ..... makes for a good basis to write a review ::)

It's just so annoying when people compare two things that have NOTHING to do with each other.

Like music and hockey.  They don't intertwine. 

If he hated the show I don't even care.  But this person obviously is just some obsessed sports fan and should stick to what he knows about.  Idiots on ice with sticks.

hahahahahaha  NICE!!!   :rofl:

and who cares if the guy didnt like the show? It's his opinion and he paid for his ticket. Still money in Axl's pocket.

Also did anyone actually have a mullet? I haven't seen a real mullet in quite a while.. But it is Canada. Joking.. This guy obviously knows little about rock n' roll if he was questioning Axl rose on a piano considering November Rain is one of the biggest songs for Axl Rose.

If he thinks the Suicide Girls are the best thing at a GNR show...enough said.  He looses all credibility.

Axl was terrible, his new band was terrible, and the sound was terrible.


what a very construtive review!  : ok:

the guy who wrote this review is a complete moron and doesnt probably even know the song november rain.  what an ignorant douchebag typical beer drinking american (no offense to americans not all of you are like that)

not to be confused: americans=north americans in general

Do you think he thought it was terrible? Im not sure if he made his point saying the word terrible 18 times.

The mullet never really dies no matter how much we pray it will.

It's like the 40 something year old women who drag out the same outfit they wore in 1988 to a show and think it still looks good. :-X

lol I?m still in doubt you know....  haha  :peace:

HAHA he's canadian i think :hihi:

i didn't see any mullets.....except for the cross dressers who came in after baz ?but yeah that's a different story :hihi:

Funny too how he critisizes baz for swearing too much but thought the swearing strippers were the shit ?::)

lol , lots of panties in bunches here!  :hihi:

Yeah he disses Axl for using a piano but he cant stand the word "Fuck" "ass" "Mother fucker" and whatever else Bach used. Yeeeah he knows his shit enough to be able to write a review.

how dare he have an opinion.... ::)

the skid row line was classic... :hihi:

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/blogs/sean_mccormick/2006/11/16/november_pain/

I found some of the after comments amusing-

Even the people posting on there have no clue what Hockey and GNR have to do with each other-

A response:

I was clearly at a different show Wednesday night at the ACC then the one this guy was at. Either McCormick still thinks it's 1988, or he's so star-struck by the Suicide Girls that his judgement was clogged for the rest of the night.

Everyone I saw looked to be having a great time, and any show with an impromptu appearance by the Trailer Park Boys has to warm the heart of even the most jaded cynic. And for the record, Axl has ALWAYS played the piano for "November Rain". Really dude, where ARE you?

I didn't quite get it.

So he says "It's not how you start, it's how you finish." though he didn't even bother seeing the finish...

                                       I think he's another fool who is trying to jump on the " G'n'R sucks..." campaign. But after watching so many shows from 2006 now its hard to buy that. Had he said this 2002 he could really have a solid point.

i like the bach zac bierk joke haha. i found out about bach/beirk a few years ago and was shocked. pretty cool if u know beirk....

i think he expected to see jack daniels, leather, tight spandex and slash. no wonder he was dissapointed.

the guy is a hockey fan, nuff said :hihi:

that was so clever. You musta sat around for hours coming up with that one!!

Got any "weakest link" jokes to share?  :beer:

I bet you Mrs Dude has a dick.

Fuck you McCormick. ?Go back to your Saturdays spent at the Pottery Barn carrying the shopping bags for your wife you retard.

You don't know shit buddy.


Nickelback is probably up your alley douchebag.

Funny. I guess the only reviews that are considered legit are one's loaded with praise.  Why hasn't this been locked or deletd anyways? I mean isn't this review nothing more than a bunch of lies that creates chaos? :P You people need to chill. One man's opinion shouldn't ruin it for you so why get so bent outta shape. Obbsess much. ::)

Reviews should be truthful.  That's all.  This guys is full of shit.  Maybe the sound was bad, but to say the band was terrible is a lie.

i dont think its fair to just post the positive reviews...you do that and you build a bubble around yourself where gnr is awesome. its good to have both sides of the fence represented. Just because you think gnr is awesome doesnt mean everybody does. That doesnt make them douchebags.

But it should be required that you actually stay for the entire show to write a review.  He clearly states he left after 45 minutes.

That being said, I agree all reviews should be posted.  It's silly to think otherwise.  Not everyone will LOVE a GNR show, that's life and if you don't realize that you are deluding yourself.

I have 2 friends that are casual old band fans and they went to the MSG show and left early too because they just didn't love it or didn't really care.  Everyone has an opinion and they are entitled to it.

No it's his opinion. Music is subjective so how can it be a lie. I'm not saying I agree with the review but it's one guy's opinion and it's not like he's writing for Kerrang or RS ?where he may have an objective. He's like us only he ?is a sports writer. So he posted his thoughts on his sports blog. Big deal. ?To be honst i odn't go to a Gn'r show to watch Axl play piano either. In fact I'd support the idea of dropping NR from the set but that's not the point. People here are just pissed because unlike us he has an actual outlet besides a Gn'R forum to share his thoughts with a large number of people and too bad for us he didn't share our enthusiam. Who cares though is all I'm saying. It doesn't impact our experience so I find it amusing that people come on here and trash the guy to no end. Had he written somthing laced with gallons of praise everyone here would think he was the coolest sports writer ever. people would be saying he should be a writer for a real music magazine because he's intelligent and obviously has no objective and went into the show with an open mind. Yet he posts shit we don't want to hear so he's immediately cast off as some douche bag loser with no intelligence who had made up his mind before even attending the show. Pretty fucking hypocritical if you ask me. ?Basically I'm just saying who cares what this guy thnks good or bad. I take it with a ?grain of salt. Some of what he said is likely true and some of it is probably BS but it's his opinion not mine. Too many people here take it way too seriously.

Im pretty sure every person in that arena Was a hockey fan, cuz, u know, IT WAS IN CANADA!

I disagree with the first part bandita. ?I mean if I go to a show and feel the urge to leave early that should play a ?huge part in my review. As should my opinion if I felt I never wanted it to end. I do agree with you that all reviews should be posted, good or bad. I mean reviews are simply one person's take on the event. It's not your's or my opinion and we're entitled to write our own review when we attend a show. Sean McCormick obviously was a paying customer and he gave his opinion. Why people on a ?message board judge his character based on his feelings towards one show is ridiculous. The guy took the time to attend a Gn'R show. A "new Gn'R" show so he's not all that bad. :hihi:

For the record I do not know Sean McCormick so I'm not defending him personally I'm just defending his right to have an opinion. :yes:

As you should.

Who said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"? :hihi:

The only thing I really disagree with is trying to make an analogy between music and hockey.  I don't think the subjects mesh, but then again that is just my opinion-

I wouldn't necessarily say his analogy can or should be pigeonholed to hockey though. I think it was a strong analogy in the sense that he stated the obvious. "It's not how you start but how you finnish" It's true really. If a show starts slowly but builds to somthing and ends with a  climax than that is alot better than a show that explodes outta the gate and grows tired as it moves along. It applies to sports and not just hockey. Football, Basketball, Baseball as well. You need to peak at the right moment. It cudl aslo apply to anything in life. You're alwasy better to gain momentum later on rather than sputter out right?  In this case McCormick obviously felt the show peaked early in Gn'R set(It seemed November Rain is where Gn'R lost him) or probably more to his feeling it peaked even before they hit the stage. He seemed to like Bach despite the few jokes and even warmed to the Suicide Girls. It's too bad the act he went to see was the one to disapoint him. :(

I'm just calling bullshit bullshit.  GNR are not terrible, and I don't believe a part time fan who goes to a concert with his wife, when I've gone to multiple shows and read reviews of just about all in the last 4 years.  The dude needs to get his head on straight. I'm not kissing anyones ass here, either.  I just think the guy needs to be corrected.

Thsi I absolutely agree with!

No. That's like saying a police officer who goes to the show has no right to write a review on his blog and should just stick to writing police reports. Or that a Doctor who attends the show should just stick to writting prescriptions. Plus  the analogy used is very effective and makes alot of sense. Why people read that and chalk it up to him  comparing music and hockey in the simplest of terms is ridiculous. It's an analogy people and analogies are used all the time in every day life to "compare" things which have absolutely nothing to do with each other in the common sense yet help to express a point view or make a point by illustrating similar characteristics. His point about finnishing strong was loud and clear. How that was lost on most of you is beyond me. Do none of you agree that a show is better if it builds to a  climax rather than exploding outta the blocks only to fade in the second half? All he was saying is like a hockey team or any team it's always good to peak at the right time and unfortunatley for him the show had reached it's climax and seemed to be tailing off. It's his loss but his analogy fits perfectly in the context he used it. I get the sense some of you just don't want to see it.

Your point would make more sense to me if he finished watching the show.  But he didn't so his analogy gets lost there.  But then again that would be like trying to get me to watch more than 20 seconds of a hockey game, I just couldn't do it.

 :peace: