Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Haven't seen this review before. Sorry if it's been posted. But even if it has, it probably deserves to be re-read because it's pretty much valid for almost any GN'R show.....It's also interesting that it comes from a (probably former by now) VR fan....
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Review by Rex


I believe that show (at least to those of who were there) may very well go
down in history as the best concert that Las Vegas has ever seen, or any
town has ever seen.

I have been to more concerts than I care to county by many different
bands, but this was sick, just sick.

Axl lost the botox, and sounded like he just finished Appetite for
Destruction'. Better if you can imagine it. The scream was back, his
range was actually better, and
the energy was insane.

They did triple lead guitar on several songs, and from the moment the
concert burst out with "Welcome to the Jungle" to 2+ hours later when
it ended with "Paradise City", everybody ... the band, the crowd,
security ... everybody was ready to collapse.

That show was like a crystal meth enema. It was like the band was shot
out of a cannon and they torn through nearly every GNR song (plus a
little new material) like it was 1988 ... but their wore more band
members and every single member was completely at the top of their
game.

I heard a bunch of bad shit from the music press. I head some bad crap
from Europeans. I heard he would be three hours late and do a half-assed
show. I almost didn't go, because I expected to be disappointed. But .....
Holy Shit. Just .... Holy Shit.

I talked with people in the crowd who had seen them 20+ times since the 80's
remarking that this was far and away, the best GNR show they had ever
seen. It was the best concert of any kind I have ever been witness to.
I'm still speechless.

Some guys were there after the show who had seen them at Hammerstein in NYC
and they said "Manhattan has nothing on Las Vegas, the greatest shows are
always here. This show was way better than Hammerstein."

The fed of the crowd who was giving as much back to the band as they were
getting, and you can sense the band saing in their heads "We are finally home".

Seriously, if you have never seen GNR in Las Vegas, then you may not have
seen GNR's best live work.

There was a good deal of crowd interaction, the whole band seemed to be
thrilled that they were in Las Vegas, and Axl even laughed when some
dumbass was kicked out for throwing things instead of having a hissy
fit. The place was packed, and every single person sang every word to
every song from start to finish. They just tore the place apart.
Seriously, I don't know how that show could possibly be topped by and
band in any place.

Richard was on fire screaming "fuck yeah!" as he was hammering out the
rhythm section of "Jungle", Robin had me thinking "Slash Who?" This guy is
second to nobody, and this is coming from someone who got into guitar
playing because of Slash. I emulated Slash in my early playing years, and
this was the guy who I always took as the greatest player of all time. I
saw Velvet Revolver last year simply to watch Slash play. And here I was
feeling like a complete traitor when I was standing their saying "Holy
Shit, this guy plays Slash better than Slash". But what can I say? He
does. I never thought I would EVER say that, but this guy plays GNR leads
that make you think he had to have written the songs himself. And his
energy and stage presence is, dare I say it, more dramatic. He's all over
the stage, going nuts while not missing a note. He collided with Axl with
one point, hit the deck, and still didn't miss a note!

Robin came out into the audience at one point. These guys were psyched
beyond belief.

Richard's (who I thought was playing RHYTHM and not lead) took the lead
solo on "November Rain" that damn near brought a tear to my eye. When your
rhythm player can play lead better than most lead players, you've got an
untouchable band.

I got right in front of the stage. Almost got hit by Robin's guitar neck
at one point. Axl laughed at my huge Pocket PC cellphone when I held
it up in leui of a lighter for "Patience". My phone looked less like a
lighter and more like a frigging stage light.

Anyway, greatest ... concert ... ever. Seriously, ever. Since the
invention of the amplified sound, this was the best single set by any
particular band in the history of rock music.

At least from near the stage. The celebrities and rock critics who
were preening and licking each other's nuts in the balcony so as to be
isolated from us riff-raff may have a different story, but who gives a
damn?

This was one to tell your grand kids about. It was one of the classic
"great" shows. I don't think it can be topped. And whether you like Axl,
hate Axl,
it became apparent very quickly why he is arguably the best front man
in the last 20 years. Maybe he's an ass, maybe he's insane, but when
he's on, he cannot be topped. Period.

I think that was the show against which all others will be judged. And I
think it will be king.

I tried to put it into words the best I could, but it's really not
possible. You had to be there to understand what I mean.

I really hope the rest of you get a show 1/2 as good as this one. Because
if you do, it will still be the best show you have ever seen. I make very
few promises, but I promise everyone this ... if they are anywhere near
where they were last night, if you ever seen one show in your entire life,
this would have to be it.

theres no denying it, Axl's back with bigger, better guns. fuck ya.

Well, I have to agree :) Both of those shows were great, but this guy should have went to the show the day after, the sound was even better

year+ old reviews? LOL

Drag up April 1992 at the Rosemont in Illinois if you want to know what a killer show was all about

both shows were unforgettable for me. best concerts I've seen, IMO.

Slash who?

The guy who wrote the fuckin shit he was playing

What a dumbass......... ::)

Come on, D... :P

You don't have to be so jealous.

That was a pretty damn good show, and I have never seen a crowd yelling and screaming while leaving the venue before.. it was a Fantastic time!!!

but I have to say that the LA shows were better, since they had been on the road for a while and the vegas gigs were basically warmups.

looking forward to doing it again!!!

I THOUGHT THEY WERE PLAYING VEGAS AGAIN THIS YEAR!! I was about to go crazy!!!??  GN'R NEED TO TOUR DAMN IT!

well, there is still time to set that up...

It's funny how I came across the above review...I was checking out the Hard Rock Hotel event calendar for the rest of the year.....Dec 30 and Dec 31 are still available at the Joint........

For some reason, I'm betting that the next time they play here they will play at the Pearl at the Palms.........Everyone whos been coming to town is playing there now...while the Hard Rock and House of BLues still get a lot of concerts, they are losing a lot of bussiness to the Palms....and the whole thing about Axl staing there in January and using their recording studio...just leads me to beleive thats where Gn'R will be playing next in Vegas

why not play both? : ok:

lol, well, yeah, that would work too, hell, they could play in an abandoned building, I wouldn't care :)   BTW, I still use one of your pictures that you took on the 16th for all my profile pics....you got the back of my head with Axl in front of me, so I can (kinda) say I have a picture of Axl and I in Vegas..lol

hahaha thats great!

i remember taking all those pictures. ah it was amazing.

I concur!

PS notice how the types of users with our opinions usually have loads of negative kharma. Coincidence......? I think not ;)

agreed.  the second night was the best.   but yea Vegas blew Hammerstein out of the water in all respects IMO.   I can't wait for GnR to come back to Vegas.   Bring Baz this time!

I saw them twice at the Joint, years apart, and felt the same about both shows. I feel fortunate that I was able to do so.

I saw them 12/29/01 at the JOINT which was the best show GN'R EVER put on in my opinion.  I saw them at Hammerstein as well, but GN'R NEEDS TO PLAY VEGAS THIS YEAR !!  By the way can MYSTERON or JARMO give us some insight on GN'R's upcoming tour plans??!?! ARE THEY GOING TO PLAY SOON OR WHAT?!?!

I was at the 12/29/01 show too, and Hammerstein.

Yeah,the 12/29 show was my first New GnR show....second time overall.....I loved it...I wasn't living in Vegas at the time, but my dad was, so for that Christmas he flew me out here and had a ticket waiting :) Ahh, what a great Christmas Present.

Thats a blinding review to read! I must have missed that one last year!! Top read!! Damn those boys are good!

Mike

Uh...You're Dad is awesome, hug him often.

i attended all the vegas shows. HOB 2001 was by far the best, followed by the 2nd night in 02', then the first night 02', the first night 2006, then 2nd night 2006....all were great, though...

I attended  the 06  Vegas show, and yes it was most excellent!!  I even met some of you fine folk and we partied together before the show at "Terribles".  Funny I just got home from Vegas a week ago first time back since the shows, drove by "Terribles" and ate a good meal at "HardRock". Great memories indeed!!! :beer:

I still have footage of us partying I haven't gotten on here yet!!  My bad ;D

Oh nooooooo, don't post that!  Just kidding, it was a great time!   ;D

For me these shows were awesome, not only because they were in Vegas but because the venue was so small and to be that close to the band was just amazing. 

YES!! Post the footage!!!! I've been waiting!! I want to see how drunk I was :)

What a cool review :)