Here Today... Gone To Hell!

I'm curious about these folks now...


Front of House Engineer
Monitor Engineer
Lighting Designer
Tour Manager
Production Manager


Can anyone shed light on who these people are on this tour?  And, are any of the people that fill these rolls from previous tours, esp. '06 shows?

I've been lucky enough to travel with bands that had these pieces in place and I know how hard they work on a daily basis.

I was surprised to hear how much trouble Axl was having with in-ear monitors.  The technology is so advanced with this stuff it should sound about perfect every night.  Though if they are not touring with their own/preferred soundboards, it can be a real bitch.

Plus, the "not being managed in Asia" quote got me thinking.  Most bands have at least a Tour and Production Manager on the road making sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

If memory serves me right, Del was tour manager on the last tour.  This may be wrong but I seem to remember him as either 'tour' or 'road' manager.

I think there's a BIG difference between the kind of "management" Axl is referring to and the kind of "manager" stuff that Del does for GNR.

I believe the "management" in that statement is more like a 'corporate' thing.  So unless somebody threw Del out of the airplane between Seoul and Osaka, I'm pretty sure he's still on tour with the band and in good standing.

Road Manager  : ok:

oh without a doubt Del is over there and very much a part of the GNR family.

Axl seems to be taking most of the technical issues with a grain of salt, which is cool.  His quote about his in-ears was pretty good.  I saw this article online which was pretty informative for guys like me who get into the production side of music.

http://mixonline.com/livesound/tours/audio_guns_roses/index.html (http://mixonline.com/livesound/tours/audio_guns_roses/index.html)

I read another article saying they had 70 or so inputs in '06, which is nuts.  I'm guessing they have about the same needs now. 
Issues will be a different story in Canada I'm guessing.  A lot easier to get a semi full of gear from the US to Canada than to the Far East.  Plus, you can't really drive from Seoul to Osaka now can you.

I can see where his management quote would be more about the folks back home in their cushy offices vs. the guys that are on the road.

Excellent article!  : ok:

those guys are still with GN'R? I mean, the video from the Rehearsels (early 2009) shows another guy mixing...

It's almost an Axl trademark having in-ear monitor problems!

that was a really cool link man. thanks tons for posting it! : ok:

It's nice to have a FOH engineer that says this about your band...

?Appetite for Destruction came out while we were on that tour, and GNR just exploded,? Francis recalls. ?I got to know the bandmembers, and it was clear they had something that other bands didn't. I would go out and watch their whole show (was FOH for Aerosmith when GnR opened). What I saw and heard then is hard to describe. The music was transcendent; it drew you in, along with the rest of the audience, and took everyone to a different plane. The members may have changed over the years, but that magic is still there.?

and this...

?When I first heard the songs from the new record, they floored me,? Francis admits. ?This may indeed be the most-expensive album ever and the longest it's taken to do a record, but those who heard the songs live were stunned. Lyrically, there is a depth that stands up to Appetite, and it's very emotional. There is a positive side to this music as well that really surprised me. Most of the songs look forward without making so much as a nod to the past.?

Can anyone verify that Toby Francis is FOH for this leg?  Sometimes these pro engineers jump on different tours because of their expertise.

I'm real interested in their current lighting designer because the stage show looks so good right off the bat.