Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Guns N' Roses show worth the wait

How do you know you're at a Guns N' Roses concert?

You have to wait a really long time for the show begin.

And so it went on Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre as a crowd of about 21,000 waited for frontman Axl Rose to begin just over two hours past the scheduled start time - would you believe at 11:25 p.m.? - following sets by homegrown opening acts Danko Jones and Sebastian Bach.

Somebody needs to grease Axl's wheels. Seriously.

Of course, waiting for the 47-year-old Rose is nothing new.

He made fans wait some 17 years for the latest GN'R release of original music, Chinese Democracy, which came out in November 2008, and for which Rose is currently touring the world, including some 13 dates in Canada in January and February.

While fans cooled their heels at the ACC, women in the stands - either in various states of undress or making out with each other - were shown to huge cheers but time dragged on and there were boos as the crowd's impatience grew.

By the time Rose and the latest lineup of Gunners - guitarists Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DJ Ashba, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, drummer Frank Ferrer and one-time Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson - opened with Chinese Democracy's title track, it felt underwhelming.

Especially since Rose made his entrance in a wheelchair, wearing a black fedora over his red scarf and sunglasses (the fedora and glasses he eventually ditched), his blond hair now shoulder length and sporting a moustache, dressed in an unbuttoned shirt and jeans with a large cross and heavy necklaces adorning his chest.

"Sorry about the time delay," said Rose after that first song. "We got a little carried away .... last night. But anyway, we're here."

He even joked later that some local deejay had predicted the band wouldn't go on until 2 a.m.

"I'm early," he cracked.

Thankfully, Rose and company got the crowd quickly on side with the second song, an explosion-heavy version of the GN'R classic Welcome To The Jungle.

Other song highlights were no surprise: A fiery, explosion-laced version of Live and Let Die; the GN'R signature song, Sweet Child O' Mine featuring stellar guitar work by Ashba; the heartfelt ballad November Rain with Rose at the piano; the propulsive You Could Be Mine; a great cover of Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door that included an audience singalong; the anthemic Night Train and the show-ending Paradise City complete with more explosions pink confetti and silver streamers. (It's 1:55 a.m when they finally leave the stage although Axl returns to take a bow with his band and distribute shots to some people in the crowd and throw flowers out into the audience.)

Less effective was much of the Chinese Democracy material save for the soulful mid-tempo rocker Street Of Dreams; the dramatic power ballads Madagascar and This I Love, the latter featuring Rose standing on top of Reed's piano.

On the plus side, Rose proved to be a non-stop man in motion, constantly running around his enormous stage that was adorned with large video screens and lighting columns, two circular staircases, three mini-catwalks, and elevating platforms for the guitarists to play on.

He also performed his trademark side-to-side dance moves and stomped his right leg so hard, it's no wonder he kept running off to a little black tent at the side of the stage where he changed his sweat-soaked shirts.

Rose was generous frontman too, sharing the spotlight with nearly all of his musicians who were given extended solos with special mention to Reed on a mirrored grand piano and the heavily-tattooed Ashba on a glittery black guitar.

Axl even performed his own instrumental piano medley of Elton John songs.

So far the best reported sidebar about this tour is that the Rose has banned Guns N' Roses fans from wearing Slash T-shirts or top hats (I'm pretty sure Ashba was symbolically wearing a squished one) at the shows.

The incredibly silly move has been denied by Rose's camp even though TMZ claims a member of the concert security team has confirmed it.

Rose and Slash has been at odds since the guitarist left GN'R in 1986 and then wrote about their feud in his 2007 autobiography.

Someone will have to ask the former GN'R axeman, who will release a solo album later this year, what he makes of it all when the guitarist shows up at Canadian Music Week in Toronto in mid-March to be a keynote speaker and play some tunes.

Or not.

Can't we all just get along?

RATING: 3.5 out of 5




Source: http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/jane_stevenson/2010/01/29/12657846-sun.html (http://www.torontosun.com/entertainment/columnists/jane_stevenson/2010/01/29/12657846-sun.html)

Biggest crowd so far in Canada, with 21,000!  : ok:

Another 100% biased shitty review, with far too many $la$h references.

It makes me wonder if they guys know anything about GNR.  Slash hasn't been in the band for 14 years, Duff 13 years and Steven and Izzy 18 or 19 years, so get over it.  Stop calling it his stage, his band, his guitarists, etc.

well, some others didnt like the late showing up:
"didn't end up taping anything, left early and was pissed off. Axl showed up 1 hour late. Subway in Toronto closes at 1. Many many people were pissed off and booing, many left."

well, you pay to see gnr... and every gnr fan of someone who knows axl and gnr.. knows that they might arive later then expected so don't buy a ticket if you think he'll go on at 18:00 till 21:00 or 21:00 tot 00:00. it's gnr and we know it.

And I think does people suck.. yes axl came on a bit late this time.. but it was nothing new to him or them I presume. don't go to a show if you know the unexpected might happen.

It amazes me that GN'R coming on stage late is still treated as a surprise by some writers. Get over it. Yes, it's a bit annoying when the local transport closes before the show ends but, when you're booking your ticket to a GN'R show you should factor that into the equation (like gnrjanus has said). Make other arrangements... be flexible... chill out and enjoy the show  ;D

this is just stupid (not you, but what that guy you quoted said).

How can anyone get pissed off waiting for a GNR concert. I dont know you guys, but I would do literally anything to see this band live, 1 Hour late? is that all? 1 hour late is the damn problem?  ???

Rock spirit may be dead...

''Many people boing the band, worrying about subway, and leaving because the band showed 1 hour later than expected''

Life's a bitch.. I think God gives bread to those with no teeth.

Same here, dude. Same here!

What those people do when they have a party to go midweek? Just left all the fun because midnight is too late?

Seriously, if you are that worried about leaving, you just not go there and fuck off.

Rose and Slash has been at odds since the guitarist left GN'R in 1986 and then wrote about their feud in his 2007 autobiography.

Amazing!! They stopped speaking in 86, before "Appetite" was even released :rofl: :hihi:.  The guy didn't even take the time to edit his article, great journalist there :P.

lol -  I didn't even spot that!  :rofl:

 :hihi:

except for jokes like that
the article isn't really worth reading  :-X

Even if they went on an hour earlier, which has been normal for the tour, they wouldn't have had time to make the subway. 

WAAAH!  I went to a rock show and had to stay up past my bedtime!  Boo hoo!

I'm just so sick of hearing these stupid complaints.

Great review, although they're off on attendence and are thinking of hockey sellout capacity. The show was 95% sold out so it's more like 15,000. I'm guessing the reviewer looked at the arena stats, saw the 21,000 capacity for hockey, was like 'well the show's pretty much sold out' and stuck in that number.

Yes a few people left early but most stayed til the end. A few people got carted out by security also early - a couple passed right the fuck out before the band went on stage. Too bad for them - if you can't hold it don't drink it!

Great show and, for a change given Toronto's crap crowds, great audience reaction. This I Love is going over really well live (Hamilton/Toronto anyway). Toronto blew Hamilton away btw. At least for energy. Axl was chatting and goofing around all night, Fortus was actually on the mic talking about Axl being drunk and dancing, and DJ def. made some fans.

it doesn't even mention catcher.  >:(

If a girl looks swell when she meets you, who gives a damn if she's late? Nobody!

I can understand the late start being more of a surprise.  In 2006 almost every show started between 11:45-12:15.  So far on this tour most shows have started between 10:15-11pm.  With that said I agree people should be used to it.

As for the stupid Slash story way to get the facts wrong.  It was not GnR concert security but venue security.  Also if some punk is dressed like Slash or has a fake Slash wig and hat that person seems more like they want to start shit then actually go to the show.  So I could understand venue security to say fuck off to someone who is that stupid and looking for attention. 

I also love how the reporter failed to mention the other report that actual press and reporters have tried to find people who were told to go home and change, or turn the shirts inside out and could not find anyone that this happened to. 

However I can say that there were people with a fake Slash hat and hair at both the Regina and Stoon show they were allowed in and were wearing the wig and hat for the show.  So I would say the report is crap or was just one over zealous security guard. 

I saw two people last night dressed as slash,  top hat and all.   

Here's another review (better writer):  http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/latestsub.aspx?csid1=140&csid2=870&fid1=44031 (http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/latestsub.aspx?csid1=140&csid2=870&fid1=44031)

lesley beats me.

agreed that's better than the torontsun one.

"The gig wasn't without some weirdness, particularly the nod to Cobain and an apropos tribute to the late J.D. Salinger (from one former recluse to another). Ultimately, though, the epic evening was a hugely satisfying affair."

Well being GNR fans I think it should just be another avrage thing. We have seen it happen so many times it wont change over night. Once Axl and GNR is more active and play a bunch more shows in the next lets say 2-5 years things will begin to change.


Joe

that's already started and things are changing right now.

Yeah, I didn't think the tribute to Salinger was weird at all... I think the review was kind of weird for saying so.  Oh well, he's gotta say something.  At least he knows how to write.

And for the record, I was not wearing a black t-shirt: I was wearing a red one!  :P

True but I am sure there will be more reviews like this to come. Mainly from America I think from stupid people who dont even listen to the music and judge it as bad since Slash is not lead guitar. But they wont be as blunt about it as I am in calling them out on it since people just want to get everyones aprovial.


Joe

and we just keep criticising the unapt critics.

the writer put it as an apropos tribute so they meant nice surprises by weirdness i guess.

From this link there's a section of other news from this artist and came across this

http://www.rockabyebabymusic.com/ecom2/index.php/lullaby-renditions-of-guns-n-roses.html 

Bumblefoot you're so FIRED!  :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:




FEEK ME! SILKWORMS here http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarticlesynopsfullart.aspx?csid1=0&csid2=844&fid1=39060

But, but, the MAJORITY stayed and enjoyed the show!

Imagine that!

People always focus on a small minority.


/jarmo

The subway closes at 1:45, actually; and they had extra buses running until 5 or so..

Ha...for anyone whos been complaining...there you go...and besides...its a god damn rock concert and its gnr...get a hotel room or something

Im officially totally converted to this new band, after seeing the Roquet Queen video of the show!!! MY GOD!! Axl sounded just like the illusion and appetite days and Fortus did such a good solo!
Fuck the guys that left! This is the real deal fo shizzle ma nizzle  :hihi:

I know its the way the world works Jarmo people always look for flaws first.




Joe