December 5th, NYC @ MSG

[Kiki]

Wow whata  show!!!!!!1
  For all of u who complain about setlists and this n that go fuck urselves. this is the best band in the wrld hands down. they are tight and give off so much energy. it was such a great show and a fun experience. if u havnt bought tickets yet buy them people ur crazy if u dont. now:
 
 
I wont bore you with the opening acts but they arent as bad as peopel make them out to be....
 
   SO around 10pm the lights go out. the garden is jam packed. Im not gonan go through each song and the stelist cause we know the setlist but i will sum it up like this:
-every fukin song was perfect
 
-buckethead is the fukin man
 
-Fans at this concert should be proud because they were really into it..every song start to finish {except the new songs}, they sang their chords out
 
-at times u couldnt even hear axl because it was so loud
 
Comments i can remember are that:
he dedicated kohd to 9/11
lol the krispey kreme thing
he talked about how some peopel didnt want him to be here
this was a reunion tour of sorts
cd=song about frustrations..
and after pc he said ill see you in the summe{my guess album}
he also said somehting else after that but couldnt hear cause the crowd was nuts
he also mentioned the stop in chicago and how they still were gelling on stage
 
sidenotes
i saw earl walk past me and Beta!
beta is ery very pretty
 
 
pyro was amazing
peace out im tired
i also met bipolar in nathans lol whats up

younggunner gnrx

[Kiki]

WOW what a show. I am glad that I got to see them twice this week, once in Boston and then in NY. I left Boston yesterday a day early due to the snow storm and picked up some magazines on the way. I started to read People magazine (with Osbournes on the cover)they had a poll that said which rock star in their 40's rocks the hardest and the answer was Axl Rose - 49%, Bon Jovi - 38%, Bono - 8% and Sheryl Crow - 5%. I thought this was real cool. I arrived in Jersey and stayed with my friend.

Today I started driving down form Jersey to NY on a 4 hours treacherous road and bad snow condition but was lucky to arrive at MSG at 5 PM and also got a good parking. As I arrived Eva called me and so we decided to meet at Mustang Sally along with a whole group of people, unfortunately I couldn't meet anyone so walked back to MSG and met Bonnie(AXLNSLASH1). I had seats way back but then I went to meet Bonnie who was right upfront and luckily the people in those seats never arrived to I was seating in row C instead of row 37. Later Bonnie turned and told me that there is this cute guy on the right with some really nice GNR tattoo and when I turned it was Axl D (Sal) so I went and met him and we spoke for couple of minutes. Sal is such a nice person and I was really hoping to meet him and I am glad that i did. Bonnie kept telling me he is so cute,she had never seen his pics at the Bar.

Anyway back at MSG, they were serving Champagne everywhere for a price but it was really neat to see this concert in a real Rock N Roll style. CKY took the stage at 7:45 PM and played their usual stuff nothing interesting. Mix Master came in at around 8:30 PM and played till 9:15 PM. There was very very little or infact just one lady who flashed, I was surprised cause in Boston the girls had just gone wild on flashing. Bonnie had this handwritten paper with GNR bar, D'NB list and AMB written and tried her best to attract the attention on the cameraman but he never saw her. Anyway Guns took stage at 10:00 PM with Axl arriving in Rangers Jersey. The crowd just went wild. He changed I think 4 times.

The other guys were wearing the same stuff that they wore in Boston. The song list was as usual. Axl had some rants. He first of all thanked the entire crowd for this sold out show. the crowd really cheered him then. He then bought a box of donut and said that it was specially for Conan O'Brien(Conan had made some comments about him on his show) That was too hilarious, he then distributed the donut in the crowd. He also mentioned about his show in Chicago and how he had great time there and went on to say that one of the journalist had critised the show saying that the crowd did not like it but Axl said that probably this guy must be out having a drink or maybe taking a Midol since he did not hear how the crowd loved the show but that journalist should have had some PATIENCE. Axl was in a real fantastic mood. One time after a song he asked the camera to be focused on a couple in the crowd and asked the guy how his girl friend was. BH and Robin's solo were good. BH distributed his toys and in the end bought this huge toy and threw it in the crowd.

Axl was running around the stage from one end to the other and each time he would go to the left side he would shake hands with the people at that corner. I saw this girl she just ran when Axl came to her side and holded his hand and didn't let go for a second but the security guys just pulled her back. She came back to her seat and started jumping. It was so crazy.

In the end there was he confetti and I picked some up as a souvenir. The crowd was really good as people all around were dancing in between the aisle. Overall absolutely fantastic show. I am so addicted that I am now thinking of attending the show in Philly on Sunday, I have already booked tickets for the LA and Vegas show after I saw them in Boston. At the end Bonnie went up to Del James and spoke to him and asked him if he had any backstage passes and he told her that his pockets were empty and they had distributed far too many passes already. This man is really Jackal and Hyde and after hearing some stuff about him I just don't respect this guy anymore. Yes the passes are given to girls who dress cheaply and basically are sluts. Its sad since the people who get to meet Axl don't know any shit and people like Del are responsible for this crap. I think there are far too many true GNR fans out there who should be given the chance but I guess that is how the world is.It is Del and few other guys who go in the crowd to look for the girls. I hope someone tells Axl but I guess he may never know.

Well thats all for now, I am really tired after driving back to Jersy.In case if I remember something will post it tomorrow. Goodnight folks.

CCHAAN the bar

[Kiki]

Just got home from MSG!  Here is my review:

The night starts by meeting four friends for some grub.  Then we walk down
8th Avenue toward MSG and see the big lighted sign: "Tonight/Guns N'
Roses/Sold Out"

CKY: As far as I'm concerned, they should add an "SU" to the beginning of
their name.

Mix Master Mike: He was really cool.  He spun a lot of rock songs (Zep's
Immigrant Song, Metallica's Seek And Destroy, a few RATM songs, etc.).  
Overall, a great choice for opening acts.

Guns N' Roses: They hit the stage around 9:50 or so (not exactly sure).  The
introduction was some slow keyboard music.

The crowd went nuts with the opening notes to WTTJ.  The opening
pyrotechnics set the mood for the song.the band smoked through it.  Axl
clearly demonstrated to NY that the VMA performance was a fluke.  Then ISE,
which rocked.  I was surprised to see Buckethead running around so much.

Mr. Brownstone came next, then Live And Let Die.  Once again, the crowd went
nuts for the pyrotechnics.  KOHD was next, the lighters immediately lighting
up, although the applause didn't come in until the first line.  I don't
think most people realized what song it was until then!  Think About You
next, which got a tremendous reaction.

YCBM was a true shock.the band played it right on.  Better than any bootleg
I've heard to date.  Then Finck's solo came and was surprisingly good.  I've
heard complaints about him.I'd have to say that next to Axl, tonight was
Robin's night.  Obviously the place went ballistic for SCOM, which featured
an unbelievable RF solo.

OTGM was next, followed by the night's first true rant.  (Quotes are from
memory.)  "Is Conan here?  Is Mr. Conan O'Brien here?  I hear he's on a
diet.  Well, everybody has to take a break from a diet every now and then."  
He slowly walks to center stage with a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.  "So I
got him a box of donuts, Krispy Kreme donuts.  Axl's white trash gourmet."  
He proceeded to throw a few donuts into the crowd.  Then he handed the box
into the crowd and told some guy to pass them out.  (When I left, some chick
went running to some guy with a corner of the box."Look what I got, look
what I got!")  I guess a retaliation for Conan's VMA comments.

Then they brought the piano out.  Axl started the solo with the asshole song
(You are an asshole, blah blah blah.woops.  Wrong song."  Then the back and
forth comedy routine.  Then the deep and soulful solo.  Then November Rain.  
Fortus did a killer job on the first solo.  Finck did an okay job on the
second.  Buckethead stole the song with his outro solo.

Next, Axl gave a short speech and the band played Chinese Democracy, which
got a decent response.  Next Madagascar, which got a better response.  Then
he introduced the band and Buckethead did his thing, starting with the nun
chucks and robot dance to pre-recorded music with Brain on drums.  When he
got his guitar, he played some theme (not sure what song), followed by a
guitar solo, Big Sur Moon, Star Wars, another solo (thumb slapping), Hog
Bitch Stomp, Pirate's Life For Me, Wonka In Slaughter Zone.  To clear this
up, he played Wonka once through, using his foot pedal to loop it.  As the
loop played, he handed out gifts.  (This was not pre-recorded as some
reports claim; it was a loop of his playing from seconds before.)

Rocket Queen next, then The Blues (best response of all the new songs).  The
solos in The Blues were amazing.  Axl sang the end from atop the piano.  
Next, Axl gave his "the news say we sound dated" speech and ripped into My
Michelle, which got an amazing reaction from the crowd.

Next a speech about "my old friends, my former friends, my probably never
really friends friends," or something like that.  Patience.  Then Nightrain.
  Holy shit Buckethead shreds on that song.  The crowd was nuts.  I looked
around toward the end of the song.every seat as filled.  I was in the 300s
and was still standing from the opening notes to WTTJ.  People in the 400s
were standing.  The crowd was sold.GN'R is back in NYC!

After a few minutes, Finck came out and did another solo, which was great.  
Then Paradise City.  With the pyrotechnics, the confetti and the three
guitarists all soloing, the crowd went f**k**g nuts.  And the best part of
the whole f**k**g night.Axl's closing line: "SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER!"

Axl's jersey selection: Rangers home, Rangers away, Yankees home, unknown
(black), Knicks home, Giants away (some of this may be incorrect).

Setlist:
Welcome To The Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Live And Let Die
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Think About Your
You Could Be Mine
Finck Guitar Solo
Sweet Child O' Mine
Out Ta Get Me
Piano Solo (You Are An Asshole/Back And Forth Comedy/Deep Moving Soulful)
November Rain
Chinese Democracy
Madagascar
Buckethead Solo (Bucket Chunks with Nun Chucks, Robot Dance - Unknown Theme
- Guitar Solo - Big Sur Moon - Star Wars - Guitar Solo - Hog Bitch Stomp -
Pirate's Life For Me - Wonka In Slaughter Zone)
Rocket Queen
The Blues
My Michelle
Patience
Nightrain
ENCORE:
Finck Guitar Solo
Paradise City

Brian Bank DNB-list

[Kiki]

Wow! And here I thought I'd get the first review up...

Just wanted to add a few quick things:

Screw ticketmaster. We showed up a few hours before the show and got seats,
we were told, in the third, fifth, and sixth row from the box office. We were
thrilled. Then we got inside and saw the first two rows had been partially
removed: so, really, we were in the first (Izabel), third (me and a friend),
and fourth (John and Jan) rows. So, as I said, screw ticketmaster.

Axl was in really, really, REALLY high spirits. Whatever kind of good mood
you've seen him in recently, multiply that by ten.  He was cracking up the
whole show. At one point he was jumping around with Tommy (almost like he was
imitating Tommy) and they were both laughing their asses off.

If the rest of the world has the reaction to Buckethead I keep seeing at
these shows, then the guy is gonna be a huge, huge star. Slash style. Period.
A friend of mine had shit seats (section 400, all the way in the back), and
started the evening as a BH naysayer. When I spoke to him half an hour ago,
he said "Buckethead's got skills." So that's that.

Axl slammed the NY Times writer who wrote the shitty Vegas review two years
back. So expect a negative review from the NY Times.

Axl's best line of the night, by far, while the band was playing the intro to
"My Michelle": "This is a reuion tour, of sorts. I got enough of myself
together to be here." Or something like that.

And Axl did end the night by screaming out "See you next summer!" and
something else, which I couldn't hear. So, hopefully, this won't be a RIR 3
kinda "next summer."

Security was LAX. I could have snuck a bazooka in if I had felt so inclined.
And they took it even easier on the girls then on the guys.

Okay. Bedtime now.
                -Matt  DNB-list

[kidrock]

Thanks again Kiki for the reviews.  I'll by you a drink someday if I ever get to meet you.  Shit I'll buy you as many as you want.

[Groovie In VT]

I had a great vantage point in Albany to watch where Axl goes off stage every few minutes. It appears he has a tent set up with a misting machine like you see at pro sporting events to help cool the players, I am betting he goes in there to cool down and to help keep the vocal cords moist.

[SINSHINE]

MOTHERF@CKER!!!  [rant]

Let me ask you a question. How many times on past tours and this tour has Axl started a show "on time"?

Exactely!

I've waited ten years to see Guns n' Roses...ten friggin' years...and of all the nights Axl decides to start the show
on time he chose last night. I walked into MSG at 10:20
thinking I had another 20 minutes or so to wait for the band but as I'm walking closer and closer I see no one in the hallways and then I hear the most dreaded sound I ever heard in my life...it was "Think About You"! My heart sank.
I got to my seat, turned around and sure enough, Guns n' Fuckin' Roses. My heart sank even further into my stomach...I had missed the first 5 songs  [crying]

Then, about a half second later I realized that GUNS N' FUCKIN' ROSES WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME PLAYING YOU COULD BE MINE!!! Holy Shit! This isn't real!

Oh, but it was!  [yes]

You've heard the setlist and countless reviews so I won't bore you with that. What I will say is that (not because they're one of my favorite bands of all time) WITHOUT A DOUBT THEY WILL BECOME EVEN LARGER THAN THEY WERE IN THE LATE 80's EARLY 90's!!!  [yes] [yes] [yes]

Every song was note for note. The power was like that of a Metallica show...hit you square in the chest! Robin was the biggest surprise of the night (as I had heard some pretty negative reviews of his playing). He fuckin' wailed on that axe! Buckethead was incredible...truly one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Brains was equally as impressive as was Dizzy, Richard and Tommy (who looked to be having an Fn' blast the entire night!). Then there's Axl...holy shit can this motherfucker sing! The highs the lows the screams...all studio quality shit!

I went with a friend who had seen them on the Get in the Ring tour and the Illusion tour. He had his guard up going into this show...as Slash is his guitar idol. He was in awe. He couldn't believe how much passion Robin and Buckethead had put into their playing. Truly blown away! He went from saying "...yeah, maybe I'll buy Chinese Democracy when it comes out, we'll see" before the show to "...holy shit, when does Chinese Democracy come out? This band fuckin' rocks!" afterwards.  [yes]

I'm still very bummed I missed the first 5 songs...but I left there with my assed kicked wanting a second beating!

Last night's show also marked the 40th concert I've ever been too and let me say...could last night's been the best of them all??? Very possible! Still in too much awe to figure it out!  

So look out world...your ass is about to be kicked hard!!!

GUNS N' ROSES ARE BACK!!!  [hihi] [hihi] [hihi]

[Dragon]

I might hava a clue on why Axl runs backstage in between songs, in an MTV documentary about the Guns n Roses and Metallica tour(Live and Loud 1992) they go on a backstage tour with Duff. And when they go by Axl's little corner Duff make a comment about a 'non smoking' sign and says it's because the oxygen thing.
If I would run around and at the same time sing like Axl does on stage, I sure would need oxygen and lots of it.

And thanks for all the reviews. [ok]

[Kiki]

Thanks again Kiki for the reviews.  I'll by you a drink someday if I ever get to meet you.  Shit I'll buy you as many as you want.

Now your talking! It's a deal!

[Kiki]

OK, here is my review...
I'm still half a sleep so I hope you can make sence of this review...
Last time I saw Gn'r was in 1992. This new band is better. Honestly I had my doubts, but I came to realize that if the "old friends" were up there on the stage it would have been soooo cool.. for about a song or two.. it would have gotten played out and boring quick. here are some things I will remember forever about this show

* axl, NY loves you
* B-head had a crazy solo, people loved him! (anyone noticed the lighting ficture on his bucket? it was like a x-mas tree.. soo cool. ohh man, did axl find the right guy or what??
* peace brother... peace brother...(if you were there you saw this on the screen too.)
* robin wore a cool hat in the begining kind of like the pic on his web site. He too was great. he does this cool dance with his legs.
* brain, dizzy, chris, tommy, fortus...sorry didn't notice you much... paying too much attention to axl, bhead and robin.. Fortus did play a cool Nevember rain solo..
* axl, NY loves you man

* Gnr has a future.... music was excellent. muthafukka can sing, can run, can perform..Its very Holywood.. each character is so off the wall... different, kinda freaky very cool. It gets your attention and wanting for more.
* who ever said something special was going to happen at this show wasn't kidding. Indeed it was..
* the new songs are sooo coool! I love them I really like the lyrics..
* MSG is a great place for a show.. there was magic in the air..

* Bootlegs suck!!!! I hate them... I have so many too..
All it does is ruin the music sometimes.. maybe because of the quality of the recordings.. they make you think that they can't play good..all the bootlegs combined does NOT do any justice to what this band tryly sounds like.
I'll post some more as it comes to me.. I'm going to the philly show tonight... I'll write a better review for that one.
peace brother..

troubledwine the bar  
 
 

[john]

If axl had said that thing about september 11 at the show i was at i would have flipped.

[pilferk]

They actually talked about the show on Howard Stern this morning and they specifically talked about Axl going backstage.  There is, indeed, and oxygen tent back there that he heads into for a few seconds to get his breath back.
One of the Stern cronies also accused Axl of lip synching to a track.  Thankfully, a listener called in and corrected him, telling him, indeed, the "Axl" background vocals ARE played as a track, but the main vocals are not pre-recorded.  
They did give the show a VERY good review.  The Howard crony who talked about the lip synching said he just couldn't believe the vocals were THAT perfect...that's why he suspected lip synching.

[jarmo]

They're using backing tapes? WTF?

I haven't noticed that on the August bootlegs....  



/jarmo

[john]

........And people argued with me for days about how there was no pre recordings of any kind.

[Jczk1161]

That was the best concert I ever been too in my life. It was well worth the wait to see something like that.

Gn'R rocks!      [peace] [beer] [hihi]

[XxWickeds10xX]

 [ok]

That show was unbelievable. I seen GnR back in the day, i think it was either 89, or 90. They still had the original lineup, and they were great! But lastnight was something different, maybe it was the garden air, maybe it was the weather, or maybe it was just that bad ass AXL. Hes still got "it". Before the show, i wished that it was the original lineup making a comeback, and kicking ass. I wanted that more than anything, but these guys made me forget about that. Buckethead kicks ass, along with Robin, and Richard. They played those songs HARD. Harder than ive heard in a while. It was like i was hearing them for the first time. They are back....and bad! GUNS AND ROSES 4 EVER!!!

[nadia]

What a great show and waht a mature crowd.....

[TyRod Tulip]

What a great show and waht a mature crowd.....

I was amazed at how mature that crowd was in Boston too.  I guess that is what 11 year will do to a crowd of mostly teenage kids.

BTW, I didn't notice any prerecorded backup vocal being used in Boston and I specifically listened.  While it was loud at time, I think I would have noticed backup vocals.  Even in LALD when on the album, the backup singers sing "You never did, you never did, you never did", that was not in the Boaston Show.  What tou heard in Boston was the entire crowd singing those lines.  Another instance is in Nighttrain when on the album Axl sings "Love that stuff" and "I could never get enough" and other things like that were not used in backup prerecordings.

/Tulip

[mike_msg]

Here's my late review...

CKY....thankfully, I showed up during their second to last song.  The crowd was acutally pretty nice to them.   ....No one really booed them off stage.
But the crowd cheered when they said that they were playing one more song.

About 50% of the ppl were there for the opening acts.

MMM...it was alright.  He did a tribute to Jam Master Jay....the crowd was only into the rock songs he was spinning.  Seek and Destroy got a good response.

Not too many flashers during the intermission....but there was that one chick below section 107....dang....trashy...but entertaining.

I'd say about 90% of the available seats were occupied at around 9:45.
when I saw the 3 roadies walk on stage at 9:55, I was like "holy shit, is this it?...they're grabbing the curtain!  Boom.  all the lights go down".  The ambient music plays, ..and the fog machine is cranking away.  Robin comes out....and WHAM! the show is on!

Right before or during KOHD, Axl says after the events of 9/11, NY is the strongest city in the world.  It was good to hear that.

Everyone remained standing for a long ass time.  Some people started to sit down during Chinese Democracy.  Though it was a combination of reasons, ....1: they didn't know the lyrics, 2: standing in a pair of boots hurts your feet.  So it was understood.   It felt kinda weird being the only one in my section singing along to the new songs. ...but I guess bootlegs will do that to you. [hihi]

I nearly crapped my pants when Axl called out Conan and brought out the krispy kremes.  The band looked very happy.

I've been reading the negative stuff about Robin this, and Robin that.....well, last night, he shut everyone up....he took the lead on like the first 5 or 6 songs.....and that thing he does with feet is hilarious!  Amazing.  With his black hat and white suit, all he needs is a black cane and he'd look like he's from A Clockwork Orange.

Buckethead won over a lot of new fans.  Everyone dug the nun chuck and robot dancing.

Fortus showed his true colors during the last few songs.... a lot of ppl say that he's an Izzy carbon copy.....but I think he's better in terms of on stage performance.

That Matrix camera thing is pretty cool at center stage.   ..And to add to what a lot of ppl said about the crowd.... I was amazed at how civilized and behaved everyone was.  No fights, nothing.   it's so true what 11 years does to a person.

It felt like the show moved so fast.  It ended just before midnight.  So i'm thinking it's 1 or a combination of reasons why the show started at 9:55....
#1 - Axl read the preview in the NYPost
#2 - MSG told the band that anything past Midnight would result in heavy overtime.
#3 - Axl wanted to start early cuz ppl have to go to work in the morning.
#4 - It's the first show to have been "sold out"...so it was our reward.

Anyways, it was an awesome show...and worth every penny.  I hope the band has continued success with the rest of the tour. [beer]

[john]

To the people who saw this show and at least one other. Were there more cameras at MSG than the other shows you saw? It makes sense that if they were going to put out any sort of music video or even full concert video, it would be for this show. Anyone notice?