Ever got soooo close to seeing GnR live, then for whatever reason.......

[Zenny]

...the concert was sold out, cancelled, or you simply got snubbed by GnR? I have accepted the fact that I will probably never, EVER get a chance to see my alltime favorite band seeing as how four times, FOUR TIMES, Axl and crew have evaded me!

The first time was back in June of '91, when GnR was coming with Skid Row to the Hampton Coliseum in Virginia. I lived in Virginia Beach, a mere 15 minutes away from this venue, and had been psyched out for MONTHS at the prospect of seeing my favorite band live. Unfortunately, I was a young naive kid and didn't know about the concept of "sold out", which this concert was by the time a buddy of mine and I were dropped off at the Coliseum to get our tickets. I think I cried like a little bitch when I saw all these people who had their tickets beforehand walz into the arena and we sat there hoping to see some scalpers (which never came).

Fast forward about 11 years later, and I find myself stationed in Belgium. There is this music festival that will be going on literally DOWN THE STREET from my house called Pukkelpop in Hasselt (I live in Neerpelt, trust me, it's close), and much to my chagrin, the 'new" GnR will be playing it. I waste no time in getting a ticket for it many weeks ahead of the show, thinking "hell yeah, now I can make up for that time I missed them as a kid!" Well...not so much, as this little place called Afghanistan was causing the good ol' USA some problems at the time, and I along with many others get sent there to keep the peace or whatever it was. I miss Pukkelpop by three weeks, and once again, GnR eludes me. I end up giving my ticket to a Belgian friend of mine who says the show was awesome?

Well, after I get done with that business in the desert, I get some much needed R&R time back in the states. I arrive home in Virginia in December, see the infamous video of GnR at the VMAs, and then hear all about the tour they are on. My fiance at the time, knowing all about my troubles with GnR in the past, goes on ebay and got me two FRONT ROW CENTER tickets to the show at the MCI Center in Washington DC. I can't freaking wait! Surely THIS time I'll be able to see them, I mean hell, it's a World Tour!

Well, we all know what happened then. Axl doesn't show up in Philly, and the tour is cancelled...three days before I was supposed to see them. I read about it here on HTGTH when I was looking for info on the MSG show, so I would know what to expect. First thing I see....DC: Cancelled. At this point I curse Axl and the name GnR and swear to never listen to another one of their damn CDs again. Well...that lasts all of a day or two, and me and a buddy go see Appetite for Destruction, a really good GnR cover band at the NorVa in Norfolk. If you ever get the chance and live on the east coast, check them out. Anyhow, it is again at this point that I lose all hope of ever seeing GnR live.?

UNTIL....Rock in Rio 4 in Lisbon. I find out about this, and I hold off from buying a ticket or making any travel plans. Three times I had missed out on GnR and I wasn't going to let Rio be number 4. But....I couldn't help it. I put in for leave, make travel arrangements, and I'm on my way to Rock in Rio 4 to see GnR!

Then Buckethead quits, Axl releases his statement, and it's a no-go for GnR at Rio. I once again read all about it here on HTGTH. And to tell the truth...I'm not one bit surprised. Pissed and upset yeah, but surprised? Nah. I just get wasted that night in a bar down in the centrum.?


So there you have it...four times I set out to see GnR, and four times I was deniiiiiiiied. Maybe it's just destiny for me to never see the band live, I dunno. I'm not going to lie though...if they put out tour dates again (and I'm confident they will, one day) I'll probably buy a ticket to go see them. Does that make me a sucker? Maybe...but I like to think of it more as being a loyal, true fan. Chinese Democracy being delayed so many times doesn't bother me so much, as I've had to have more patience when it comes to this band than waiting for an album to come out. And I'm sure it will, one day. Then maybe I can finally see my favorite band since I was in grade school play live in concert.? ?


So....anybody else have some stories on how they were going to see GnR, but somehow it eluded them?

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

i was supposed to see them in Greenville, SC, in 2002 ... and then for what ever reason, decided to go to NYC too.
so i saw them at the MSG (last show ever ??!!???)
and then reads that they cancel the rest of the tour, so i'm glad i did go to NYC .....

[mick]

Dude. All I can say is you are one motherfucking helluva fan to even give a rat's ass about Axl after all of the times you have missed them.

I will admit I am just as bad as you, I flew 1500 miles through the worst blizzard of the year in '02 to catch them at MSG, which I did do but it took me from 10am to 9pm to complete the 3 hour flight and a lot of "getting assertive" with airline personnel. Sorry don't mean to rub it in or anything but just want you to know I can "relate".

I hope you get to see Axl one day.

It is people like yourself and posts such as this that really forms a horrible taste in my mouth in regards to Axl. I hope he realizes there are probably 1000's of stories just like this one kicking around out there.

[mick]

Oh, I forgot a BIG THANK YOU for serving your country. You are the man. 

[Mr. Nik™]

spring 2001: Guns N Roses ere scheduled to headline the main day of  Heineken Jammin' Festival, here in Italy, and various other gigs all around europe in that June....

I had tickets for that June 17 show..... but all the european tour was cancelled

[Zenny]

Dude. All I can say is you are one motherfucking helluva fan to even give a rat's ass about Axl after all of the times you have missed them.

To be fair to Axl, not one of the four times was really his fault. They sold out the Coliseum because they were just the shit. Pukkelpop was just bad timing. The 2002 tour, well, you could blame Axl for that, but when did GnR EVER show up and play on time? That was more or less ClearChannel, I think. And Buckethead leaving was his decision, which put Axl and Co. in a bad spot. I got really pissed to where I wanted to kick Axl in the balls at the time, but I never held any resentment toward him afterwards. I'm just a fan and I hope see him the band and the album one day. ?

And a big thanks to you too for your support!

[Chief]

i had tickets for 2 cancelled shows on the 02 tour. i really hope next time they start in LA!

[Thorazine Shuffle]

i was supposed to see them in Greenville, SC, in 2002 ... and then for what ever reason, decided to go to NYC too.
so i saw them at the MSG (last show ever ??!!???)
and then reads that they cancel the rest of the tour, so i'm glad i did go to NYC .....

Yea I was going to Greenville too, then of course with my luck the rest of the tour was canceled after Philly.

[elevendayempire]

I missed out on seeing them in London, 2002. I couldn't find any place to stay the night in London (feeble, I know), and thought to myself, "Well, they're sure to have the album out soon; I'll catch them next time they're in town." I'm still kicking myself...

SG

[Cornell]

I was in Philly. 

Atleast I got to see them 5 times in the late 80's and early 90's.

[Flyguy_1ca]

Drove 5 hours to Vancouver.....then the riot......drove 5 hours home.....

[Walapino]

In 2001 I travelled from Peru to Florida to catch U2 elevation tour (which I did) and Slash Snakepit + AC/DC, low and behold Slash got the "flu" and had to watch some shitty opening band instead of my hero 

In 2002 again I made plans to fly and catch Axl in Florida, got the ticket and the arrangements and a mere week before Axl and Co. cancel the show. AGH!

In 2005 I decided to go to Argentina and on purpose booked the trip at the same time Steve Adler and Izzy Stradlin where gonna play there, well some fire happened in Bs As and the scrapped all concerts AGH OH AGH!

So only Duff is left to screw me over... common Im waiting motherfucker! 

[2NaFish]

yeah, last week. Everything was going fine for my private performance of the new material and then i woke up.

[banachkevin]

drove four hours to cathch a flight in saskatoon,saskachwan,canada got on a plane flew for over 4 hours landed in vancouver spent a day or two at a buds place he just moved there went to the concert sat in the rain for awhile, concert was cancelled riot happened and its all history from there. so i will not ever in my life travel that fucking far to see any band now SO AXL IF YOU READ THIS AND YOU WANT TO MAKE IT UP TO ME COME TO SASKATOON<SASK<CANADA PEACE OUT

[tomass74]

I saw the Gn'R 3 times and Axl's new GnR once.. But I did have 2 shows canceled on me back in the Skin N' Bones tour... They were like 8th and 10th row too.. I had never been that close.  Little did I know, I would never see them again. It was when Gilby broke his wrist and they didn't make those ones up... One actually was rescheduled, but there was a blizzard that day so they cancled it. Either that or there was a blizzrd and it was rescheduled then they canceled it when he broke his wrist..

[Eva GnRAxlRosette]

Dude. All I can say is you are one motherfucking helluva fan to even give a rat's ass about Axl after all of the times you have missed them.

To be fair to Axl, not one of the four times was really his fault... I'm just a fan and I hope see him the band and the album one day. ?

And a big thanks to you too for your support!

Zenny, you're not 'just a fan'... you are a great fuckin' fan - HARDCORE!     You are a true die hard Gunner and you fuckin' RULE!

I believe that you will get to see GN'R and that it will be amazing.   

i was supposed to see them in Greenville, SC, in 2002 ... and then for what ever reason, decided to go to NYC too.
so i saw them at the MSG (last show ever ??!!???)
and then reads that they cancel the rest of the tour, so i'm glad i did go to NYC .....

me too... I had tickets for Tampa and W. Palm Beach, but flew up to NYC for MSG  ... (and Philly )
If I had waited for the Florida shows i'd be kicking myself to this day

[February]

Lisbon, 92 I had a really important project  to defend  the next day, determinant to became the first member of my family to have a university degree, so i was home studying while most of my friends were getting drunk n stoned and absolute crazy in stadium Jos? de Alvalade.
The next chance i had was RIR Lisbon, i had the tickets and i was going like i had win the lotary....i admit i cried when it was cancelled, returned the tickets, and prayed that one day had the chance to kick the Sh**t of BH. I don't any more ....i just hope his chickens bite him in the ass once in a while.

But still optimistic for next year 
February

[JJ]

yeah...

24-06-1992: Gnr in Gent, Belgium: CANCELLED!!! 
11-07-1993: Gnr in Werchter, Belgium: I COULDN'T GO!!! FUCK!!! 
23-06-2001: Gnr in Arnhem, Holland: RESCHEDUELED => 02-12-2001!!! 
30-06-2001: Gnr @ Rock Werchter, Belgium: CANCELLED!!! 
02-12-2001: Gnr in Arnhem, Holland: CANCELLED!!! 

24-08-2002: Gnr @ Pukkelpop Festival, Kiewit... Finally I see Guns N' Roses Live... What a night... 

[Zenny]

I hope whenever CD drops, they tour this area as much as they did back in the day! Christ, I'd buy a ticket for every show (and prob raise my Missed-GnR quota up a few notches  )

[jarmo]

June 25th, 2001 Stockholm, Sweden (postponed) -> December 7th, 2001 Stockholm, Sweden (cancelled)

Slash's Snakepit: December 8th, 2000 Gothenburg, Sweden was moved to Malm?, Sweden due to poor ticket sales.



/jarmo