Your 2002 Tour Story

[W 23 AXL II]

I went to the Hartford, CT show on (i think) tuesday, and then the MSG show on thursday.

CT Show: Showed up at 10:35 or so, thinking Axl would be late. State troopers stopped all traffic on I-95, so we were all freaking out. Finally got there, black parking attendant says the show is about to end. WTF??? We all run to the place, see some guys who say his friend is inside and the show hasn't even started yet. Get to security and thats when i hear it...

" DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE?"   

So i try to get around security which only makes it all take longer. Finally........able to walk in. we had floor seats, but we were all the way up top when we came in, so here i am walking down the stairs, watching Axl Rose for the first time in my life ever. There he is, there is the legend. There is Buckethead, there is Robin. Im tyring not to trip down the stairs, i leave my girlfriend and friends and start running to our seats.


MSG Show: Major snow-storm. Fights about how we're all getting there. Im driving, friends taking train. Fuck that, i wanna be in control, so im driving. make it down into nyc in about 15 mins, tons of snow, me n the girlfriend park near the Garden to 420 alittle bit. then, the problem.....our friends are in a bar about 3 blocks away, claiming axl will be late. i HAVE to go. I go. We go. Get there, few beers, really anxious about the gnr show. I dont wanna miss Jungle again...Finally, fuck everybody, we're leaving....fuck the beer. magical walk back to the Garden, nyc is home, and its beautiful in the winter. Get to the garden, walk in during fucking ISE. Missed Jungle again.....my prick, irish, beer-drinking friends did it again to me!!! lolol Sit in the 8th row. Have the best night of my life. Watch the DVD months later and see myself singing along to Patience during the 2nd chorus.




What are your stories?

[Neemo]

got free tickets to the show at the ACC in toronto. sat in microsoft box seats. it was sweet

We waited forever for the doors to open, there was a guy dressed as BH handing stuff out outside, i thought it was him at first but he was really short so it wasn't. I got to see the whole show from CKY to GnR, I actually just ate food, drank beer and played X-Box till mix master mike was done. it seemed forever till the lights went out and the guitars to wttj started, when Axl scream "Do you know where the Fuck You AREEEE!!!!!!" it was sweet bliss. after being a GnR fan for 14 and never seeing them I was in heaven, the show was anything i could've ever hoped for.  Hearing the bootleg a couple years later I'm almost positive that the guy who recorded it was right next to my buddy, cuz i swear i can hear him and myself. I'd love to know where the person who recorded it sat, so i could see if i'm right or not.

highlights for me were Mr. Brownstone(sounded amazing live), November Rain (The lighting was sooo sweet), Sweet Child (My fav GnR tune, other than OIAM) and Madagascar.

[W. Botaxl Rose]

I remember being surprised at how dead the scene around The Mark (Moline, IL) was when my gf & I got there. So we dicked around at a restaurant til I was sure CKY would be over. Get to our seats just as MMM was begining & he seemed to go on FOREVER! Just some dork dj scratching Led Zepplin tunes, how original. The 1/2 capacity crowd seemed on the edge of leaving til finally he ran out of records! Then botaxl & his hired band come out & cover a bunch of GNR tunes. Whaxl wore a Quad City Mallard hockey jersey & threw a temper tantrum in the middle of YCBM about losing his ring in the crowd. Finck plays the worst solo I've ever heard a rock concert before launching into a so-so cover of SCOM. Buckethead obviously is disinterested in the events as he stands off to the far stage right & makes no contact with other band members, except Brain, for the entire show. Buckethead has an interesting solo that showcases his quite considerable talent on the electric guitar. dIck fOrtus spends the night showing way to much emotion for the little he is actually playing. All in all, definitely one of the lamer, if not lamest, arena shows I've been in my concert going career.

[Cornell]

I'd rather not relive that sad memory of Philly! 

[W 23 AXL II]

i agree, fortus was OVERDOING things just a bit. im sure he was just happy to be there though, he seems like a cool, innocent dude. he totally was over doing the emotion. i gotta admit though, finck was cool. not the greatest player, but there are only a few legends out there. does that mean the chili peppers suck b/c they dont have a legend on guitar??

but everything else, i cannot agree with, my two shows (the last 2 gnr shows ever?) were pretty awesome. u gotta take the dickhead Axl with the good Axl.

[younggunner]

I remember being surprised at how dead the scene around The Mark (Moline, IL) was when my gf & I got there. So we dicked around at a restaurant til I was sure CKY would be over. Get to our seats just as MMM was begining & he seemed to go on FOREVER! Just some dork dj scratching Led Zepplin tunes, how original. The 1/2 capacity crowd seemed on the edge of leaving til finally he ran out of records! Then botaxl & his hired band come out & cover a bunch of GNR tunes. Whaxl wore a Quad City Mallard hockey jersey & threw a temper tantrum in the middle of YCBM about losing his ring in the crowd. Finck plays the worst solo I've ever heard a rock concert before launching into a so-so cover of SCOM. Buckethead obviously is disinterested in the events as he stands off to the far stage right & makes no contact with other band members, except Brain, for the entire show. Buckethead has an interesting solo that showcases his quite considerable talent on the electric guitar. dIck fOrtus spends the night showing way to much emotion for the little he is actually playing. All in all, definitely one of the lamer, if not lamest, arena shows I've been in my concert going career.

Were you the guy with ur arms crossed the whole night?


Saw GNR at MSG and what a night it was.  Took off from school so I can get into the city a little earlier. It was a blizzard that day which added to the nervousness that day. The whole day I wondered if the show would get cancelled or Axl would not come on. But being it was a pretty big an important show I said to myself as long as the snow holds up Uncle Axl will show.

As soon as I got in the building and waited on line you could feel the energy and sorta like nervous excitement from everyone. Not knowing what to expect.  I heard a lot fo fans asking each other what the set was gonna be like so I kept chiming in and a lot of peopel thought I was with the band or something cause I told them a lot of info and basiclaly recited the set.

Anyways the show was unbelievable. The bootleg doesnt do it justice. Every dam word to every song except the new ones the crowd sand with such energy. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised when they heard the notes to jungle at such an early time. Then bam...

what a show it was

[Neemo]

i agree, fortus was OVERDOING things just a bit.

I didn't even notice him, lol 

W. Botaxl Rose, I agree bucket did look disinterested but i think that's his "style" he's gotta be in character right? cuz he pretended to be all confused for his solo in T.O.

[W 23 AXL II]

younggunner, it was an awesome show and an awesome night. im not sure if anything will ever top that night.

[Oasis1]

I was at the ACC show (Toronto) and it was amazing. This was my second Gn'R show (I saw them and Metallica in 91).
My brother scored us front row seats (right in front of Buckethead). I caught the GI Joe-type action figures (there were two in the box) he threw into the audience. Later, I caught the rubber chicken as well. Both times I was mobbed by the people right behind me trying to catch the stuff, but my brother pulled me out. I gave the girl beside me one of the action figures from the first package I caught because I felt sorry for her for almost landing on her when I jumped for the action figure.

[W. Botaxl Rose]

i does that mean the chili peppers suck b/c they dont have a legend on guitar??

ur joking right? cause in the world i inhabit, john frusciante is pretty well respected. I mean, he's certainly no rObin f  i n ck, but then, who is really? 

[WARose]

I remember being surprised at how dead the scene around The Mark (Moline, IL) was when my gf & I got there. So we dicked around at a restaurant til I was sure CKY would be over. Get to our seats just as MMM was begining & he seemed to go on FOREVER! Just some dork dj scratching Led Zepplin tunes, how original. The 1/2 capacity crowd seemed on the edge of leaving til finally he ran out of records! Then botaxl & his hired band come out & cover a bunch of GNR tunes. Whaxl wore a Quad City Mallard hockey jersey & threw a temper tantrum in the middle of YCBM about losing his ring in the crowd. Finck plays the worst solo I've ever heard a rock concert before launching into a so-so cover of SCOM. Buckethead obviously is disinterested in the events as he stands off to the far stage right & makes no contact with other band members, except Brain, for the entire show. Buckethead has an interesting solo that showcases his quite considerable talent on the electric guitar. dIck fOrtus spends the night showing way to much emotion for the little he is actually playing. All in all, definitely one of the lamer, if not lamest, arena shows I've been in my concert going career.

ok you hate the new band and axl`s look.  but why do you have to spread your fuckin`opinion here to annoy the people on this board. keep it to yourself man!

[Axl4Prez2004]

I took the 7 hour ride up to Massachussetts from Delaware...damn I hate going over the GW Bridge, 55 minutes to go 2 or 3 miles.   

A buddy of mine lives in Boston, and our other friend lived in Rhode Island in '02.  We got liquored up Old School style.  The 3 of us had seen GNR in Buffalo in July of '92, and this was like re-living our youth.  Wine, whiskey, it was great.  It was cold out, but who the hell can feel cold when you're going to see Guns N Fuckin Roses!  We filled up on Burger King for dinner, and took a subway to the Fleet Center.  The excitement was palpable as the subway pulled up, and some other drunk folks were chanting Guns N Roses!   I was happy to make it through security with a tiny airline bottle of whiskey.  Just enough to say cheers and down with the intro. of Night Train, just like back in '92!      

The show was absolutely amazing!  I feel blessed, because I still think Boston's performances were among the best, if not the best of the tour.  (ok, I know I'm biased )Axl's new version of Live and Let Die is better than any old version I've ever heard.  The Blues kicked ass!  Maddy sent chills down my spine, and felt like a religious experience...and I'm not religious!  I loved the intro. synth to YCBM, and of course the big f.u. in It's So Easy, and who can forget the nice commentary on Izzy's performances back in the days he was not fit to perform on stage, classic stuff. 

It was a surreal evening, and even marked the first snowfall of the year for me...beautiful snow falling as we exited the Center too late to catch the subway, so we got a taxi and headed on home. 

Looking back on that night, I now understand why the 2 older guys in back of us were so nervous about Axl even showing up for the show.  They were very nervous and kept saying, "He isn't gonna show."  Who'd a thunk less than a week later, just that would happen at the Philly show.  I'm so thankful me and my buddies met in Boston for the December 2nd show, and not the Philly show nearer to me later that week.   

Guns N' Roses...just plain awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Axl4Prez2004 



 

[Jim Bob]

I saw the band in Pittsburgh on Nov 22, 2002.  Went with a buddy of mine.

We got there early, sat thru CKY, they only played 5 or 6 songs and they got booed off the stage, and one of the band members was pickin fights with people in the crowd.  Then MMM comes out and that was cool for about 5 min, but that went on for AT LEAST 90 minutes.  The crowd was not happy.  Then we waited and waited for GNR to come on.  Rumors were flying around that Axl hadn't arrived yet, and the place was getting restless.  The titty cam tied us all over tho, some girls on the floor in front of the stage started gettin naked and making out

Finally GNR hits the stage.. Shivers went down my spine when I haerd those opening notes for Jungle.  Robin Finck fucking nails those better than his predecessor ever could.   Then all the sudden "YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE!!"   I was blown the fuck away, there was Axl Rose, in a Pittsburgh Steelers jersey and a cigar in hand (i think he had a cigar).  The band ripped thru Jungle and I was so amazed..  I was in complete shock for the first few songs because I couldn' tbeleive I was seeing Axl Fucking Rose in person, singing my favorite songs  

They played live and let die, and once Axl started screaming , thats when i yelld out FUCK YEA THEY ARE BACK, GUNS N FUCKIN ROSES.  I was skeptical, to be honest, of seeing GNR with a whole new lineup, but that night this band proved to me that they are guns n fuckin roses.   Highlights of the show were the first few songs, then SCOM was amazing - Robin Finck rocks!!  The new songs were cool, but the crowd wasn't as into those obviously.  Madagascar was beautiful, so was November Rain.   

Buckethead's solo was cool, but I was more impressed with Robin and his work.  He did a few little intros to SCOM and PC.  They closed the show with Paradise city, which I think got the best reaction from the fans out of all the songs, besidse maybe SCOM.   

The craziest part of the whole night, was one minute, there was a crowd of people cursing Axl's name and ready to fuckin kill someone.. everyone was so pissed off.. then the next minute everyone was worshipping the man.

I really hope to see GNR again one more time.  Axl Rose has a charisma that is rare, in fact one I've never seen in another performer.  Its truly amazing.   Like when he got up on the Piano during the blues.. or when he'd scream.  I can't put into words how fucking cool it was.

EDIT: I'm putting together some 2002 reviews for my website, if you want to add your personal review, pm me with it.  would be much appreciated

[GNRisSLASH]

I bought tix for the show in Phoenix and a show in Los Angeles at The Forum. After Axl no showed Vancouver I wasn't so sure the tour would make it around.  After reading about empty arenas in many places my doubts were raised even higher.  After Axl no showed Philly causing the now famous riot, I tossed my Phoenix tix in the trash. I held out hope that he'd play LA since if there was anywhere in this country that he and his hired circus of goons could sell tickets, it would be in his hometown.  Boy was I wrong.  They sold less than half of the tix for The Forum and canceled that show along with the rest of the tour.  I did get a high quality copy of the pittsburgh show, though.  That was basically the highlight of the '02 tour for me.

[ClintroN]

i agree, fortus was OVERDOING things just a bit. im sure he was just happy to be there though, he seems like a cool, innocent dude. he totally was over doing the emotion. i gotta admit though, finck was cool. not the greatest player, but there are only a few legends out there. does that mean the chili peppers suck b/c they dont have a legend on guitar??

but everything else, i cannot agree with, my two shows (the last 2 gnr shows ever?) were pretty awesome. u gotta take the dickhead Axl with the good Axl.

dude, before you know it, you'll be complaining that someone doesnt move enough

Fortus obviously just feels music, like myself, i cant stop moving, let the man groove in 

[ckgent]

2002 i saw the leeds show and 3 days later went to london.

I loved them both, i thought the band played the songs well,and axl was on fine form.

At the end of leeds i was trying to get a memento, but was having no luck. I went a spoke to the soundman and explained i would be at london would i be able to get a souviner of some description. He said his name and told me to go see him in london. When i got to the show, i went over had a chat and he said to see him at the end.

Killer show over and i went to find him. After a quick chat he handed me his set list for the show. i Was well chuffed. Its actually pretty strange.

Each song is numbered, starting with jungel with#8 beside it. it then runs 9,10, 11, 18, and then jumps about in no particular order.

It has oh my god listed twice, and if i remember correctly they didnt even play it once.

It also has Bucket Chunks cd listed( his bit where he dances and solos etc)

At the bottom it says

YOU GO NOW !!!!!

I think its a cool memento from the show and one im gonna keep.

[mikegiuliana]

Don't really have a tour story.. Saw them on their last show dec 5 2005 msg about 15 rows back... Kind of worried that day because it was snowing, kept listening to the radio to hear if the show was off...One of the best parts of the show was just being with gnr fans and seein gthe old shirts and hearing war stories and fans a little bit divided... Even for me it was strange to be there looking at the stage only knowing who axl n dizzy were.... Had a great time though and things were really looking up then...

[Mal Brossard]

Sunday December 1, 2002.  I had gone home to Cleveland for Thanksgiving, and now I was in the airport waiting to go back to Boston to college and the Monday GNR concert.  I went to the ticket counter.  My flight was to go Cleveland to Newark to Boston.  But there was a problem-- Due to high winds, no planes could leave Newark.  I had to wait until Monday afternoon/evening, and fly direct to Boston.

Fuck no.  No way in hell was I going to take the risk of missing the GNR concert.  I asked if I could possibly fly in to Worcester, Lowell, or Providence.  The first two did not take flights from Continental.  The last one had one flight, but no open seats.  They checked again a couple minutes later, and ONE seat opened up.  I was saved.

So I land in Providence at 9 pm, get my bags and grab a taxi to the train station, hoping to jump on the commuter rail into Boston.  That was how I learned the Commuter Rail doesn't run to Providence on Sundays.

So I had to jump on an Amtrack train, getting into Boston at 11:15.  I sprinted toward the Subway at South Station, and rode to Park Street.  I lugged my 50 pound suitcase up the stairs... To find out I was standing on the wrong goddamn platform.  So back down the stairs I went, lugging the suitcase back up the other stairs.  I got on the right train, finally, and got off at my stop.

So my friends and I were all just hanging out in the common room talking about random shit, including the GNR concert I'm going to when my roommate says  "Oh shit, Drewman, I forgot to tell you, guess where I'm going with Nick and James tomorrow!"  I had no idea, and he breaks out into the chorus of Paradise City.

So that's how I met the guitarist in my band, James.  At 6 pm Warren (my roommate) and I jumped on the green line, and the four of us met up at the McDonald's across from the Fleet Center.  We all saw the travesty of CKY and Mix Master Mike as opening acts.  And then, the lights went down.

The opening to WTTJ came up and so began the greatest concert I've ever been to (which really isn't saying much, since I've only been to three significant concerts-- GNR, Less Than Jake, and Dropkick Murphys).  In the middle of My Michelle (I think) some dipshit behind me, fell into my back, sending me flying down 7 rows.  I seriously thought I was going to keep falling to the edge of the balcony and die.  It knocked my hat and brand-new GNR bandana off, but I got them back quickly.  No apology or anything from the asshole who sent me flying.  Oh well.

12:50, my roommate returns to our room (I had gotten back about 10 minutes earlier).  He opens the door, we look at each other and at the exact same time just said "Holy shit, that was good."

Anyways, yeah, that was it.  Good show.  I had the whole soundboard on mp3's for a year, and lost it when my hard drive died.  Any help in replenishing my collection from this show would be greatly appreciated.

[mikegiuliana]

I remember being surprised at how dead the scene around The Mark (Moline, IL) was when my gf & I got there. So we dicked around at a restaurant til I was sure CKY would be over. Get to our seats just as MMM was begining & he seemed to go on FOREVER! Just some dork dj scratching Led Zepplin tunes, how original. The 1/2 capacity crowd seemed on the edge of leaving til finally he ran out of records! Then botaxl & his hired band come out & cover a bunch of GNR tunes. Whaxl wore a Quad City Mallard hockey jersey & threw a temper tantrum in the middle of YCBM about losing his ring in the crowd. Finck plays the worst solo I've ever heard a rock concert before launching into a so-so cover of SCOM. Buckethead obviously is disinterested in the events as he stands off to the far stage right & makes no contact with other band members, except Brain, for the entire show. Buckethead has an interesting solo that showcases his quite considerable talent on the electric guitar. dIck fOrtus spends the night showing way to much emotion for the little he is actually playing. All in all, definitely one of the lamer, if not lamest, arena shows I've been in my concert going career.

Were you the guy with ur arms crossed the whole night?


Saw GNR at MSG and what a night it was.? Took off from school so I can get into the city a little earlier. It was a blizzard that day which added to the nervousness that day. The whole day I wondered if the show would get cancelled or Axl would not come on. But being it was a pretty big an important show I said to myself as long as the snow holds up Uncle Axl will show.

As soon as I got in the building and waited on line you could feel the energy and sorta like nervous excitement from everyone. Not knowing what to expect.? I heard a lot fo fans asking each other what the set was gonna be like so I kept chiming in and a lot of peopel thought I was with the band or something cause I told them a lot of info and basiclaly recited the set.

Anyways the show was unbelievable. The bootleg doesnt do it justice. Every dam word to every song except the new ones the crowd sand with such energy. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised when they heard the notes to jungle at such an early time. Then bam...

what a show it was

yeah that's pretty much it dude.. I think they had to go on at 10 because it has to be over by midnight.. Once you got into manhattan the snow was no big deal.. Looks worse from other parts of the 5 boroughs

[gnrfan1797]

Albany ny the day before thanksgiving, I drove 6 hours to see them since it was the closet event to me. Anywho i wasn't very excited about cky or that other dude mix master mike or whatevre huis name was i barlet paid attention. After those guy's played it was like 2 hours before gnr actually came on but the good thing inbetween the whole time this dude came over the speaker and said. " Allright ladies let's see them" for a whole 2 hours girls where flashing the cameras and they where showing it on the screen. Then the intro to jungle cameon and for some reason during the whole tour i don't think axl said do you know where the fuck you are he left the fuck out maybee im wrong but everydvd show ive seen of this tour he left the fuck out. But i went nuts the whole set and it turned out it was one of the best shows on the short tour that it was and it was the best time i ever had.

I also had one other thing to say it seemed pretty much the whole tour they followed the exact same set list. I coulda swore that axl was always against setlist's he just played what he felt like playing i thought that was kinda weird but other then that it was the best time i ever had.

WE also got some of the best axl rant's on the whole tour!