New York City, USA Hammerstein Ballroom - May 17, 2006

[estranged.1098]

so what happened with nightrain? did brain fuck it up? could that have been a reason why he wasnt at the acoustic show?

Yes, I'm sure he was fired as soon as the show was over. 

[JennaSide]

eddie was great

Oh god... Eddie was a lot of things, but GREAT was certainly not one of them. That was just annoying... and gross. At one point he turned around while peeing and I was terrified I would get splattered. I would've killed that little drunken bum had that happened. 

[Rosettta7]

I just have to chime in here and say how totally awesome this show was! ?It was worth everything! ?Axl went on late and I was annoyed, but I guess I forgot about that because the show was so damn good! ?It was just spectacular!!! ?After the show, I went to the backstage entrance, waiting for Axl to come out. ?I was so worried that he would again jump right into the car and take off. ?The car was backed up very close to the stage door and the passenger door was open, to facilitate his quick getaway. ?And when he came out, he did indeed go straight for the open car door. ?But, amazingly, he grabbed up a lightsaber and ran out toward the group of people standing to my left. ?He shook a few hands. ?I was thrilled, even though it wasn't my hand that he shook. ?I was just glad that he took a few seconds to acknowledge some fans. ?I and the people standing next to me moved out into the street, and stood next to one of the security guys. ?We were standing in the middle of the street! ?And along came a taxi! ?The security guy said to get out of the street. ?But I said, "F--- the taxi!" ?And I couldn't believe it, but the taxi stopped! ?That's right, we actually stopped a NY taxi driver! ?All for Axl baby!!!

[f]

This was the most amazing show I have ever attended and provided for one heck of an adventure.? I'm still working on the realization I drove up to New York City by myself and saw Guns and Roses play about 20 feet away from me.? When Izzy showed up, my night was perfected.


Fantastic show, definitely worth the trip, a once in a lifetime experience for me.

[HoldenCaulfield]

eddie was great

Oh god... Eddie was a lot of things, but GREAT was certainly not one of them. That was just annoying... and gross. At one point he turned around while peeing and I was terrified I would get splattered. I would've killed that little drunken bum had that happened.?

lol. I know, I was I think 2 people behind you in line, Jenna. I was stand right there next to Eddie when he peed. I know it was gross, but I'd never really seen anyone just pee on the sidewalk...

[Spirit]

another one

Who's at the far left? Chris? (Not Bumblefoot with the red hat..)

[Michael_Stradlin]

[Veronica]

I went to the show on the 15th and had tickets for the 17th but gave them to a friend because I had "something else to do" on the 17th.? Sounds like I made the biggest mistake of my life? ? I missed out on an awesome show?

The 15th did rock though and I had a great time at the preshow at Mustangs!

[jazjme]

I got some pics on a disposable cam i need to develop.  I wasn't about to sneak in my digital cam    I was pretty close to the stage so we'll see how they turn out.

can't wait bro, I was right behind you peeing in a cup

haah same here!

[ClintroN]

they'r mad pic

im so glad Izzy got up there, i hope he had a great time, i wanna hear it in his own words what it was like bein' up there again!!         i wanna hear what Duff n' Slash reckon too!!

[JennaSide]

I'd never really seen anyone just pee on the sidewalk...

Welcome to New York City. Sadly, it's not all that uncommon.

hey, the hand closest to Izzy is mine!  I knew I was bound to get into a picture somewhere after being front row 3 times!

Anyway, I can't believe it was a week ago already. What a great closing show for the NY run...  my music-buff boss was there that night. He saw GnR in the 80's as an opening band - he was impressed by how much Axl's matured and how great the band as a whole sounded together. And he's not one to be impressed easily...

[jazjme]

thats awersome jenna!!

[Cowboy Buddha]

What's up Jazjme?? I looked at your photos and I saw the back of my head in a few.? What's up Luigi??

[jazjme]

NICe man!!!!!!!

[mikegiuliana]

great pics

so some drunk mexican pissed on the streets of nyc, I really don't believe it..

[ElChino]

had 2 post this in  parts cause there's a 1000 character limit;

GOT INSIDE THE HAMMERSTEIN IN TIME 2 CATCH THE LAST 3 OR 4 NUMBERS OF OPENING ACT "BULLET 4 MY VALENTINE"...COULDN'T REALLY TELL ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IF THEY WERE ANY GOOD CAUSE IT WAS JUST 2 LOUD...WITH THE NOISE LEVEL IN THAT PLACE, UNLESS U'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE BAND'S MATERIAL, IT'S HARD 2 FOLLOW ALONG AND TELL WHAT'S BEING PLAYED...U CAN HEAR A PERFORMER'S VOICE, BUT NOT REALLY MAKE OUT WHAT HE'S SAYING...THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM WITH GNR CAUSE I KNOW ALL THE SHIT, BUT COULD BARELY UNDERSTAND WHEN AXL SPOKE 2 THE AUDIENCE (

SO BFMV LEFT THE STAGE AROUND 10 AND THE LONG WAIT BEGAN... FINALLY, AFTER 90 FUCKING MINUTES, THE LIGHTS GO DOWN, THE CROWD ERUPTS, AND I NEARLY SHIT CAUSE THE MASTER'S ARRIVAL IS NOW MERE MOMENTS AWAY...MUSIC STARTS, JUST A KIND OF GUITAR TONE WHICH IS BARELY AUDIBLE OVER THE CHEERS OF THE CROWD...IT'S COMPLETELY DARK, AND I CAN SORTA MAKE OUT SOME MOVEMENT ON THE STAGE...THEN A SPOTLIGHT GOES ON AND SHINES DOWN ON ROBIN, WHO'S SHED THE NINE INCH NAILS LOOK AND NOW RESEMBLES CHRIS ROBINSON...HE'S STANDING ON THE RAMP EXTENDING FROM CENTER STAGE, AND PLAYS THE OPENING "ECHO" CHORDS OF "WELCOME 2 THE JUNGLE"...BUT HE ONLY DOES THOSE 2 CHORDS OVER AND OVER, AS IF TEASING THE AUDIENCE AND MAKING US WAIT JUST A LITTLE LONGER...MY HEARTS'S FUCKING BEATING 1000MPH AND I'M GOING OUT OF MY MIND ALONG WITH THE 3000 OTHER FANS

I CAN'T EVEN HEAR MYSELF THINK THROUGH THE IMMENSE ROAR OF THE CROWD AT THIS POINT...I'M NOT SURE IF THE SPOTLIGHT DIMMED OR I JUST STOPPED NOTICING, CAUSE MY ATTENTION TURNED 2 THE SIHLOUETTE OF A LONE FIGURE SLOWLY MAKING HIS WAY FROM STAGE LEFT UP THE RAMP AND STOPPING NEAR ROBIN...THE FIGURE'S STANDING THERE LOOKING AT THE PEOPLE, I THINK ARMS CROSSED(COULDN'T SAY 4 SURE THROUGH THE DARKNESS), HEAD NODDING IN APPROVAL AS THEY GO INSANE...IT'S HIM

ALL I COULD MUSTER WAS "HOLY SHIT"...THE ROAR OF THE CROWD IMPOSSIBLY GREW EVEN LOUDER, I'M GETTING CHILLS THINKING ABOUT IT...U CANNOT BEGIN 2 FATHOM THE PURE MAGNETISM EMANATING FROM THIS MAN...I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYONE SAYS, THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT WAS GOD STANDING RIGHT THERE ON THAT STAGE...AXL AKBAR!...AXL AKBAR!...HE COULD HAVE JUST TURNED AROUND AND WALKED OUT AT THAT MOMENT AND IT STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST CONCERT IN HISTORY

BUT HE DIDN'T...HE REMAINED ABOVE HIS ADORING DISCIPLES AS ROBIN AND CO. BEGAN THE INTRO 2 "WELCOME 2 THE JUNGLE"...LIKE A ROLLER COASTER, THAT SONG STARTS SLOWLY, CLIMBING LITTLE BY LITTLE, BUILDING IN INTENSITY AS IT GOES ALONG, THE ANTICIPATION GROWING 2 A FRENZY...AXL DIDN'T DO HIS USUAL "HOWL" WITH THE MUSIC...HE JUST STOOD THERE...AND AS THE INTRO REACHED ITS PINNACLE, ALONG WITH THE NOISE FROM THE AUDIENCE, HE HIT US WITH A "DO U KNOW WHERE THE FUCK U ARE!!!!!!!!!!"...I FUCKING DIED

FINALLY THE COASTER REACHED THE TOP...AFTER ALL THE BUILD UP, THE INTRO CONCLUDING WITH ITS FINAL DRUM/GUITAR IN SYNC NOTES, THE SONG, STAGE AND AUDIENCE ALL EXPLODED LIKE PETER NORTH IN UNISON AS "WTTJ" KICKED INTO HIGH GEAR...THE PYRO WAS COOL, BUT THE BOMBS SCARED THE LIVING FUCK OUT OF ME...THROUGHOUT THE SHOW I WAS USUALLY ABLE 2 ANTICIPATE WHEN A BOMB WOULD GO OFF, AND COVER MY EARS ACCORDINGLY, BUT ONCE IN A WHILE I STILL GOT CAUGHT BY SURPRISE (...AND THE HEAT FROM THE FLAMES WAS INCREDIBLE, EVEN FROM WHERE WE WERE...CAN'T IMAGINE HOW HOT IT GETS ON STAGE...FUCKING HETFIELD

AXL LOOKED FANTASTIC...ANYONE WHO TELLS U HE'S HEAVY IS A LYING COCKSUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!...REMINDED ME OF ICE-T IN NEW JACK CITY, BRAIDS IN A PONY TAIL, SHADES, WEARING A BLACK SHIRT AND JEANS...SAME GEAR AS THE PREVIOUS SHOWS, WHICH LED ME 2 BELIEVE THEY WERE SHOOTING 4 SOME SORT OF VIDEO OR DVD...SAW A BUNCH OF CAMERAS THERE, SO I HOPE THAT'S THE CASE...HE STILL HAS THE VOICE, THE GREAT MOVES, EVERYTHING...I COULDN'T BELIEVE I WAS ACTUALLY THERE WATCHING HIM...I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT

[ElChino]

THE CROWD SANG "WELCOME 2 THE JUNGLE" WORD 4 WORD, AS THEY DID EVERY OTHER SONG, EXCEPT 4 A FEW OF THE NEW ONES WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN HEARD BY MOST...A LOT OF PEOPLE KNEW "MADAGASCAR" AND "THE BLUES", THOUGH...I MAY BE WRONG, BUT I THINK AXL MIGHT'VE SAID "SHA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA KNEES, KNEES" AGAIN AFTER THE SECOND VERSE, INSTEAD OF "FEEL MY, MY, MY, MY SERPENTINE"...WTTJ WAS FOLLOWED BY "IT'S SO EASY", "MR. BROWNSTONE" AND "LIVE AND LET DIE", AFTER WHICH AXL ADDRESSED THE CROWD...AS STATED EARLIER, I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS SAID, BUT I'VE READ THAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT "SOMEONE FROM A TIME OF TRUANCY" IN HIS PAST, SOMEONE HE GOT INTO TROUBLE WITH GROWING UP AND SHIT...WHICH FITS, BECAUSE THE WORDS I DID HEAR CLEAR AS DAY WERE "LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, MR. IZZY STRADLIN"

IZZY ENTERED STAGE LEFT AS THE CROWD WENT BONKERS!...HE SALUTED THE FANS AS AXL APPROACHED AND THEY EMBRACED...I FUCKING MELTED...IT WAS TRULY BEAUTIFUL...THROUGH ALL THE SHIT, THESE GUYS GO BACK OVER 30YRS<333...THEY PLAYED "THINK ABOUT U", AND AS AXL SANG "OOOOH, IT WAS THE BEST TIME I CAN REMEMBER", I THOUGHT "FUCK YES"...IZZY LEFT AFTER THE SONG 2 A CHORUS OF "IZ-ZY! IZ-ZY! IZ-ZY!" FROM THE AUDIENCE

A ROBIN SOLO FOLLOWED, WHICH SEGUED INTO "SWEET CHILD O' MINE"...THAT OPENING RIFF MADE ME THINK OF SLASH...NOT IN A "I WISH HE WAS HERE" OR "I WANT THE ORIGINAL BAND 2 REFORM" WAY, CAUSE I DON'T...JUST THAT IT'S PROBABLY THE RIFF HE'S MOST IDENTIFIED WITH...BUT THAT SONG IS JUST AS MUCH AXL'S, AND AS HE REEMERGED, IT WAS ALL ABOUT HIM AGAIN...THEN CAME A SONG THAT I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE BUT KICKED TOTAL ASS...COULDN'T FOLLOW THE VOCAL LINE AS WELL, BUT THE GUITAR ROCKED...IT WAS "BETTER"...CAN'T WAIT 4 THE CD!...THEN CAME "KNOCKIN ON HEAVEN'S DOOR"(NICE INTRO WITH AXL 'OOOH OOOH'ING), A DIZZY PIANO SOLO, "THE BLUES", RON THAL SOLO(PEOPLE CALL HIM BUMBLEFOOT, BUT THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE NAME OF HIS BAND), AND "YOU COULD BE MINE"

AXL THEN SAT AT THE PIANO AND PLAYED "NOVEMBER RAIN"...ABSOLUTE MAGIC...THE WALL OF SPARKS FALLING FROM THE CEILING WAS A NICE TOUCH...NEXT SONG STARTED, POUNDING DRUMS AND A HARD RIFF...4 A SECOND IT SOUNDED LIKE SLAUGHTER'S "THE WILD LIFE", AND I WAS LIKE "WHAT THE FUCK??"...BUT IT WAS "OUT TA GET ME" AND THEY FUCKING KILLED IT!...JUST AWESOME...GREAT INTERRACTION WITH THE CROWD...FORTUS AND FINCK THEN DID DUAL SOLOS, I THINK CHRISTINA AGUILERA'S "BEAUTIFUL" WAS AMONG THE STUFF THEY PLAYED...ONLY THEY CAN MAKE THAT GARBAGE SOUND GOOD

AXL COMES BACK OUT 4 "MY MICHELLE" AND INTRODUCES SEBASTIAN BACH, WHO RUNS OVER 2 AXL AND GIVES HIM A BIG HUG...HE MIGHT'VE ACTUALLY PICKED AXL UP, COULDN'T REALLY TELL...BAS HEADBANGS LIKE CRAZY WHILE PERFORMING...SONG ENDS, BAS LEAVES, AND THEY GO INTO "ROCKET QUEEN", WHICH MADE ME SO HAPPY CAUSE THEY HADN'T PLAYED IT IN 1 OR 2 OF THE EARLIER SHOWS...AXL OCCASIONALLY READ THANK YOUS FROM A PIECE OF PAPER...THE ONES I CAUGHT WERE THE NYPD, THE HAMMERSTEIN(PRONOUNCED IT HAMMERSTEEN), AND SEBASTIAN...THERE WERE MORE

AFTER "ROCKET QUEEN", IZZY CAME BACK OUT 2 DO WHAT AXL CALLED ANOTHER IZZY SONG, WHICH WAS "PATIENCE"...MORE MAGIC...SOME HAVE SAID THEY SAW IZZY'S EYES WATER, WHICH I DIDN'T NOTICE, THANK GOD...OTHERWISE I'DVE GONE INTO FULL WOMAN MODE...HE DID SMILE ALOT, THOUGH, AND RAISED HIS ARMS HIGH IN THE AIR, SWAYING THEM SIDE 2 SIDE 4 PEOPLE 2 DO THE SAME<33..."MADAGASCAR" AND "I.R.S." FOLLOWED...DIDN'T RECOGNIZE "I.R.S." TILL I HEARD AXL SAY "FBI"...SOUNDED BETTER THAN THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT

THEN THE BAND STARTS "NIGHT TRAIN", BUT AXL DOESN'T SING ON HIS CUE, AND JUST SAYS "STOP, STOP, STOP IT"...HE LOOKS AT BRAIN, THE DRUMMER, AND TELLS HIM SOMETHING...I CAN'T UNDERSTAND SHIT HE'S SAYING, BUT PEOPLE SAID HE WAS TELLING BRAIN THEY'D "REHEARSED THIS 3 TIMES ALREADY"...AXL THEN SAID "THIS REALLY IS GUNS' N ROSES" OR SOME SHIT 2 THE CROWD, AND THEN SOMEONE SAID SOMETHING LIKE "THIS AIN'T NO BRITNEY SPEARS BULLSHIT"...I'VE READ THAT IT WAS TOMMY WHO SAID THAT, BUT AT THE TIME I THOUGHT IT WAS AXL'S VOICE, EVEN THOUGH HIS MIC WAS DOWN(THE IMPLICATION BEING HE'D BEEN LIP SYNCHING THE WHOLE NIGHT)...SO I DON'T THINK IT WAS REALLY A SCREW UP ON BRAIN'S PART, RATHER THEY WERE JUST FUCKING AROUND

SO "NIGHT TRAIN" STARTS AGAIN AND AXL DOES THE WHOLE "LOADED LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN, FLYING LIKE AN AEROPLANE, FEELING LIKE A SPACE BRAIN, ONE MORE TIME 2NITE"...BUT INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING IT UP WITH THE FIRST VERSE, HE SAYS "ONE MORE TIME" AND SINGS THOSE 4 LINES AGAIN...BUT RIGHT BEFORE THE FIRST VERSE STARTS, RATHER THAN SAYING "LOOK OUT", HE SAYS "MR. KID ROCK" AT WHICH TIME KID ROCK RUNS OUT FROM THE RIGHT AND THEY BOTH RIP INTO THE SONG...PRETTY COOL...THE WHOLE CROWD SURGED 4WARD, I'DVE PROBABLY BEEN KNOCKED OVER HAD THERE BEEN NO WALL 2 BRACE MYSELF WITH...DURING THE SONG, SOME STUPID DRUNK SKANK FELL LIKE 3 TIMES IN FRONT OF ME...HER BOYFRIEND HAD 2 PICK HER UP AND DRAG HER TOWARDS THE BACK...SEEING AS SHE WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF IT, I SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY 2 HELP MYSELF 2 A HANDFULL OF ASS(HER'S, NOT HIS) AS THEY WENT BY ME

AFTER "NIGHT TRAIN", EVERYTHING WENT DARK...ROBIN APPEARED ATOP THE STAGE, BEHIND THE DRUMS, AND PLAYED THE OPENING RIFF OF "CHINESE DEMOCRACY", FLANKED BY AN AMAZING LIGHT SHOW...LIKE "WTTJ", IT WAS AN EXTENDED INTRO, WITH ROBIN REPEATING THE SAME NOTE, UNTIL FINALLY THE SONG STARTED...THIS WAS ANOTHER OF THE TUNES I WAS MOST LOOKING 4WARD 2, THE ONLY DISSAPOINTMENT BEING THE ABSENCE OF THE LITTLE SYNTH LINE IN THE OPENING WHICH HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE...IT ONLY LASTS LIKE A SECOND, BUT THAT NOTE REALLY HELPS KICK THINGS OFF...HOPEFULLY IT'S RESTORED 4 THE RECORD...THERE WERE SOME COOL KEYBOARD EFFECTS LATER ON IN THE SONG, THOUGH...GREAT TRACK

ANOTHER ROBIN SOLO(HE'S DEFINATELY THE STAR GUITAR PLAYER IN THE BAND NOW) WAS FOLLOWED BY "PARADISE CITY" (...I WAS KINDA BUMMED CAUSE THAT'S THE LAST SONG THEY PLAY AND I KNEW IT WOULD ALL BE OVER SOON...I TRIED 2 SAVOR EVERY LAST MOMENT, AS CONFETTI SHOT OUT THE SIDE AND RAINED DOWN ON EVERYONE...AXL HAD THROWN THE WHISTLE INTO THE AUDIENCE, IMAGINE THE LUCKY SLUT/BASTARD WHO GOT IT AFTER THEY'D JUST BEEN IN HIS LIPS!...ROBIN DOVE INTO THE CROWD...AND JUST WHEN I THOUGHT I WAS OUT OF THE WOODS WITH THE STAGE BOMBS, *BOOM!*, ANOTHER ONE SENT ME HALF 2 HELL...I THINK EVEN AXL WAS STARTLED...HE THANKED NEW YORK AS THE SONG ENDED, THREW THE MIC INTO THE CROWD, AND LEFT WITH THE BAND...FUCK, I WISH I'D GOTTEN IT

ALL THE LIGHTS WERE OFF AS PEOPLE BEGAN FILING OUT...I'VE LEARNED 2 WALK SLOWLY AND NOT LEAVE TILL I C THE CREW TAKING THE STAGE APART, SINCE I GOT FUCKED OUT OF WATCHING POISON DO "TALK DIRTY 2 ME" AFTER RUNNING OUT PREMATURELY 2 CATCH THE BUS...HAD 2 LISTEN 2 IT FROM THE PARKING LOT...SO AS I'M TAKING MY TIME TOWARDS THE EXIT, THE STAGE LIGHTS COME ON AND AXL'S THERE WITH EVERYONE, EXCEPT IZZY WHO HAD LEFT...EVERYBODY RUNS BACK DOWN TOWARD THE STAGE, AND PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE TRY RUNNING BACK IN WHEN THEY HEAR THE CHEERS...AXL AND FRIENDS DO A GROUP BOW, WAVE AND LEAVE

AND SO ENDED THE GREATEST 2 AND A HALF HOURS IN THE HISTORY OF EXISTENCE...I'VE BEEN DOWN SINCE THEN, IT'S LIKE NOTHING ELSE CAN MAKE ME HAPPY...WHAT ELSE IS THERE 2 LIVE 4?...I'VE REALIZED MY LIFE LONG DREAM, NOW WHAT?...SINCE THE SHOW, WHEN I LISTEN 2 "WTTJ" OR "CD", I HIT THE REWIND BUTTON AT THE BEGINNING IN AN ATTEMPT 2 REPLICATE THE WAY THE SONGS WERE PLAYED THAT NIGHT, TRYING 2 RELIVE IT ANY WAY I CAN...I WISH I COULD JUST GO INTO HIBERNATION TILL THE ALBUM AND NEXT TOUR COME AROUND :\

 

[Rosettta7]

All right!  Thank you El Chino!  You captured the moment!  I was there that night and you just took me on a journey of reliving it all!  It was a night that will go down in my history book as one of the best ever!

[f]

AND SO ENDED THE GREATEST 2 AND A HALF HOURS IN THE HISTORY OF EXISTENCE...I'VE BEEN DOWN SINCE THEN, IT'S LIKE NOTHING ELSE CAN MAKE ME HAPPY...WHAT ELSE IS THERE 2 LIVE 4?...I'VE REALIZED MY LIFE LONG DREAM, NOW WHAT?...SINCE THE SHOW, WHEN I LISTEN 2 "WTTJ" OR "CD", I HIT THE REWIND BUTTON AT THE BEGINNING IN AN ATTEMPT 2 REPLICATE THE WAY THE SONGS WERE PLAYED THAT NIGHT, TRYING 2 RELIVE IT ANY WAY I CAN...I WISH I COULD JUST GO INTO HIBERNATION TILL THE ALBUM AND NEXT TOUR COME AROUND :\

this was the best show i have been to

link to my story of the experience

http://adventureswithf.blogspot.com/

[johnreed3344]

10 years ago today for all the members who were there! the return of IZZY what a night