Some things I noticed from the NYC boot from the 15th

[AxlGunner]

jesus, some of you people...

ok, i was there for the first three shows in NYC. i also attended MSG and Albany back in '02. I've also heard numerous boots from 02.

there is no doubt in my mind that axl's voice now is lightyears better than it was in '02, when it was all high, shrill, and lacking in rasp. Now, I will have to agree with pilferk. it still is a much higher and generally cleaner voice than in the 90's, but axl has brought a raspy quality to it that was SEVERELY lackin in 02. The difference hearing it live is night and day. I was never blown away by axl in '02, aside from his long screams in Live and Let Die. Now, at these shows this week, I was consistently blown away. Not only by the return of the rasp, but also by how incredibly strong and familiar axl's voice sounded. There were numerous times on the night of the 15th when I would look at darknemus, who was next to me, and we would just both be in awe at some of the notes he hit.

anyway, that's just my 2 cents. there's no doubt in my mind his voice is much much much improved. i hope it stays that way!!

[pilferk]

there is no doubt in my mind that axl's voice now is lightyears better than it was in '02, when it was all high, shrill, and lacking in rasp. Now, I will have to agree with pilferk. it still is a much higher and generally cleaner voice than in the 90's, but axl has brought a raspy quality to it that was SEVERELY lackin in 02. The difference hearing it live is night and day. I was never blown away by axl in '02, aside from his long screams in Live and Let Die. Now, at these shows this week, I was consistently blown away. Not only by the return of the rasp, but also by how incredibly strong and familiar axl's voice sounded. There were numerous times on the night of the 15th when I would look at darknemus, who was next to me, and we would just both be in awe at some of the notes he hit.

I was right there with you (though you were blocking my view of darknemus most of the night. ), literally.

Blown away.  Right from the opening notes of Jungle.  I was actually SHOCKED, even though I'd been warned to expect it, how different his voice sounded from the '02 show, and from the '02 soundboards I'd been recently listening to in "prep" for the Hammerstein show.

[darknemus]

Exactly, those of you bitching about his voice now.. seriously.. go get your hearing checked.

I was at the first three shows... Holy fuck.  AxlGunner and I kept looking at each other like "whoa, did we just hear that?".. As in "how the hell does he manage to sound so freaking good".  The whole experience was frankly surreal.  The guy sounded infinitely better than 2002.  He looked alot more 'into it' on stage, too.  Like someone who was having fun.  Dude captivates an audience like no one I have ever seen before.. its sick.

-darknemus

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Exactly, those of you bitching about his voice now.. seriously.. go get your hearing checked.

They're judging him off boots, where the vocals aren't as clear as they were in person.  Axl was hitting some ridiculous notes on the show on the 15th, on IRS, which is one of the more difficult songs, he was hitting the higher notes in amazing fashion

[darknemus]

In addition, there were some general microphone / mix issues at the shows.  I know there was a definite weird feedback issue on the 15th.. it kind of sucked.  I mean, it wasn't 'show ruining'  - but it was definitely there.

Also, with 3700 people singing along at the Hammerstein to the tracks.. it made it sometimes hard to discern just how damn good Axl sounded up there.

-darknemus

[AxlGunner]

there is no doubt in my mind that axl's voice now is lightyears better than it was in '02, when it was all high, shrill, and lacking in rasp. Now, I will have to agree with pilferk. it still is a much higher and generally cleaner voice than in the 90's, but axl has brought a raspy quality to it that was SEVERELY lackin in 02. The difference hearing it live is night and day. I was never blown away by axl in '02, aside from his long screams in Live and Let Die. Now, at these shows this week, I was consistently blown away. Not only by the return of the rasp, but also by how incredibly strong and familiar axl's voice sounded. There were numerous times on the night of the 15th when I would look at darknemus, who was next to me, and we would just both be in awe at some of the notes he hit.

I was right there with you (though you were blocking my view of darknemus most of the night. ), literally.

Blown away.? Right from the opening notes of Jungle.? I was actually SHOCKED, even though I'd been warned to expect it, how different his voice sounded from the '02 show, and from the '02 soundboards I'd been recently listening to in "prep" for the Hammerstein show.

yes yes, sorry for not dropping your name there... i didnt think it would help when supporting your argument to say, oh yea i was right next to pilferk also.

anyway, seriously people, axl was impressive and we kept being blown away by his voice- keep in mind, by this time it was MY THIRD SHOW in 4 days, and i was STILL constantly impressed. i mean really man... i've never been one to be that impressed with axl's voice in the 02 tour (go back and check my history if you want), but i don't think his voice couldve been any better at NYC (i never liked how it was all rasp/growl in the UYI tours- started sounding bad and worn out).

[AxlGunner]

In addition, there were some general microphone / mix issues at the shows.? I know there was a definite weird feedback issue on the 15th.. it kind of sucked.? I mean, it wasn't 'show ruining'? - but it was definitely there.

Also, with 3700 people singing along at the Hammerstein to the tracks.. it made it sometimes hard to discern just how damn good Axl sounded up there.

-darknemus

there were feedback issues in all of the three shows i saw. nothing too bad, but every once in a while you could hear some mic feedback coming through. frankly, i was surprised those weren't fixed by the third show at least.

[pilferk]

In addition, there were some general microphone / mix issues at the shows.? I know there was a definite weird feedback issue on the 15th.. it kind of sucked.? I mean, it wasn't 'show ruining'? - but it was definitely there.

Also, with 3700 people singing along at the Hammerstein to the tracks.. it made it sometimes hard to discern just how damn good Axl sounded up there.

-darknemus

That feedback thing was fucking annoying.  And it wasn't just Axl's mix, either, for anyone not there and wondering.  It reared it's head during the fucking house music, for gods sake...and BFMV (though who could tell).  It wasn't show ruining is right, but it was annoying.  Anything above a certain pitch (that pitch being Axl's high range wheelhouse, FYI) would cause the sound system to machine gun feedback. 

[Wooody]

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he has been singing the old songs for over 20 years and the new ones ....not so much.. Could someone send me it's so easy from march 15th ?  I kinda erased it by mystake

[Anguro]

all the guitars were tuned to Eb (E flat) and now they are E?
That what you meant?
Im pretty sure they are still Eb.

I'm pretty sure you're correct on the tunings. I do know that the new songs are in the same key as the old ones for sure. I think he's just singing them different then he used to before thats all.

Yes, it?s still played in Eb.
I guess Better is played in a dropped-d tuning though...

FYI, Better and TWAT are played in standard tunning (eBGDAE)........ quite unusual since they dropped all of their past songs.....

[demonscars]

Can someone let me know where I can find boots of the NYC shows?

[Chief]

yesssssssssss!!  i LOVED IT and it was totally amazing, blew me away!!!!!!

I am a singer and I have to say that the  "I never wanted you to be so full of anger" part in Better is some of the highest, angriest and most ambitious vocal parts I've ever heard him sing. Those are notes he sometimes couldn't hit while singing the last two words on Perfect Crime back in '91-'92.

[Dont Try Me]

some more things I noticed: The duet between Fortus and Finck? 'Your beautifull?' Christina Aguilera........man....that sounds so fucking great!! Lovely soloing.....awesome!!! It sounds so great!!!

and the new guitar player......wow........he is fucking GREAT.........way better then Buckethead.....not so repetive either......more melodic......just great 

Now I go back to my cave listening to the NYC 15th boot and won't come out till the 25th