Rock in Rio 2006 - May 27 (Lisboa, Portugal)

[GNR - CROATIA]

Dear moderators: feel free to put this wherever u want? I just couldn?t find a more suitable place to put this.

I?m writing this without reading any topics or posts about RiR as I want just express myself, my opion based on what I?ve seen and felt yesterday? This sure will get big so feel free to print LOL kidding...

I had a great time yesterday. I was so anxious about the show, I had been waiting for it for months? I was so fucking nervous as time passed? I thought we were going to wait for hours like in Spain, but they ended up being just 30 minutes late? What is pretty good indeed. And then, finally, we started hearing Welcome to the Jungle? and so started a fucking great show, which I won?t forget in the near future.

There were many people there, more than I was expecting? (many GN?R fans and people that just liked the songs, the normal) I loved it, I enjoyed it at my full, but I dunno if most of people who were there did too. I often looked around and when people really looked as they were enjoying it was when the old songs were being played. People were not too excited about the new ones, and to be honest I wasn?t too? And this led me to think about something? GN?R will NEVER be the same?The more I looked at the band, the more I thought of the old one? I never wished so much to have lived in the late 80s and early 90s so I could have felt the real GN?R? I envy so much those of u who have?

I was very close to the stage, I was in the left and Axl was always running there?so I could really glanced at him which on one hand was pretty cool (damn! my brother forgot the camera, I could have taken some great pics... oh well), and on the other hand made me think that... he was old (lol this might be too stupid, but I had to look at him very close to get that conclusion), it?s not the same Axl? I mean he was really energetic, he ran a lot, did the serpentine, all of that, but I can?t explain why but I felt that something was missing there? not his voice however? cos his voice was just BRILLIANT? he sang all the songs perfectly, maybe not so well the new ones, but I really loved his voice? I got the feeling that you, who saw it on TV didn?t feel that way? but I can assure you that he sang too fucking well?better than in the 90s... well but if I could choose, and I think it?s the same for you, I would prefer a Axl who didn?t sing a thing but with the whole band, the real GN?R... as I said before, GN?R will never be the same again... it
doesn?t even matter if they release an album or not, people will always go see these Guns to hear the old hits... that?s what brings people to see the GN?R... and when I mean people, I mean the ordinary ones, not the fans like us, even though I think many fans feel the same way... I mean, if it had been Velvet Revolver in place of these new Guns, I wouldn?t have gone to see them... and why? Cos they wouldn?t play the GN?R hits... yeah... it?s really confusing but even loving Slash and Duff, I wouldn?t go see VR cos they?re not GN?R.... it would have been the same if Axl had made a band of his own...

So, when yesterday I saw GN?R, I felt that something was missing there, and that something obviously is Slash and Duff... oh well, very confusing isn?t it? It?s so sad when you think that GN?R would be soo huge if they were still together... I dunno if I would prefer to have that GN?R were not anymore and keep the old memories... but then... we could not hear our favourite songs live... I don?t think if as I have read here somewhere, Axl will be the one laughing last... cos even if he releases the album... if this tour keeps going great, there will ALWAYS be the ghosts of the old members and the old days... on the other hand, I think Slash and Duff and even Matt may feel great to see that they are really missed there, that they were so important...

I really feel bad about the new members... they were really great last night, Robin and Bumblefoot rocked, I loved their solos... and Richard is just great... but again, we gotta think that it?s really sad that they need three guitarists to do what Slash did all on his own, or maybe with the help of Izzy, yes. Like, in November Rain, they were all switching bettween them in the solos, while Slash would do it on his own, without any problems... People will never admire this new members and they once did with the old ones... What is really bad, cos we can see that this guys are really great, and are so excited when playing the new songs, as they were last night with Better and the blues... But this songs, if the album is released, will never be as great as the old ones., they will not have that magic thing upon them.. and people will always talk about the old ones, as I keep saying. It must be pretty hard for them, I so admire those guys...

Well, but switching to the show again, it was a damn good show, I loved Rocket Queen and You could be mine, they were the best in my opinion... However, I was thinking that this RiR gig would be more special... I thought that Axl, as he did in RiR 3, would be more talkative to the people, that would say anything about the album, or even talk about the past, you know... that would be very cool. but instead, for the little he talked to us, he said almost the same things as he did in Spain and in NYC... he asked us if we were into downloading, and then we said yes and he called us motherfuckers... u know, as he did in NYC... then, he did the James Brown thing, wich I didn?t like anyway (as well as the Richard and Robin Beautiful solos, which I thought were fucking lame and a bit of Don?t Cry in the solo which put people singing just like in Spain- argh why didn?t they just play it?? ) as he did in Spain... I mean, he didn?t do anything special, he did this show as just a tour show, and I was so not expecting this as this would be by far, the most important show of the tour, being aired in so many coutries... but maybe, as my brother says, he just doesn?t care. But this is not all... I did get the impression that he even sang less songs than in Spain (like Madagascar, My Michele and There Was a Time - the only new music I really liked... I was so sad that they didn?t play it)... but I?m not sure about it as I wasn?t in Spain... I really thought they would do a 3 hours show, that they would play more songs, maybe from the Illusions... but no, nothing like that happened, and yes I was a bit dissapointed about that....

Just to finish this big review (soz guys ), I left as it finished, happy... even being a bit dissapointed and felling that something was missing there (as I said above) I think Axl and the boys did a great show, played the songs very well so I don?t have major reasons to complain... This is what we have now, and as GN?R fans, we gotta be happy that Axl is still doing this shows, so we can have a little about what were the old, magic, fantastic days!

SETLIST (as I recall, not the same order)

WTTJ
It?s so easy
Mr. Brownstone
Live and Let Die
Nightrain
Rocket Queen
Sweet Child O?Mine
November Rain
The Blues
Better
Knocking on Heaven?s Door
Patience
You Could be Mine
Outta get me
Paradise City

'if Axl had made a band on his own'
I don't know how familiar you are with GNR history,  though,  Axl HAS made a band on his own.
GNR was band that was made of Slash, Duff,  Izzy,  Gilby and Matt (Adler too,  though he left much ealier) and they played till '93.   From there on,  Axl was such an obnoxious little prick,  that they were forced to leave the band.
Before they left the band, still during the time of Illusion tour,  Axl has FORCED the entire band to sign that HE was GNR legally or else he wouldn't have gonne on stage that night.
Actually,  VR make 3/6 of GNR from their best years and they are more GNR than the band you think are GNR therefore,  I don't have a clue what you are talking about
Axl has made a band on his own/forced everyone else out (the same thing he did in pre GNR days),  but has kept the name.
My logic fails to see how someone with hired musicians (none of the post '94 guys has yet recorded an record under the name of GNR as TSI was the last studio era.  True,  LIVE ERA can be considered the same as it is more studio polished than LIVE recording),   can be considered more GNR than several former guys in a new band.
REMEMBER,   Axl today can as much be considered as a cover band of the old days as he can be considered the way you see him.
Just the way you wouldn't go see VR (obviously for other reasons that the ones you stated),  I wouldn't go and see Axl although I 'followed' that band from earliest stages.
However,  I am obviously more informed of what is going on in both camps and will therefore inform you that VR play almost as many GNR hits as Axl.
On their latest tour they played Mr.  Brownstone,  It's so easy,   Used to love her,  YCBM intro.
Non GNR bit also played and far more interesting than Axl's 74 solos per concert,  Wish you were here,  Negative creep..
Also,  check out Gilby.
You'll see him playing SCOM,  KOHD,  Used to love her,  Dead flowers among others

[Ines_rocks!]

thanks for ur comment... I really appreciate it cos the point of a forum is this... to discuss things... I didn?t know that the bands of the old members played the GN?R songs (soz lol). But this doesn?t matter, maybe I you didn?t understand my point of view here, I was misundertood but it?s ok... I?ll try to explain better, but just don?t forget that this is just my opinion, formed on what I?ve seen last night... they?re my thought just that ...and I?m not negative, cos if you?ve read the full review I said that I really liked that and that it?s great that Axl keps doing this tour for us. You can call me realistic if you want, yeah that?s what I am cos after seeing the show, this came into my mind: GN?R will never be the same... there?s always something missing, and of course, it?s the old members... It?s really hard to keep being the same band when most of the members who helped to build it are not there... Axl can?t do all on his own... If he releases the new album, I don?t think people will regard it as being GN?R, because GN?R is the old one. Maybe it would be better if he has done a new band or something... and then release the Chinese Democracy... but would Axl and his band be as successful?? this is all very difficult to talk about, this is just my opinion and obviously, there are people who will think I don?t care about the new Guns... which is not the case... but I try to see things in a realistic way. But as I said, would we be happier if GN?R wouldn?t exist anymore?  If we just kept the old memories of the gold days... I dunno... this is why we just can?t shut up with the reunite thing... Cos it would be just fucking wonderful to have the old GN?R again.

[Oneidafish]

Inez,
What did the crowd keep chanting?  They kept going thru the second half and I couldn't tell if it was the same thing or what they were saying at all.
XO
Neida

[Ines_rocks!]

well the crowd sang many things... but not where?s Slash! lol I think we were a nice crowd, that?s why I was a bit disappointed as the concert in Spain we bigger... but anyway, they kept saying Guns N? Roses!! Axl!! and Portugal!! and I think that was it lol... well, there were some drunk people near me who kept singing Porto or something but that?s stupid... they were drunk lol...

[Oneidafish]

THAT's good to hear!  It looked like Bumblefoot cut his solo time short and I wondered...
Neida

[the_mac]

Great Show they were very good , the problem for me was the 6 solos , i only like the brain solo, and what was Axel doing in that small cabin on the right of the stage??

[KIKO2K6]

Great Show they were very good , the problem for me was the 6 solos , i only like the brain solo, and what was Axel doing in that small cabin on the right of the stage??

Is not AXEL is AXl and he was shanking hands 

[Oneidafish]

Inez,
It looked to me like there were long periods of time where the crowd was quiet during the middle of the show.  I was watching as the camera panned out past the first few rows.  Were they interested?  Bored?  Just sitting there?  I'd like to hear about the encore.  Things seemed...ummm...quiet
Axl was knocking himself out to keep their attention, that was plain and everybody on that stage put on a first class show- 100 %.  (too bad the we can't say the same about the TV sound people) From what you saw, did the audience appear to enjoy the second half of the show; those who were not old time fans or hard core GNR fans?
Thanks,
Neida

[^Slash^]

the show was great,for all of you that coulsn't go,here's a french site, with some pics and all of the songs from the concert  http://www.gnrfrance.net/gnr/actualites-news-guns-n-roses/actu.htm

keep rockin dudes,

[MeanBone]

the crowd's reaction was great, on robin's side of the stage everyone was chanting, ROBIN ROBIN ROBIN!
people loved the concert, and they loved Axl's kindness towards the audience. Axl did the most dificult thing he could ever pull off. he came here and he gave a great show and won a lot of new fans over it.

most people didn't like Axl cuz of what happened here in 1992, and weren't at all impressed with what they saw at the VMA's or the 2002 tour. but after this concert everyone was raving about how good the band was, and how they didn't even miss slash ( and i got this from hardcore slash fans that would've never shut up about how this was not guns n roses) well needless to say, after the concert. they just loved robin, richard and bumblefoot.

and to tell u the truth, i was watching the recording of the show. and it seemed like a whole other concert... no energy there, basicly cuz of the sound, u couldn't hear the way the crowd was chanting a singing along to every freaking song, even better! and you couldn't hear the instruments thru most part of the show.

the radio broadcast on the othger hand was very good from what i've heard. so if we can get that source and copy paste it to the video of the show. we'd have a nice dvd out there.

rock on.

and all of you hattin gn'r for this gig. shut it. you weren't there, Axl could've never captivate 50.000 people like that if he gave a bad show. that show was a lot better than the one the original gn'r gave here in 92, and a lot better than most concerts the new gnr gave also. Axl and the entire band did very well. and now, Portugal loves them!

[Ines_rocks!]

Inez,
It looked to me like there were long periods of time where the crowd was quiet during the middle of the show.? I was watching as the camera panned out past the first few rows.? Were they interested?? Bored?? Just sitting there?? I'd like to hear about the encore.? Things seemed...ummm...quiet
Axl was knocking himself out to keep their attention, that was plain and everybody on that stage put on a first class show- 100 %.? (too bad the we can't say the same about the TV sound people) From what you saw, did the audience appear to enjoy the second half of the show; those who were not old time fans or hard core GNR fans?
Thanks,
Neida

lol I?m Ines... anyway...I often, during the show, looked around to see if people were enjoying... The crowd was not too energetic, yeah that?s true... I think that around me I was the only one jumping and singing through the whole show... But people loved hearing the old hits such as Sweet Child O?Mine... I went crazy when WTTJ started and yeah, maybe this was when people were more enthusiastic, and in Paradise City too as well... yeah.  I was near the stage in the left and besides some drunk assholes near me, people were enjoying it. I think that right in the centre were most of the hard core fans so obviously they were vibing as much as I was... but as I was near the stage, I couldn?t see if people further were having much fun... But one things is for certain, most ppl didn?t appreciate the new songs, and sometimes it looked that many ppl didn?t even know the lyrics of songs like Mr.Browstone... but I dunno... I was paying much attention to the show to care about the other ppl lol Anyway, people went crazy when Axl went near the fence and shacked hands, that was great, it shows that ppl still care about Axl... Now, when Robin or Robert would go to the left, where I was, I don?t think ppl really cared about it... lol except when Robin started to pull the fence... hehe but overall, I think that most of ppl enjoyed it, yes.

[Hammer1]

don't have time to read everything, can someone tell me where the thread  is or what Axl said during the concert to fans.....

Thanks

[bumblerocks]

Inez,
It looked to me like there were long periods of time where the crowd was quiet during the middle of the show.? I was watching as the camera panned out past the first few rows.? Were they interested?? Bored?? Just sitting there?? I'd like to hear about the encore.? Things seemed...ummm...quiet
Axl was knocking himself out to keep their attention, that was plain and everybody on that stage put on a first class show- 100 %.? (too bad the we can't say the same about the TV sound people) From what you saw, did the audience appear to enjoy the second half of the show; those who were not old time fans or hard core GNR fans?
Thanks,
Neida

lol I?m Ines... anyway...I often, during the show, looked around to see if people were enjoying... The crowd was not too energetic, yeah that?s true... I think that around me I was the only one jumping and singing through the whole show... But people loved hearing the old hits such as Sweet Child O?Mine... I went crazy when WTTJ started and yeah, maybe this was when people were more enthusiastic, and in Paradise City too as well... yeah.? I was near the stage in the left and besides some drunk assholes near me, people were enjoying it. I think that right in the centre were most of the hard core fans so obviously they were vibing as much as I was... but as I was near the stage, I couldn?t see if people further were having much fun... But one things is for certain, most ppl didn?t appreciate the new songs, and sometimes it looked that many ppl didn?t even know the lyrics of songs like Mr.Browstone... but I dunno... I was paying much attention to the show to care about the other ppl lol Anyway, people went crazy when Axl went near the fence and shacked hands, that was great, it shows that ppl still care about Axl... Now, when Robin or Robert would go to the left, where I was, I don?t think ppl really cared about it... lol except when Robin started to pull the fence... hehe but overall, I think that most of ppl enjoyed it, yes.

who the fuck is robert?

[Cristina]

Another review from Portugal

http://www.correiodamanha.pt/noticia.asp?id=203280&idselect=185&idCanal=185&p=200

[Ines_rocks!]

Inez,
It looked to me like there were long periods of time where the crowd was quiet during the middle of the show.? I was watching as the camera panned out past the first few rows.? Were they interested?? Bored?? Just sitting there?? I'd like to hear about the encore.? Things seemed...ummm...quiet
Axl was knocking himself out to keep their attention, that was plain and everybody on that stage put on a first class show- 100 %.? (too bad the we can't say the same about the TV sound people) From what you saw, did the audience appear to enjoy the second half of the show; those who were not old time fans or hard core GNR fans?
Thanks,
Neida

lol I?m Ines... anyway...I often, during the show, looked around to see if people were enjoying... The crowd was not too energetic, yeah that?s true... I think that around me I was the only one jumping and singing through the whole show... But people loved hearing the old hits such as Sweet Child O?Mine... I went crazy when WTTJ started and yeah, maybe this was when people were more enthusiastic, and in Paradise City too as well... yeah.? I was near the stage in the left and besides some drunk assholes near me, people were enjoying it. I think that right in the centre were most of the hard core fans so obviously they were vibing as much as I was... but as I was near the stage, I couldn?t see if people further were having much fun... But one things is for certain, most ppl didn?t appreciate the new songs, and sometimes it looked that many ppl didn?t even know the lyrics of songs like Mr.Browstone... but I dunno... I was paying much attention to the show to care about the other ppl lol Anyway, people went crazy when Axl went near the fence and shacked hands, that was great, it shows that ppl still care about Axl... Now, when Robin or Robert would go to the left, where I was, I don?t think ppl really cared about it... lol except when Robin started to pull the fence... hehe but overall, I think that most of ppl enjoyed it, yes.

who the fuck is robert?

LOL sorry!! I was in a rush to write u know.... Of course I meant Richard... oh well...

[Gunnershome]

Hey You all we are back from a very nice Rock n roll weekend in portugal!
Iam gonna make it a short review because iam to tired to make it a long 1 here it is:


Great Sound very good band with a superm P.A Man.this band plays with lot more balls then when they played in 2002.

Bumblefoot is a very good guitarplayer,also the rest of the guitarmans..its a great band,loved Robin with his "crazy horse" attiute.

Iam now playing clips off the show from newgnr but that sound is not half the sound ive heard in the field.

Axl,.........Axl played better with 1000% full power and he was great on that one! BUT...And now it comes...or no it will not come...ive been spoking to HTGTH managment and its better that when you want to hear my idee about Axl on stage and the "A" tent  then you have to send me an mail or something.

There a some rules on this forum and some censored things about my opinion have to do with that....

I Love GNR and the new songs they are very good but i have to think over things that i saw in the show. and i dont mean the playing en singing that was very good and sounded terefic.

Love you Axl and the rest but iam a true fan and i dont want to lie or let die my feelings! iam gonna see ya all in 4 days in germany and then london and the rest so then i will think an judge again.

Over the Fan meeting in the Hard rock cafe : SUPER GIG BOYS!! YOU RULED THE PLACE specialy with the fast version of one in a milion!!
Christos is a hell off a singer!

Later more! and please reed that this is my opinion so you all must go and judge for yourself!?

[Graciela]

Just got back from Lisbon? What a great weekend this was!! It was so nice to meet all the people at the Hard Rock Caf? and put faces to usernames. Many thanks to the boys from Kidnap for organising everything. Thank you, thank you, thank you, guys!!? ? You rock!!!

The show was great. I?m sure a lot of people will go into more detail about it. The highlight for me was Better. I was amazed how great it sounds live. Brilliant.

Oh, and bumping into Robin when we were sightseeing on Sunday afternoon and having a little chat with him was kinda cool too.? Such a nice guy

[February]

Ines,

I was also on the left of the stage and really close up front. I actually think that people reacted very well to Robin, considering that many people over there didn?t know anything about him. I?ve heard a guy, very drunk and stoned  to another ?who?s the guy?? and the response ?got no idea but he can fucking play?
I do relate to what you said, we all love the old band and whish time stood still for them and they just kept producing new AFD all this time, but at this point in time, I didn?t felt like something was missing there. I?ve watched as many bootleg shows as I could get my hands on, and with the exception of some early on 87/88, I?ve never seen such happy players, having great fun doing there job, in that band as I?ve saw Saturday. I do think that rubs on the public, they were enjoying it as much as we were, either that or they all good actors.

Meanbone,

I?ve got a promise of a VHS of the show, I don?t know how to covert it, so any help will be appreciated, and I?ll share it of course. The friend that record it and was there, says we?ll be very disappointed with the sound, it was on and off, and no definition (in lack of a better word).

I don?t understand that half excuse us from Merk, if that went bad he should apologise for most of the 2002 shows and the MTV thing.
Anyways on the show it self, and with the exception of the ?I feel Good?, which i didn?t get it, i considered it just amazing, the mistakes were so minor considering everything else, I didn?t find them relevant. But when Sunday I checked the board ready to share my enthusiasm, I couldn?t believe the so many supposed hard fans that we?re just bashing, Axl was out  breath all the time and the new guys butchered the old songs, that sort of thing. I admit I thought that maybe was just my eagerness to see the band live that clouded my judgment. Thankfully, never thought saying it, I?ve got a Axl hater at home (prima dona rose, is what he calls it on a good day), and he loved the show. My husband is really critic even of the bands he likes (Iron Maiden, Manawar, old Metalica and the old time favourite Dream Theater, yes that?s what i have to put up with ). He was never much impressed with GNR, Slash and Duff for him were average players with a big publicity machine, and a good fucked them all Rock n Roll attitude, that produced some good tunes but that?s it, I?ll share his views and trust me he would love nothing better than to say I told you so this guys suck big time. Instead he loved Brain ?finally this guys come up with a good drummer?, Fortus and Bumble, he thinks Robin has a great stage presence and technical ability but no sense of melody, he couldn?t get the bass sound because of the distortion of the guitars and see?s no need for the 3 guitar players that smother the keyboards and the bass. But he even admitted that Axls voice was very good, considering the demand of the songs and his stage presence always moving around. He loved the solos, and all the true rock nR fans I?ve talked to today at work agreed, that?s a proper r&r show  they said, all that went to reminisce on the 90, considered them to long to much off, but all they wanted was to hear as much old classics as they could get. By comparison with the old no one was very impressed with the new songs, although hubby that hated the new songs when I showed them (as i?m a downloading motherfucker too  ) now think they?ve a lot of potential especially considering the sort of rock music you get on the radio. I actually think that if they?re playing the songs live at big festivals and not only for the hard core fans, they should play it on the radio and let it be known to the world, if people is earing a song for the first time even if they like it, it breaks the flow of interaction with a big crowd. I also know that they can be bind for legal issues with the record company not to promote actively on the media a product that for all effects belongs to the record company, that doesn?t get the profit?s form live shows or broadcasts but from the selling of the records.
All things considered, and most of the people that I know and went to the show we?re old fans and didn?t care for the band in the last 15 years or not fans at all they just like r&r and went to check it out found it a great show.
Just loved when Axl asked the people that didn't think they would be there to rise their hands and half the crowd puted their hands up 
To the lady fans, most my girl friends miss old Axl, great ass and not afraid to show it, long red hair and leaner figure, but still very much eatable, robin stood his foot as a defiantly, strange hottie. 

[jarmo]

I just got back home from Lisbon. Just took me 24 hrs to get from A to B thanks to a "slight" delay which made me miss my connecting flight in cold and rainy Frankfurt.

First off I just wanna say that if you weren't there, you can't judge the show.

You had to be there and feel the energy from the crowd. It was the biggest show I've ever been to and it was just amazing.

The two leaks they played sound great live and so does the rest.

The biggest surprise for me was hearing Robin's first solo. I thought I recognized it but then I just thought the heat had made me hear things.

I thought it was "Finlandia" by Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. It actually was! I asked Robin about it on Sunday when I bumped into him out on the town. I told him that I might've been the only one there who recognized the song.?


Also, thanks to everybody who showed up on Friday. Special thanks to the Portuguese fans (Kidnap) who made it happen. It was really great! It was cooling meeting you all. Rui, MeanBone, Lourenco, Juani, Evil Ash, the Greeks, erose, Festah (I didn't hear what you said the first ten times!), the couple from USA, the girl with the flyers and so on and so on...

Edit: Many thanks also to the people I forgot the first time around: The Dutchies, GMG and Christos.

Thank God Christos always has something to say because I certainly didn't. I don't know how he got me up there, I think it was the "few" beers I had that night....?


Oh and hello to the guy who had flown in from USA (?) who I bumped into while I was on a bathroom break during The Darkness' set.




/jarmo

[Gaymo, the Hobbit]

Cool, did you talk about anything else with Robin?