London (Hammersmith Apollo) 7th June

[requiem156]

As far as Brian and the headphone go I only mention it because that's all i remember about him. Stevie Adler and Matt Sorum both have CHARACTER and they drum and play to the crowd (like all great drummers) which makes a big difference. Watching Brian last night was like watching someone in an instrument shop testing out a new piece of kit. ?

Eh, I don't know.? I think it depended on the show.

I've seen shows where Adler basically sat there like a log.? Ditto with Sorum. (Well, as much like a log as one can sit while pounding on the drums)

Where there character really shined (shone? shoned? you get the idea) was off stage, in interviews, backstage, etc.? All stuff Brain has yet to really do, to be fair.

I can certainly see the point that he's a bit bland, so far.? He gets no real face time with the audience (other than his ONE drum solo, so far, on the tour), he's tucked up on the riser, back on the stage where he's almost in shadow, and doesn't really get much of a chance to interact with anyone but, occasionally, Axl.?

I've seen him in other gigs, and he's a bit more animated.? Hopefully, as time passes, he'll get an opportunity to show it.

I'm sure that all of the new members have to struggle a little to project energy onstage considering that most of the songs aren't theirs, not to mention the fact that they are constantly maligned by the old guard. Assuming Chinese Democracy comes out, I think we will see a different side of the band when that material is featured more prominently.

I should add on Robin Finck's behalf that the November rain solos, as well as the rest of his playing were spot on May 15th. I'm a guitar player of 20 years, and I was impressed. However, everyone has a rough patch from time to time - it's the nature of live music.

[sweetwater]

I'm a guitar player too. Sounded to me like they wanted to put their own take on the music. Bad idea!
You're right though - if they do release an album things may well change. As I said the new stuff sounded really great.
 

[ShotgunBlues1978]

Just read the review if the London Evening Standard, it was awful! They gave it 1 out of 5 stars, said "Axl Rose looked like a Stars in their Eyes Mick Hucknall!"
he described the guitarists at potholers, who were not worthy of tuning Slash's guitars! He said he lost the will to live after Fortus's solo! And finished off by saying that this once great band had surrended everything which was once good about them!!

That's the English press for you 

[stan1ey]

Did anyone see the tramp outside the venue? People were offloading their beer to him as they went in and he must have had at least 20 cans of unopenned beer around him. He was already drunk as fuck and happy as hell!

yeah, we tried to speak to him, did anyone see that guitarist playing 'sweet child o' mine' after the gig in the subway?
he looked like the sprog of chris evens and dennis pennis. priceless!

That was a woman!

[Mandy.]

And did anyone see the drunk man dressed up as a woman walking by the bus stop? He was trying to walk, but he couldn't, I look at him and 10 minutes later he had only walked 5 metres.

[ppbebe]

Did anyone see the tramp outside the venue? People were offloading their beer to him as they went in and he must have had at least 20 cans of unopenned beer around him. He was already drunk as fuck and happy as hell!

yeah, we tried to speak to him, did anyone see that guitarist playing 'sweet child o' mine' after the gig in the subway?
he looked like the sprog of chris evens and dennis pennis. priceless!

That was a woman!

With dreadlocks? and rather tall?

[daviebuckethead]

to sweetwater:

yeah i suppose slash fucking up solo's in velvet revolver is down to axl "ordering him to run around"??

get a grip, slash has his own mind and runs around because he wants to, even if it means bum notes ahoy!

thats a fact, i've seen VR 4 times, i love slash, i love gnr, i love VR, but the fact remains, while slash is an excellent guitarists, he fucks things up live due to his stage perfromance

[anythinggoes]

And Bumblefoot threw a towel into the crowd at the end and 2 girls were fighting over it, both refusing to let go.

robin passed us a bottle of water bit of a scrap but the girlys won against me dude next to me goes "fucking hell its only a bottle of water" bah humbug

[jc524]

And Bumblefoot threw a towel into the crowd at the end and 2 girls were fighting over it, both refusing to let go.

robin passed us a bottle of water bit of a scrap but the girlys won against me dude next to me goes "fucking hell its only a bottle of water" bah humbug

haha, robin handed me a beer from the stage on the 17th at the hammerstein, now that was awesome!!

[Mandy.]

And Bumblefoot threw a towel into the crowd at the end and 2 girls were fighting over it, both refusing to let go.

robin passed us a bottle of water bit of a scrap but the girlys won against me dude next to me goes "fucking hell its only a bottle of water" bah humbug

haha, robin handed me a beer from the stage on the 17th at the hammerstein, now that was awesome!!

Speaking of, he didn't crowd surf this time... I thought he would, because it was a small venue like Hammerstein.

[Jimmy?]

And Bumblefoot threw a towel into the crowd at the end and 2 girls were fighting over it, both refusing to let go.

robin passed us a bottle of water bit of a scrap but the girlys won against me dude next to me goes "fucking hell its only a bottle of water" bah humbug

haha, robin handed me a beer from the stage on the 17th at the hammerstein, now that was awesome!!

Speaking of, he didn't crowd surf this time... I thought he would, because it was a small venue like Hammerstein.

yes he did!! during OTGM?

btw: i'm just writin' my review and i'll post in a little while 

[daviebuckethead]

huh, i didn't see him crowd surf? maybe i'm senile

[Jimmy?]

Hey people got back at 6:00am this mornin' and i had to go to sleep before i posted my review! I missed the last train out of kings cross! IT WAS FUCKIN WORTH IT THOUGH!!

Here we go!

I went with my mate, who's a non- "newGNR" kind of guy! Not into all these new band members, calls bumblefoot a bumbletwat etc.! I knew i had to get him to change his opinion, so as soon as those tix went on sale i got him one!

We arrived in Hammersmith at about 13:30ish and just hung around the local bars and such like until 16:30 when we decided to start queuin'. What a fiasco ? they moved the queue twice meaning the poor buggers who'd got to the front of the queue at like 9am where now at the back.

Anyways, saw the GNR photographer George Chin (?) whilst in the queue, some people were chattin' to him, seems like a really cool guy. Some people were doin short interviews with the fans aswell which was also kinda cool! I think they opened the doors at about 8ish, maybe a bit before. What a relief ? (thats sweat, not tears!!)

Inside now, bought the cool t-shirt with the new old-school logo and the dates on the back, AWESOME! ?

Got a nice little spot about halfway down towards the stage. A7X came on at about 8:15, thought they were actually pretty good, a bit cocky, but still good! ? They finished up at about 9, then the wait began......

.....

.....

10:45 (i think!) - lights dimmed, annoyin' intro then those oh so familiar echoes and at long last.....

"Do you know where the fuck you are??"

Crowd went wild.... naturally! ?

Some highlights during the show......

Amazing renditions of the AFD songs

Playing some of the newer songs (didn't have the same impact as the AFD songs, but still awesome ?)

Robin crowdsurfing during OTGM + Robin's facial expressions during his solo's ?

Ron is so much better seeing him live than what he seems to be on the recording's - Rock on dude ?

Axl's voice in fine form ?

Axl: "The ribbed condom of guitarist's - Mr Robin Finck!"

Seeing Merck rockin out to Nightrain + PC at the side of the stage ?

Axl's pink shirt ?

YCBM sounded incredible, one of the best of the evening!

+ so much more, i can't really be bothered to type it all at the moment! To sum it all up... WHAT A SHOW! ?

The show finished at 1 and after an eternity of trying to squeeze out the doors we hurridely made our way to the station only to discover that there was no train's running to Kings Cross. so....... waht did me and my mate do? we WALKED all the way from Hammersmith to Kings Cross!!!!! Got there at gone half 3 in the mornin', we were so pumped, we just didn't give a shit! What a night!

Got the 5:21 train back home and had a nice kip when i got in. Was fuckin exhausted to say the least!

Oh... my mate HAS changed his opinion now. On the way back, he says to me "Dude, GNR are back man!!"

Sums it all up really!

Roll on July 30th ?

[Is he struggling?]

Wow, what a great show. I was somewhere in the middle of the standing section, and the energy coming off the band and the crowd was astonishing. (I am never going for circle/seating section tickets again!)

And what a great band. They are gelling with each other as players and as people waaaay more than in '02. Plenty of interraction between members, and they were playing as more of an ensemble, rather than a backing band for Axl and the lead guitarists. I'm also pleased that there is a lot more spontaniety than before. (For example the 'Guns N' Roses' jam song near the end). Robin rivalled Axl for stage presence, but I'm still not sure about his soloing style. Bumblefoot seemed to be really enjoying the crowds adoration, and actually made a very credible fist of the last November rain solo. Tommy was really into it, and held propelled the rhtytm nicely  (though I couldn't really hear his bass guitar in the mix). Dizzy's Keyboard work was awesome, and  even Mr Pittman did a noticeably fine job in parts (e.g. the Backing Vocals for Madagascar).

Brain and Richard were on Fire! Richard's style is almost a bridge between the bluesy sound of old Guns and the more technical sound of new guns, and he was playing with a hell of a lot of soul, which really showed during his solos. Brain was pulling off some mad fills, but never missed a beat.

Uncle Axl was in good spirits once he had his deepheat masage (see the link to the Times musicblog a few pages ago). He quipped 'Gay Marriage is legal in England, right?' after seeing the 'Fuck me and marry me' banner. And from some of his banter, it also sounds like he is really stoked for Download - those going to Donnigton are in for a real treat. I for one don't miss the rants. as others have pointed out, he is looking nd sounding much better than he has for a long time. He is really bringing out the aggression and passion in his songs without forcing his vocals, and there were some great screams and long notes at times. I think not having such a bbig stage to cover helped.

Yes, I was getting pissed off waiting for the show to beign, but that evaporated once WTTJ got going. Of course, keeping 5000 people waiting around like that is downright rude. But  had a thought whilst waiting for the band come on, and Limp Bizkit's 'My Way' was playing on the PA. For better or worse, the story of Axl's career has always been 'My Way or the Highway', and long time fans ought to have accepted that by now. If he didn't do things in his own way and in his own time. If he behaved any differently, he wouldn't be the Axl Rose, who can thousands of people in the palm in the palm of his hand at every show, or who can touch our hearts and kick our minds with his songs.

Did anyone else notice Robin slam his guitar onto the ground and storm off at the end of 'It's So Easy?' Technical problems? Or just a lame attempt at showmanship?

Any ideas as to what Dizzy was playing for his solo?

[Mandy.]

huh, i didn't see him crowd surf? maybe i'm senile

I didn't see that either 

[anythinggoes]

huh, i didn't see him crowd surf? maybe i'm senile

I didn't see that either?

he did do something during OTGM very quick like the fist row but i missed it

[Jimmy?]

huh, i didn't see him crowd surf? maybe i'm senile

I didn't see that either?

he did do something during OTGM very quick like the fist row but i missed it

he was being carried by the fans. his big red boots were in the air 

[Elrothiel]

Jimmy those aren't boots... he's wearing black shoes over red things that look suspisciously like tights or stockings...

only Medieval style!

Robin Finck - Medieval Jesus

[Jimmy?]

Jimmy those aren't boots... he's wearing black shoes over red things that look suspisciously like tights or stockings...

only Medieval style!

Robin Finck - Medieval Jesus

oh are they, lol! not that i was really that interested in what he was wearin on his feet anyway  below his knees was bright red, i know that 

[Mandy.]

huh, i didn't see him crowd surf? maybe i'm senile

I didn't see that either?

he did do something during OTGM very quick like the fist row but i missed it

he was being carried by the fans. his big red boots were in the air?

Were we at the same gig? 
I was standing all the bloody time (except for 5 seconds during November Rain) and I missed that!