Download Festival - June 11th

[WARose]

people that were at download keep bashing the band.   Calling them " karaoke band"   "new songs suck"  " not worth my time  seeing or following thios band"     .  I think this is the first gig where the majority of the crowd  hated the band. usually the fans  have been positive at these   shows.  Those fuckers didn't deserve the setlist they got. Now I am upset that Axl didn't tell them all to "fuck themselves"  and leave in his helicopter.   The rest of the band would have been on board  . I know Tommy would have, he was probably pissed.     These  people are vicious, they are totally hating on the band.    Reporter asks fans to summarize Download in 3 words  and 2 fans respond with " GNR are finished "  Guns n' Roses a disappointment".    This band  is going to have trouble surviiving.  Axl needs his foreign fans to support him or he is finished.  The United States  already hates him  he needs these people on board  and it looks like they gave him thumbs down .  He still has South America and Asia  but Europe looks like they are turningn their back to him .   I thought he would get a good reaction at Download.   

people that were at download keep bashing the band.   Calling them " karaoke band"   "new songs suck"  " not worth my time  seeing or following thios band"     .  I think this is the first gig where the majority of the crowd  hated the band. usually the fans  have been positive at these   shows.  Those fuckers didn't deserve the setlist they got. Now I am upset that Axl didn't tell them all to "fuck themselves"  and leave in his helicopter.   The rest of the band would have been on board  . I know Tommy would have, he was probably pissed.     These  people are vicious, they are totally hating on the band.    Reporter asks fans to summarize Download in 3 words  and 2 fans respond with " GNR are finished "  Guns n' Roses a disappointment".    This band  is going to have trouble surviiving.  Axl needs his foreign fans to support him or he is finished.  The United States  already hates him  he needs these people on board  and it looks like they gave him thumbs down .  He still has South America and Asia  but Europe looks like they are turningn their back to him .   I thought he would get a good reaction at Download.   

dude stop that negative shit please

[russtcb]

What happened tonight apart from izzy joining them onstage for a few songs? Im not about to look through 22 pages on a 56k.

A bunch of assholes in the crowd were throwing bottles of piss on stage (from reports I've read).

The other thing that happened besides Izzys overall appearance was the inclusion of "Used To Love Her"

[mlewis]

This is a bit disappointing- I thought there'd be fuckwits- for the foreigners here, in the UK download is always frequented by the awkward late teenies who think throwing shit at bands is cool, particularly bands as notorious as GnR.

Aside from the nostalgia value, they shouldn't have played download- carling festivals are a better fit for GnR, and would have a more appreciative crowd.

Fuck, this is embarrassing after the triumph that was Hammersmith.

[russtcb]

This is a bit disappointing- I thought there'd be fuckwits- for the foreigners here, in the UK download is always frequented by the awkward late teenies who think throwing shit at bands is cool, particularly bands as notorious as GnR.

Aside from the nostalgia value, they shouldn't have played download- carling festivals are a better fit for GnR, and would have a more appreciative crowd.

Fuck, this is embarrassing after the triumph that was Hammersmith.

At least it sounds like Axl handled in well...

[mlewis]

True, I'm just upset for the band, annoyed at some of my fuckwit compatriots who need to be put out of their misery, and hope it doesn't reflext too badly.

Maybe this wasn't as bad as has been reported. People are right- previously, the band would have walked off. Actually, here they'd have been completely right, if the reports are accurate.

[philspectorshotme]

Fuck, this is embarrassing after the triumph that was Hammersmith.

madness.

this is one of axls finest hours. whether it translates via the sound quality due to the technical problems or not. putting that set on after the bullshit of the first part of the night is nothing short of a triumph and a testament to the dedication axl and the guys have to the cause. now whether izzy is the main reason for them turning it on or the shadow cast by the venue, its kind of moot if they're able to carry this high point through to the rest of the tour and this bands life cycle.

[mlewis]

Oh yes, philspector- I meant I'm embarrassed by the crowd being so-called 'British'- I'm embarrassed that this happened in my country, after our crowd was so great on wednesday. It says a lot about the state, and maturity of the band they put up with the reported shit, and did by all accounts a very professional job.

[RichardNixon]

Let's hold off judgment until fans that were actually at the show come back and write their reviews. Say that 20,000 people were at the show, and 25 of them were troublemakers?

People are getting way too worked up over nothing.

If there were loud chants of "bring back Slash" or "you suck" from the entire crowd, that would be one thing. But a few rotten apples (who were probably drunk and/or high) doesn't mean a whole lot.

Let's wait until Jarmo comes back with his report.

[russtcb]

True, I'm just upset for the band, annoyed at some of my fuckwit compatriots who need to be put out of their misery, and hope it doesn't reflext too badly.

Maybe this wasn't as bad as has been reported. People are right- previously, the band would have walked off. Actually, here they'd have been completely right, if the reports are accurate.

Agreed. All I know is that for anything thats gone on that is positive so far, this shit will get the most attention. From the "old guns" fans on here, to the non-gnr fans, to rock radio. They'll all be dyin' to just run off at the mouth about shit like this.

To that I say "Hey, whatever floats your boat". If something big and negative is what people have been waiting for, then great! Here ya go!

[Bandita]

I can't even imagine throwing BEER OR PISS at my favorite band or any band for that matter, why go somewhere to act like an animal? ?What a shame after the amazing setlist they got!

[gnrbr]

I can't even imagine throwing BEER OR PISS at my favorite band or any band for that matter, why go somewhere to act like an animal? ?What a shame after the amazing setlist they got!

so... any pics?

[nesquick]

The crowd was shit? well... that was a Metal-heads crowd tonight, so that's not surprising.
GN'R ain't Metal and is not done for a Metal-heads crowd. Never was and never will be. Never ever.
Rock and Metal are different things, they are 2 different worlds. Different music and different crowds also.

GNR are Rock, not Metal.

[mlewis]

Donnington '88 didn't go that well either, even forgetting about the deaths- they were pretty much slated then too. It's a metal crowd- they don't get into GnR's style, for the most part. As I said, a better fit for the crowds at Reading/Leeds- I know people who still talk about how amazing Leeds 2002 was, who never were, and aren't really GnR fans.

[Bandita]

Donnington '88 didn't go that well either, even forgetting about the deaths- they were pretty much slated then too. It's a metal crowd- they don't get into GnR's style, for the most part. As I said, a better fit for the crowds at Reading/Leeds- I know people who still talk about how amazing Leeds 2002 was, who never were, and aren't really GnR fans.

Well then maybe they should can playing this festival in the future, I don't really remember the bad press from 88 except the deaths which no one can forget but I am sure there isn't anyone out there that enjoys trying to perform while avoiding flying beer and piss.

[philspectorshotme]

True, I'm just upset for the band, annoyed at some of my fuckwit compatriots who need to be put out of their misery, and hope it doesn't reflext too badly.

Maybe this wasn't as bad as has been reported. People are right- previously, the band would have walked off. Actually, here they'd have been completely right, if the reports are accurate.

Agreed. All I know is that for anything thats gone on that is positive so far, this shit will get the most attention. From the "old guns" fans on here, to the non-gnr fans, to rock radio. They'll all be dyin' to just run off at the mouth about shit like this.

To that I say "Hey, whatever floats your boat". If something big and negative is what people have been waiting for, then great! Here ya go!

i dont know. i think the press reaction (if there even is one - they may have filled their gnr quota with the coverage the apollo show got) will be favourable to the band. they did the right thing and though you'll always get knobs like mick wall who have been burnt seemingly beyond repair (though i think even he'll eat his own shit if the setlist translates into a performance), i think there will be sympathy towards the band for the way they behaved after the technical and crowd problems.

[jameslofton29]

?The United States ?already hates him. ?

No, the US doesn't hate him. The US hates rehash. Its a main reason the US tour failed in 2002. GNR fans have waited an eternity for this album. When a GNR tour happens, the fans weren't dreaming of an AFD tour.


I am glad CD has made it back into the setlist. I was worried the song was being scrapped. Its good for Izzy to be showing up again. Where's Duff? Someone said last night he was definitely showing up.

[kingaxl]

hey ag...you better calm a down a bit mannne...youre doin a fuckin power trip right now...let the people express themselves a lil more....you sound like a fuckin cop to me...chill the fuck out!!!!!!

[kingaxl]

dont BANNED me when i speak a piece of mind cuz silence isnt golden when IM holdin it insiiiddeee!!!!!!

[axlrosegnr]

Just remember it was a festival, and a metal festival at that. No matter what band you see at any festival, theres always going to be a lot of people there that don't like a particular band. This is one reason I don't like going to festivals. I prefer to see a band at THEIR show, with THEIR crowd. After this tour, compare the festival shows to Gn'R's own shows...theres gonna be way better crowd response at their own shows.

[mlewis]

Looking around on the download forums, http://forums.downloadfestival.co.uk/tt.aspx?forumid=6, there's a real mix of opinions from the early posters. Lots of people seem to think that GnR blew them away, and Axl was only offstage for 30 secs or so, so it's probaably just hysteria getting us worried. Every tour has ups and downs, right?