AXL's Rant in San Juan last night

[Eazy E]

This doesn't need to be "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" on tour where everyone follows a script. ?It's a shame that such a talented band is not motivated to bring some variety to their live show.

Where the hell do you get your information from?

They have certain songs they add to their set depending on what they feel like. That's a fact.

Check a scan of an actual setlist for proof.


They also switch around the order of the songs in the set so it's not like it's all the same songs in the same order the whole tour.

 


/jarmo

I've seen the setlists where they have 2 or 3 "options", but the changing order of the setlist is always between one or two songs at the same part of the show. ?Look at the reaction everyone gave to the variety of that last show of the European tour... it was a hit. ?So why not mix it up like that nightly? ?You can't honestly tell me you wouldn't like to see that? ?For someone who is traveling to see more than one show on the tour, you're telling me you wouldn't eat it up if they played different shows in each city?

I think the main thing people are disappointed about is the fact that this is the 4-5th leg they've toured with this setlist... there were far less comments about it in 2002.

[killingvector]

Are you being serious, jarmo?

The variation in the setlist has been very small and predictable since the Hammer shows. Considering the number of songs not being played, the choice to do this seems strange.

Comparing GN'R shows to some kind of musical is ridiculous.

They could play a two hour show with only new material and some of you would post "It was weird since nobody knew the songs and the place was dead. I wish they had added some familiar songs to the set".

They're playing the biggest hits and it makes sense to many people.

I love Coma and Estranged, but they were never hits. So it makes sense to play songs from one of the biggest selling albums of the 1980s instead.




/jarmo

Who compared it to a musical? Wasn't me.  My point is that the AFD heavy setlist has been in heavy rotation since 2002.  Toss in a Salad amid the twenty five peanut butter cups. Wouldn't hurt.

Someone snagged a setlist from a Vegas show and Rhiad was listed as a miscellaneous song. Why not play that? It would definately get people excited again, plus we haven't heard it in a long time. Why not pull out a Civil War, Yesterdays, or Garden?

Even a single change would go a long way to entertaining everyone.

[polluxlm]

Are you being serious, jarmo?

The variation in the setlist has been very small and predictable since the Hammer shows. Considering the number of songs not being played, the choice to do this seems strange.

Comparing GN'R shows to some kind of musical is ridiculous.

They could play a two hour show with only new material and some of you would post "It was weird since nobody knew the songs and the place was dead. I wish they had added some familiar songs to the set".

They're playing the biggest hits and it makes sense to many people.

I love Coma and Estranged, but they were never hits. So it makes sense to play songs from one of the biggest selling albums of the 1980s instead.




/jarmo

I say it again, most of us agree with your sentiments. Play the big hits, please the casual fans, gain interest. But what's wrong with wanting a few gems here and there? Especially when this is a band that once saw it as their duty to not be predictable. The band that made us love them so much that we actually sit on this messageboard 15 years later, night after night, just to talk about their music and history.

[BKinNYC]

Sorry, not to pile on here, but they AREN'T playing "the hits." ?When people say "Oh, he has to appease the audience by playing KOHD and LALD," then I shouldn't be criticized for wanting to hear Don't Cry or Civil War at some shows. ?Those weren't hits? ?Playing Don't Cry as a solo isn't the same as singing the actual song.

Look, I'm on the fence about this. ?People who want them to play songs like Don't Damn Me, or Bad Obsession, or Pretty Tied Up probably won't get their wish. ?When bands have new songs, they're going to fit those in, to replace songs they've done in the past. ?That's simple. ?

But don't force feed me into believing that they're playing their hits when most people (die-hards and non-die hards) LOVED Civil War and Don't Cry, but they play Think About You and/or Outta Get Me instead. ?

You can't have it both ways. ?If this is "playing the hits," then truly play the hits, sprinkled with some new stuff from CD.

[mahimahi23]

I dont think they should change the setlist THAT much, and I dont believe anyone is saying not to play the hits. What would be nice is to see them add one "rare" song every once in awile.

Im going to make a Metallica comparison so dont anyone think im trying to compare the two bands, im just saying what they did that I thought was cool.

Every show on their last tour they would play a "rare" song, what they would call a "gem". Sometimes, they would even take a request from a fan in the meet and greet before the show, which I thought was awesome. So each night fans got to go home feeling good because they heard a song that was either not played on the tour, or was only played like once or twice before.

Think about it, what if you went to the show and they played Breakdown, or Dead Horse, or Back Off Bitch?? Just played ONE random song, would that not make you just feel great?? The reviews would comeback and everyone "the diehards" would be excited, and it would just be really cool to know that you were at a show where they played said song and was the only one to see them play it on this whole tour. I dont think anyone wants the whole setlist to be altered, just throw in a rare song once in awile to make your loyal supporters happy, and would also give the band a nice little challenge. And dont give me this crap about them not knowing the songs, they are professional musicians, it wouldnt be hard to learn one song every other night, well it shouldnt be anyway.

[xj220]

I have a feeling that this tour is more so to get GNR's name out there again and to get people interested in them since it's been awhile since they've really done anything.  A lot of people nowadays don't really know about GNR or have vague misconceptions so they're playing what made them famous.  This will help build up a newer, younger fanbase while solidifying the original one.  Once that happens, they'll drop CD to a population that is comfortable and interested in GNR, making them more willing to buy the CD.

[jarmo]

You need to realize that the North American tour just fucking started.

Over here in Europe the tour started at the end of May and when they hit the July dates they added songs to set.

I guess you just want every surprise at the first show so you can then complain about the setlist being the same the whole tour. ?

You can't honestly tell me you wouldn't like to see that? ?For someone who is traveling to see more than one show on the tour, you're telling me you wouldn't eat it up if they played different shows in each city?

I guess I'm not as selfish as you.


I don't demand the band to play songs for me when there are 15000 others in the arena who are happy to hear the songs the band are playing.




/jarmo

[Dont Try Me]

I have a feeling that this tour is more so to get GNR's name out there again and to get people interested in them since it's been awhile since they've really done anything.  A lot of people nowadays don't really know about GNR or have vague misconceptions so they're playing what made them famous.  This will help build up a newer, younger fanbase while solidifying the original one.  Once that happens, they'll drop CD to a population that is comfortable and interested in GNR, making them more willing to buy the CD.

that's what I think too.  I'm still expecting cd tho before the end of the year, at least, I really hope so. I now think november is allmost out of the question. Unless they would announce it like tomorrow?  Otherwise december. 

(here's to hoping once again!) 


 

[bangit]

fuck yes, hope thers some audio or vid of this somewhere!

top lad axl, good stuff, the set is awesome. it will have some changes wen the albums out im sure!

[Lucky]

how come Axl only ranted at San Juan
I wanted to hear a rant as well.
this sucks!!!

and when am I gonna get to see a riot

[estrangedpaul]

? I could give a fuck about some guy in Ireland sitting at home behind his computer who doesn't even go to the shows.?

Ireland - fuck, I hope he is not talking about me And actually I did go to one of you shows But seriously, I never really complained about the setlist. Of course I'd like to hear more UYI songs, but it's not a complaint.

[SLCPUNK]

How many times have you watched one of your favorite movies? How many times have you eaten your favorite meal? How many times have you taken a scenic route that you just happen to love? How many times have you hiked the same trail? Or went skiing down that same slope? How many times have you listened to AFD for that matter?

Ok, I'm going to a show on this tour and I'm sure I will enjoy it... but the difference between those things you listed is that this is a live performance by a rock band.  This doesn't need to be "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" on tour where everyone follows a script.  It's a shame that such a talented band is not motivated to bring some variety to their live show.

The main point that everybody ignores is that the majority of people attending these shows are not following them like we do. Nobody here really takes that into consideration. Those things I listed are not scripted either. They are all in control of the user (you and I) yet we repeat them again and again. We repeat them because we like the feeling, taste, sensation, view etc that it provides us. We may know every line to Caddyshack, but we'll watch it again on a rainy day and laugh our ass off.

It is a rock band you are right. But like most bands they have a formula every night, which people are also forgetting. They say "see you next time." or "thanks" or "you guys are great" or whatever. They have the same solos, drum solos, jokes, opening words etc.They also play a few new songs and then the most popular ones. It is what the fans expect to hear. Def Leppard pretty much does the same thing. The last few shows they always played the same encore, always opened with the same song, always said the same things, always done the same moves. Still a great show though.

Again, so what if it is scripted? It is a formula that is getting them good reviews so far, with exception of the few nerds who get worked up over this.

Axl is delivering the goods and that is just fine with me. I don't give a shit how he packages it, just as long as I get to see it.

[misterID]

There are more whiners here than the whiners who whine about the setlist

To me it wouldn't make much sense to play new songs from CD, seeing that we would have pretty much have heard most of the album before we get it. The live shows are much better than 2002, but still, it would have been nice for a change up for the GNR fans who love music from the other albums too, not just AFD. Its a shame Axl doesn't understand that. But its his shows. The band sounds great. People are loving the the performances. So there you go.

[SLCPUNK]

Probably 95% of the audience are seeing the band for the first time and have no problem with the set-list because it is songs they know and love. The other 5% fan boy types that aren't happy with it will buy tickets no matter what because of their love of the band, so if I was Axl I really wouldn't bother taking the time to have the band learn and rehearse new songs either. They have about 20 some odd songs down pat right now, and that is all they need to keep the show going.

There is no point in doing all that extra work to please 5% of an audience that is going to give you their money no matter what you play. The key is to impress the other 95% who need to be sold on the new line-up.

Exactly.

[marty]

guessing this means that someone has been summarising what we all say to axl then?

[Naupis]

Some of you also need to remember that outside of Axl (and maybe Dizzy for some songs) no one in the band was involved in any of the recording of the entire back catalog. For them to play any new song requires alot of time and effort to learn it to a point it can be played live the way it is supposed to be. It is not the way it used to be where they could just go "hey, lets play so and so tonight". That is probably why they got really proficient with a core of 20-25 songs and don't deviate from it.

I suspect once CD is released it will be a little easier for them to just "play" different songs every night, as there is not the cumbersome process of having to learn how to play the songs in their entirity, as they will have actually been responsible for writing them. It makes a big difference.

[misterID]

guessing this means that someone has been summarising what we all say to axl then?

Yes, and surprisingly we've heard this same response before, just not from Axl.

[polluxlm]

I guess I'm not as selfish as you.


I don't demand the band to play songs for me when there are 15000 others in the arena who are happy to hear the songs the band are playing.




/jarmo

Selfish? How is sharing your thoughts with fellow fans selfish? I'm not demanding anything from the man. Firstly because it's not my right to do so, secondly because I know he probably wouldn't give a shit what some Viking from across the planet thinks of him and his actions. But we now know he reads this stuff sometimes and just a little part of me hopes he reads some of this and can understand some of our views. Besides, it's fun to come here and talk, bitch, laugh whatever. We certainly haven't been coming here all these past years because there was something important happening.

Also, the 15.000 fans will be just as happy if OTGM or Michelle was switched with something else every so often. It's just not a valid argument.

[philspectorshotme]

we're still debating this?!

havent you people expressed your opinions on this matter enough over the course of the last 6 months?
will there still be shit being flung over brain/frank in 6 months time?!

by this stage, particularly now the matter has been addressed by head honcho, we should have accepted the setlist.
please... this debate is even more tired than the setlist for fucks sake.

[mahimahi23]

The main point that everybody ignores is that the majority of people attending these shows are not following them like we do. Nobody here really takes that into consideration. Those things I listed are not scripted either. They are all in control of the user (you and I) yet we repeat them again and again. We repeat them because we like the feeling, taste, sensation, view etc that it provides us. We may know every line to Caddyshack, but we'll watch it again on a rainy day and laugh our ass off.

It is a rock band you are right. But like most bands they have a formula every night, which people are also forgetting. They say "see you next time." or "thanks" or "you guys are great" or whatever. They have the same solos, drum solos, jokes, opening words etc.They also play a few new songs and then the most popular ones. It is what the fans expect to hear. Def Leppard pretty much does the same thing. The last few shows they always played the same encore, always opened with the same song, always said the same things, always done the same moves. Still a great show though.

Again, so what if it is scripted? It is a formula that is getting them good reviews so far, with exception of the few nerds who get worked up over this.

Axl is delivering the goods and that is just fine with me. I don't give a shit how he packages it, just as long as I get to see it.

Guns N Roses made their name by being "unpredictable". Axl says whats on his mind, they play whatever song feels right to them at the time. A Guns N Roses show used to be anything BUT a scripted show. You never knew wtf you were getting when you went ot see them, now you say it is ok if they play their shows "scripted"??

You can feel however you want but old school fans such as myself really miss the unpredictabilty of a Guns N Roses show. And we arent "nerds" for feeling this way.

Everyone of you people saying we are being stupid and that we are "whining" would absolutely shit your fucking pants if you went to see a GNR show and they play a setlist that included Breakdown, Locamotive, Pretty Tied Up, One In A Million, Coma and a new unheard song....This msg board would be blowing the fuck up with positive reviews, people flipping out all over themselves with joy.

You can like the setlist now for what it is (Im not saying I hate it, just wish they would change it up a little) but you people would seriously LOVE if they played a setlist like I mentioned before.