11/15 Toronto [Updates]

[erose]

Two cops just beat the living piss out of two guys sitting near us. They arrested them and hauled them away. Classic.

classic sure, but fuckin?disturbing if you ask me!! what the fuck did those two guys do?

fuckin?cock suckin?pigs!!!

thanks for the updates everyone, sounds like it was a cool show!

[JamieG]

Two cops just beat the living piss out of two guys sitting near us. They arrested them and hauled them away. Classic.

classic sure, but fuckin?disturbing if you ask me!! what the fuck did those two guys do?

fuckin?cock suckin?pigs!!!

thanks for the updates everyone, sounds like it was a cool show!

Yeah, what the hell was that about?? That was in my section, near the top but I couldn't tell what what happening.

[stupidjet]

tired??  youre at a rock concert for gods sakes!!!

[god of thunder]

tired??  youre at a rock concert for gods sakes!!!

Exactly...I don`t get it neither...Why would anyone leave early from a concert (GnR is not touring all the time...) for which you paid a lot of money, just to get half an hour more sleep? Some folks are just strange...

[gandra]

18500 in audience are very impressive

[oneway23]

Cheers for the updates.

[Noticeboy]

*He seemed in a good mood overall, I'd say, especially at the beginning. I think at the end he was annoyed that it obvious that the crowd was tired.

Well then maybe they should start a little earlier.. sounds pretty simple to me

[russtcb]

*He seemed in a good mood overall, I'd say, especially at the beginning. I think at the end he was annoyed that it obvious that the crowd was tired.

Well then maybe they should start a little earlier.. sounds pretty simple to me

Or maybe people should come to a rock concert to ROCK and HAVE FUN.

Ya know. Whichever.

[Hammer1]

Air Canada Centre, Toronto - Nov. 15, 2006

Patience pays off - to some extent - after long wait at the ACC

By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
   




Axl Rose (AP file photo)

TORONTO - Sex and rock 'n' roll were on display Wednesday night when Guns N' Roses pulled into Toronto's Air Canada Centre for the first time in four years.

As for drugs? Short of doing a urine test on Axl Rose - the last man standing from GNR's original lineup - and his seven-piece band, we'll never know for sure.

The sex part came via one of three opening acts, Suicide Girls, an "alternative" burlesque show borne out of a indie-minded porn website featuring "hot, tattooed, and pierced chicks," as one of the members explained from the stage.

The female troupe wiggled, jiggled and stripped their way through 25 minutes of recorded music by Steeler's Wheel, Led Zeppelin, The White Stripes and others, but they never really got naked - save for black pasties and g-strings.

By the time the Gunners had started - at 11:40 p.m (who else does this on a weeknight at an arena?) - the audience was more than ready to rock despite the ACC not being completely sold out.

There's definitely been some heightened anticipation about the latest GNR jaunt with the 12-years-in-the-making new album, Chinese Democracy, thought to be coming out next Tuesday. Turns out that was a very tentative release date and the disc won't likely be released before next year. 
 

The album's delay didn't prevent Rose and his band, including longest-serving GNR member and keyboardist Dizzy Reed plus a trio of blazing guitarists Robin Finck, Richard Fortus and Ron Thal, from playing new songs like the piano-driven The Blues, the anthemic Better, and the Asian-influenced title track.

Still, the majority of the two-hour-and-15-minute set was made up of songs from a nearly 20-year-old album, GNR's 1987 monster debut, Appetite For Destruction, which has sold 20 million copies worldwide.

And it was those tunes that proved to be the evening's standouts: The exciting opener Welcome To The Jungle (complete with dry ice, explosions and firebursts), Sweet Child O' Mine, Out Ta Get Me, November Rain (featuring Rose on piano) and the rip-roaring closer Paradise City (with more explosions, firebursts, fireworks and red confetti).

Also good were the GNR Lies' classic Patience, covers of Paul McCartney's Live And Let Die and Bob Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven's Door, the Fortus-Finck guitar instrumental of Christina Aguilera's Beautiful and Thal's trippy, Jimi Hendrix-like version of O Canada.

Sadly, there were some less-than-riveting moments in between the highlights, which is a lot to bear given many people had been at the ACC for almost four hours before GNR even took the stage.

"I remember how great a crowd we had last time we played here and I thank you, I thank you," said Rose, 44, who was in decent voice for most, but not all of the songs.

At least, he proved to be an energetic sprinter and dancer.

Meanwhile, opener (and Peterborough's own) Sebastian Bach of Skid Row fame joined Rose for an iffy duet on My Michelle after an introduction by The Trailer Park Boys' Bubbles.

During his earlier 40-minute set, Bach dropped the F-bomb as often as the Suicide Girls dropped their gear. He also went down memory lane dredging up now-gone Toronto nightspots like Larry's Hideaway - the site of his first ever rock concert - and The Gasworks.

"Toronto, you're responsible for Sebastian Bach," he screamed. "It's all your f---in' fault!"

Not even an appearance by all of the Trailer Park Boys during's Bach's set could erase those haunting words, but at least the trio's rendition of Liquor & Whores was a welcome distraction.

Otherwise, plucky Toronto thrash trio Die Mannequin delivered a spirited if messy half-hour opening set with the singer-guitarist making mad forays into the crowd.


 

[greenhorn1]

Kind of surprised at all the people ranting about people being tired at nearly 2AM. ?I realize this is a internet board and therefore probably overly populated by net kiddies but you've got to realize that people who were teenagers when appetite came out are now in their mid 30's with jobs and families. ?

[Huttz]

A lot of people started leaving a little before 1:30 so that they could catch the last trains home... I am glad that I decided to drive instead of relying on public transit knowing that the show would probably run too late and I wasn't going to fucking leave early for no one.

Some poor bastard in front of me was owned by his girl friend, while waiting for GNR to come on she was bitching that it was getting too late and that she wanted to go home.  They faught for a bit and they ended up leaving before GNR even got on stage.  I would have sent that chick packin' if it were my girl.

[russtcb]

Just wanted to say thank you for the updates and glad everyone had a great time!

[MrMojoRisin]

tired??? youre at a rock concert for gods sakes!!!

I know.. if your too tired then call in sick.

[muffinass]

? conclusion? it was an amazing concert...simple as that. The band was in excellent form; every single one of them was visibly laughing and enjoying themselves (Axl was smiling for the first couple of songs, etc).
?
? Of course all that changed throughout the show, since Torotonian concert-goers feel it's the band's privilege to be there, so they just sit back, have a beer, and enjoy the show (go to any rock concert at the Molson AMphitheatre and you'll see what i mean...people talk during concerts, stroll in-out like there's a tribute band playing)...

? ?The sound-mix to me sounded fine (Axl WAS completely drowned out during some songs, that's true...) and Axl's voice was impecable throughout the night.

? ?Crowd reaction to new songs was fairly good, although I did feel it myself that the momentum died down until OTGM came on so maybe that accounted a bit for it.

? ?As for the band coming on late...give it a rest. I looked around me in the ACC, and saw the place packed in the stands...all this for a band that IS a fairly new band (formation-wise), has NO album out, has made NO public releases, and has had a next-to-HORRIBLE past concert history (I'm referring to the odd 2002 TO concert).

? ?Die-hard/casual fans...whatever you want to call them...People DON'T care about little things like set-lists and start-times. Ask yourself when was the last time GNR came on early at concerts (people still bitch, but they come anyway...love the hypocrisy)? I understand that some people are complaining, and probably have a valid point about them coming on late; what I want to say is that it's always been like this, it won't change because of a couple of 10s of people that leave early.
? ?And as for the setlist...it's not Much-On-Demand...you don't like it, move on. GNR isn't alienating anybody since I saw enough people there aside from me with Hammersteing shirts, and they didn't care either. If you REALLY want to pander to the audience, take out the new songs and give them more UYI or AFD songs. (I'm not for it, just proving that all this complaining is absurd).

  The only thing to bitch about was the Trailer Park Boys inclusion of Bubbles in the GNR set...personally I had enough of the weak, mediocrity-endorsing white-trash show, and seeing them in Baz's act was painful as hell.
   It's slightly pathetic when among the FEW media/entretainment exports Canada has, our ambassadors for a GNR show are Bubbles and Co. Horrid...just horrid.

? Enough bitching from me...I loved the concert, although I was afraid that I was going to be bored from seeing a similar show in NY back in May. My girlfriend (her first GNR concert) LOVED it as well, and neither of us felt tired, blah blah blah...THANK YOU GNR for giving TO an amazing night of music !!

? ?

p.s. does anybody have any pics from the show?

[BaDoBsEsSiOn418]

Well fellow Gunners, it's 10 am here in the States, and I got about four hours of sleep.? No way I'm going to class today (Uncle Axl better have that absence note ready for me!? )

Anyway, it was a great show.? I'll be honest that I am not really familiar with Sebastian's music or Skid Row, but I was very impressed.? That motherfucker can sing!? And he is also great with the crowd.? Seemed like he had a great time (although I think the "This is the greatest night of my life" comment was far fetched).

Suicide Girls....eh...what I expected.? Not gonna waste my time commenting.? Freaky girls, especially the one with the black braids.?

As for our Gunners, they put on a great show.? Axl definitely is captivating as a frontman.? It just felt like it was something special to be in the same building as Axl Rose.? Seemed like he had a good time, other than when he told Ron to not play too loud while some people seemed bored.? Yeah, there were times when you couldn't hear him very well, but when you could he sounded good.?

All of the comments that people have made since the first show at Hammerstein about Robin are definitely true.? That guy plays his ass off, and the crowd seemed to really like him.? I really dig his new look this year, and puts out a lot of energy.?

I read in people's reviews on other shows about Frank trying to get the crowd to chant "Guns N' Roses," and I thought that would have been cool, but the crowd didn't really play along tonight (I think he tried a few too many times, in my opinion).? As far as his drumming, I thought he was very good.

The solos do really kill momentum, like most on here have said before.? I don't think Ron needs to play the entire version of Don't Cry.?

Yeah, the crowd really didn't know how to react to the new songs (of course).? I remember someone saying something in one of their reviews about feeling awkward singing along to the new songs and no one else knows the words.? That's how I felt. But they all sounded great.? I REALLY liked Chinese Democracy.? The video on the screens was really cool too.

To be there, seeing my favorite band for the first time, was definitely very surreal.? I just wish sometimes I didn't read the forums.? Knowing pretty much the order of the setlist, when pyro's gonna go off, the solos, where Beta and Merck stand on the side of the stage, Sebastian singing with Axl on My Michelle, kinda spoiled it for me in many ways.? I've watched WAYYYYY too much Youtube and Rock AM Ring. lol

Okay, I think I've covered all of the bases.? Great show.? Very memorable night.? Had an awesome time.? But please, stop smoking at the shows!? Drives me nuts!? Can't friggin breathe while I'm singing along to IRS!?

[pilferk]

tired??  youre at a rock concert for gods sakes!!!

I know.. if your too tired then call in sick.

I know, as a professional with a CAREER, that's sort of a tough stance to make.  I understand when you're young, working at Best Buy or some other retail giant, you can be that glib with your job and employment.  When you're in your 30's, with a family to support, mortgage to pay, and a career to further...that option becomes a hell of a lot harder to take.

Now, I do agree: If you're going to a GnR concert...and it's during the week..there should be  a certain expectation of being out late. So you either man up and deal with it when the AM comes or you make plans to take vacation time the next day. And if neither of those options is available...don't go.  But don't complain about it...

[Ines_rocks!]

A lot of people started leaving a little before 1:30 so that they could catch the last trains home... I am glad that I decided to drive instead of relying on public transit knowing that the show would probably run too late and I wasn't going to fucking leave early for no one.

Some poor bastard in front of me was owned by his girl friend, while waiting for GNR to come on she was bitching that it was getting too late and that she wanted to go home.  They faught for a bit and they ended up leaving before GNR even got on stage.  I would have sent that chick packin' if it were my girl.

haha paying for a gig, that sure isnt cheap, and going home without seeing must be an incredible feeling! 

[muffinass]

  did anyone pick up on whas song Dizzy was playing for his solo? my guess is Neil Young - Heart Of Gold...correct?

[EFISH]

EFISH, if you don't post the updates on time you'll get your 4th negative karma back...?

No matter what I do in these damn updates threads, I always seem to get negative karma. 

By the way, when I went to sleep I guessed the exact last 5 songs. That should be worth some + karma

[Crowebar]

Was at Toronto show last night. It was really cool where me and my brother ended up sitting. We could see right behind the stage and Axl's big black tent. Awesome. I'm pretty sure Axl heard me calling his name because he looked right up in my direction after I yelled his name out really loudly. He looked surprised that he could hear me actually. Very, very cool. Had a really good time and I'll remember this night forever!!!!!



THANKS AXL!!!!!!!!!!!!? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!