MINNEAPOLIS 12-2-06 Target center [DISCUSSION]

[Joblow]

WoW, WoW, and WoW. What a great show. I have to admit I havent been in the best mood around here and I've been taking cheap shots at these guys for the last few weeks. But Axl and Co. did an awesome job. That show rocked. I was really surprised how good everything sounded. The place was packed til the last 2 songs B4 Paradise, crowd was really into it. I was in Gen Adm, right in the middle about 15 feet from the stage for the first part then sat on the 2nd lvl for the rest. It was just killer. Everyone thats going to see GNR are going to have a great time. You people are in for a kick ass rock concert. Also, I hated the new songs up until I heard them live last night. They sounded great too. Cant wait for the album now, I hope it comes out soon. That is all

[NickM]

I posted this in the tour section to, but here it is agian-

I got there at around 6:45, before the place was open. We parked in my dads spot beneath his work, and walked from there to the Target Center. There were plenty of people in line to get in first (probably 200), but right when we got there, they annouced that the two gates to the right were open, so my friend and were about 5th and 6th in that line. We got in and sprinted full speed to where they sell the shirts. We both got there, bought a shirt, and then sprinted into the place. When we walked in, the whole first row was full, and there were about 2 more rows towards the center. We went right inbetween the far right and the center, first row. We waited there for about 15 minutes until the lights dimmed.

A band from St. Louise, Modern Day Zero's, came on. The singer did a good job pumping everyone up. They had a good drummer, and two great guitarists. I dident like the voice of the singer though, just wasent my style of music. Anway, they played a good 5 songs and said there goodbyes.

Suicide girls came on next. They danced to some popular songs (Hells Bells, Black Betty, ect). Seemed like most of the crowd was enjoying it. They did a scene on the right side about 3 feed away from me. One girl god ducttaped and tied to a chair, and the other was "tortureing" her. They got almost completly nude, exept they had a little black "X" over there nips. They were really flexible, and pretty good dancers. They sprayed water on all of us to, so that felt good. My overall rating ====drooling eek unibrow

We waited another 15 minutes, and then Baz came out. He was on FIRE!!! He talked to the crowd a bunch, dedicated a song to the troops,ect. He played all the Skidrow greats like 18 and Life, I Remember You, Youth Gone Wild, and Monkey Business. He also played some new song that he said was on YouTube and his Myspace. Overall, Bach did and awsome job pumping up the crowd, and his voice was fantastic!

At around 10:00, Helmet came on. They played Unsung first, and I thought it was great, but the lead singers voice sounded nothing like on the album. It seemed like they kept playing the same thing over and over agian, very repitive. I got pretty bored of them after 10 minutes. They got off stage around 11:00 or 11:15.

Another half hour rolls by, then it goes pitch black and you here "YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE!, and the place explodes! Everysang along with Welcome to the Jungle, it was insane.

Axl's voice was unbeliable. He was spot on all night long, full strength. I don't think he ever missed a note! He made the crowd go nuts! He did the usual running back and forth, spinning, and his dance. Axl is one of the best frontmen in rock ever. It is so worth buying a ticket to listen to this guy, just incredible.

Robin Fink played most of the leads. He did great! At one point, he lost a pick and had to play without one, and his finger got pretty bloody. There was blood all over the guitar..A string also broke and bubblefoot ran in to do the solo. Fink was very into his music. He got the crowd sucked in with his moves. I got eye contact from him at least 3 times, and two in a row, he looked directly at me (i'm 14), and gritted his teeth and smiled for at least 3 seconds, then he flicked a pick, but it fell to the ground, but the guard picked it up and gave it to my friend (right next to me), and my friend then gave it to me (he dosent play guitar). Anyway, I have a new guitar idle! Plus at the end during Paradise City, he jumped down the stage RIGHT AT ME! ALl the people in front reached out and touched his guitar/him.

Bubblefoot's solo was incredible. It was don't cry mixed in with his own type of jazzy/bluessy thing. Like somebody eles posted, "Slash would be Jeleous". Throughout the concert he put on quite a show. I have no idea how he plays when he's moving around like he dose. Its great. He also jumped down at the end and let everyone touch his guitar, witch some people tried to grab and take until security game in.

Richard- Not much to say about him, exept his solo was incredible. He made eye contact with me multiple times, and his guitar was pretty cool. He is a great guitarist, and fits in perfectly with the band.

Dizzy did an awsome job on the keyboard/piano. My dad (great piano player) was insanly impressed with his piano solo. He has a hell of a lot of skill with the keys. Him and Axl get along perfectly.

Ferrer did a great job on the drums, but I dident really get to see him at all.

My favorite songs of the night were Jungle, Mr. Brownsone, LALD (awsome fire on this song), Sweet Child O' Mine, YCBM, Night Train, Paradise City, well hell, it was all great. Baz and Axl nailed My Michelle. Axl's voice overpowered Bachs, but they were still both increidble.

I got THE BEST cell phone pics you will ever see. They look great, but when I enlarge them they probably wont be so hot. I don't have the software to put the pics on the computer right now, but i'll download when I find it. I also have one of Fink looking directly into the camera, and one of the whole band "Modern Day Zero" holding they beers up to me in the crowd.

[Joblow]

Bubblefoot's solo was incredible. It was don't cry mixed in with his own type of jazzy/bluessy thing. Like somebody eles posted, "Slash would be Jeleous".

That was me who posted that earlyer today, and for some reason I see it now has been deleted... I have no idea why. But i must say it was kick ass, wish I could find a video of it!~!@!

[JDA]

Okay, don't really like giving reviews but I'll try my best to not bore everyone.  I got to the Target Center around 10:45, and the place was pretty much full.  I caught the end of the Helmet set but wasn't really into it.  It all sounded like one long song.  I'm sure they are okay but at this time I was trying to stock up on beer since they stopped serving right when GN'R came on.  That sucked but I got enugh for the whole show.  Anyway, like I said the place was probably 95% full.  I was worried there would not be as many people at this show compared to the 02' one but there was more.  At 11:45 the lights went down and the place went nuts.  I think everyone stood the whole show.  I had seats right to the left of the stage and am so glad I got seats.  The floor was completely full and it just looked to hot, and conjested.  Anyway, the band came out and looked and sounded great.  I think all of them were kind of pumped to play before Tommy's hometown.  I have never heard them sound this good.  Axl didn't miss a beat the whole night.  The set list was probably one of the best they have done.  I can't believe I got to see them play five new songs plus DOTF, UTLH and RQ.  I'm not going to make this too long but just was so excited that the place was so full and they sounded so good.  Axl and the whole band really interacted with the crowd the whole night and people were loving it.  If I didn't have to work tomorrow I would have driven to Winnipeg to see tonights show as well.  This band sounds so good right now.  I love this band and I really hope they read some of these reviews.  It will really be a tragedy if they don't get the album out soon.  They all deserve credit for making this band look and sound so tight right now.  I hope they come back again soon.  I suggest everyone drive and see them at there best right now.  GN'R thanks for a very fun night!

[loretian]

Here's the Star Tribune review of the show.   It's basically positive, just a ripping on "old Axl" a little.  Anyway:

Axl comes up Roses at Target Center
MUSIC REVIEW: GNR's erratic frontman took the stage at 11:45 p.m., but at least he showed up. Or did he?
Chris Riemenschneider, Star Tribune
Last update: December 03, 2006 ? 7:10 PM

All the doubts that Axl Rose would show up for his Target Center concert with Guns N' Roses were finally answered about 11:45 p.m. Saturday, when the blaring guitar intro of "Welcome to the Jungle" filled the Minneapolis arena and 9,100 fading fans awakened.
Alas, Axl never made the nearly 2?-hour gig. The guy who did emerge on stage to scream, "Do you know where you [expletive] are?" sounded like Rose. He even looked like him, although, thanks to Axl's reclusiveness, no one really knows his look nowadays besides cornrows and pale skin.

But this fill-in guy -- let's call him Rose's Bud -- was too congenial and way too professional to be the ne'er-do-well Axl we've all come to know. He seemed happy to be back, and he looked to be in better shape than Rose did in 2002 at Target Center, when his 12-years-in-the-making "Chinese Democracy" album was supposedly almost done (it's still not out).

Rose's Bud even generously shared stage time with his bandmates. We all know that the real Axl -- who long ago split with GNR's original players -- would never do that.

The faux Rose did a pretty good job acting like the real one early on. Wearing a half-unbuttoned, vinyl-like black shirt and beat-up jeans, he dropped a few extra F-bombs into "It's So Easy." In "Mr. Brownstone," he threw his mike stand hard against the stage.

Rose's Bud also wasted no time flashing Axl's enormous ego of old, performing his versions of Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" and Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" as if they were so definitive, he couldn't pass them up.

After a spot-on remake of "Sweet Child o' Mine," though, things got weird. Part-time Nine Inch Nails guitarist Robin Finck played the first of three lengthy axe solos -- one for every guitarist in the band. Rose's Bud even let keyboardist Dizzy Reed get a few minutes alone in the spotlight. As if the real Axl would ever let anybody tarnish the baby-grandiosity of "November Rain" by letting them play a piano solo.

Without oddball axe-man Buckethead, whom Rose fired after the 2002 tour, the new GNR looked more workman-like and punkish. Its style reflected its feisty and frill-less approach to classics such as "My Michelle" (sung with opener Sebastian Bach) and the setlist surprise "Down on the Farm."

With Minneapolis native Tommy Stinson still playing the bass spread-eagle style, the band made a solid case for the unreleased songs -- you can't really call them "new" anymore -- especially the stormy and frayed rocker "Better" and the freakish encore opener "Chinese Democracy." Best of all, those songs were where Rose's Bud really pushed himself vocally, almost as much as the real Axl did back in 1991.

So where was Rose on Saturday? He might have been sidelined by that ear/throat problem that canceled the Milwaukee show Wednesday. Or else maybe he got stuck at Best Buy headquarters in Richfield explaining why the most-anticipated rock album of the '90s (most folks stopped caring around 1998) still didn't make it to shelves for Christmas, as Rose's people promised.

Hopefully, when "Chinese Democracy" finally does come out, Axl will bring along his friend for the tour.

[evergreen_layne]

Wow that was probably the most creative review of the tour I've read.  Kind of makes me think about it in a whole different way.  This whole thing (the Hammerstein shows and the following tour up to now) has been so surreal and its hard to wrap my brain around it.  Oh well I'm going to see them in a week in Everett, WA and Portland, OR and its all I think about these days.

[axlrosehunny]

I posted this in the tour section to, but here it is agian-



Izzy did an awsome job on the keyboard/piano. My dad (great piano player) was insanly impressed with his piano solo. He has a hell of a lot of skill with the keys. Him and Axl get along perfectly.


So now Izzy is back with the band playing on keyboard/piano?   Hmmm, mabey Dizzy will play rythm guitar with the ju ju hounds.

[Mr. Redman]

<i>
Well, I start off by getting there about 8:16 - just in time for the end of the Suicide Girl's. The blonde one who said that she LOVED MPLS was pretty hot. They ended their show.

About 10 to 15 minutes later, Sebastain Bach and his band came out. They were fuckin' amazing, Bach's vocal's kicked hella ass, and he mentioned that last time he was in Minneapolis, he was Jesus Christ. He also said he's been waitin' 10 years to come back and play the Target Center. I've got a small video clip of one of his songs on my phone. One of the highlights of his set was the Myspace/Youtube rant. He goes on to say that the song they're going to play next has like 350,000 views on youtube. And then goes on to say 'your tube, his tube, her tube, my tube, She doesn't have a tube, but I've got a tube, you want my tube?'. Audience responded very well.

Then, after Bach's set, Tyler and I went and walked around the venue, I went out for a couple smokes n' then I have a homeless black man two bucks, just 'cause I was in a good mood tonight. Went back inside, and Helmet started playing, they sucked. So we just walked around, I got my poster. It kicks mucho ass. Helmet finished about...I'd say 11:15 - and according to Event Staff, they're suposed to end at 11:10, so that wasn't bad.

Next, Gn'R flag backdrop raises to the top and the wait begins. About 10 to 15 minutes later I see Frank backstage drumming on some pratice pads. And, see Robin's Guitar tech tune the guitars. And then, the intro music starts! The whole crowd is on their feet and pumped. They start playin' the Welcome To The Jungle teaser, and then Axl comes out, D'ya know where the fuck you are! The crowd erupted. They break into It's So Easy, Mr. Brownstone, and Live And Let Die. The pyro was...stunning, the heatwave that rushed over the crowd was so warm and toasty. Almost like a blanket fresh outta the dryer.

Anyways, after that they played Better, which from the few rows in section 129 that I was able to hear, no one knew the song but me and the drunk man sitting next to Tyler. Then Robin's out for his first solo, and man, I don't know about the rest of the Center, but my section was LOVING it! No one was sitting, no one was doing anything but enjoying it, well, the guys behind me were smokin' a bowl. Anyways, Robin runs backstage, and from my seat - I could see almost everything goin' down - Robin's tech handed him the Les Paul, and I shouted Sweet Child, and then Robin took it away, I think the people I was around were suprised that I was able to know what's comin' up next.

And, right along into Knockin' On Heavens Door we go, the whole fuckin' place seemed like it was singin' along. I think the highlight of this song, was when Axl said we've got one more left, and then went into knock, knock, knockin' on heavens door. That whole segment, from where I was, the vocals were 100% spot on, I almost choked on my cigarette. Then, Frank started pounding away the drums for You Could Be Mine. The pyro was warming once again (as I'm sittin' here freezing).

Anyways, The Band starts to jam, and then Dizzy started Angie, so I knew The Blues was next. Once again, I was the only sober person near me that knew the song and was all the way into it. I turned to Tyler and I was like, watch Axl's goin' to get on the Piano in about 20 seconds, I no longer got done saying that, and sure as shit, there he is! Then another lil' mini jam, and then Down On The Farm. Man, the crowd was so fuckin' into it, it was surreal. Perhaps the best song of the night for me, since I've been wanting to see it since they played it this year. After Down On The Farm came the band introduction and then Richard came n' did his solo, and then Robin came out and they had their nightly duet. That was kickass, once again, very few people sitting here also. Then they broke into 'Out Ta Bite Me'. At the end, Axl was like 'they can't bite me'. It was funny, so I yelled 'fuck the swedish police' and I don't think anyone knew what I was talkin' about. Then out came the piano once again, for November Rain. Axl did a lil' solo, and then went into the song. At the end, after they put the piano Axl threw something into the crowd, and put his rings back on. Through out the show however, I saw Beta grooving n' having a great time (Please tell the band thanks for the great show, Beta!)

After throwing something into the crowd, Axl then busted into I Feel Good. That was a shocker, since it hasn't been played since Rock In Rio. Personally, since I'm a huge Door's fan, I'd rather of heard Light My Fire, but this was an amazing suprise. Then, after I Feel Good, Used To fuckin' Love Her started, the few rows by me once again erupted. Love Her ended, and then Ron took it away with IRS. Yet again, I was the only sober person in the rows by me that knew the song word for word. The very long 'true' scream, totally owns. I know I've said IRS is too cliche, but live, brings it some justice in my opinion.

And, Mr. Ron Thal came up and did his shreding and then Don't Cry. After, Axl introduced Bach once again, for My Michelle. Baz totally owned! I really loved it, and it was just pure magic, Baz reminds me of a lil' kid on coke though how he's always running around, but the man is a great asset to any band, he's got the livly hood new age Rock n' Roll is missing. The 'get up n' go' attitude. Next, Frank did a lil' drum jam, and then blew straight into Rocket Queen. The guys behind me went nuts! They were talkin' about it before the show started, and sure as shit it was played. To be honest, it brought a tear to my eye. Rocket Queen's a very personal song for me, and I was suposed to be there with my girlfriend, but she couldn't attend. It made me kinda sad not to share that moment with her, but it was alright, I was just glad they played it. And they went into Patience. Gotta love the drunk bimbos about 3 rows behind me singing more off key then anything I've heard before. But, the song was great once they shut up. Went through a pack of smokes by this time, and was on my second pack.

Then, Axl grabed the train whistle, and signaled for Nightrain! Man, was I ready to crash and burn, the vocals were fucking surreal. He was spot on, easily better then any bootleg I've ever heard (I've got every audio show out there so I know what I am talking about). This performance blew the shit outta the water compared to any other performanced of it, old or new. At the end of the night, Axl goes 'Good fuckin' night' and walked off stage. By this time throughout the show he's blown his nose twice. After that, everyone was wondering what was going to be next, so I'm shouting Chinese Democracy for a minute or two, and then Robin came on and started the intro to it. I jumped back up 'cause I sat down because my back was killing me and I needed to crack it. Yes, again, I was the only person in the rows that I could see/hear that knew the track word for word. Then, right after Democracy ended, straight into Madagascar. Pitman kicked major ass on this track. And then, Paradise City came! Everyone and their mom's was singing along, it was so fucking fun. Then the confetti cannons went off, and the pyro/fireworks show. The songs ends and they walk off stage, and then came back and took a bow. Then they walked off stage again, and Axl came back again and said that he had a good fucking time and Tommy came up and said that he had a great time also, and that it was great to be home, or something to that effect.

I made eye contact with Robin, Ron and Axl a few times. Loved the bit where Axl spoke about our weather up here, I don't fuckin' blame him. Loved the suprises of DOTF and UTLH. Totally dug Beta dancin' to Better, that was fuckin' awesome!</I>

And some footage. Here is a video of a Bach song (can't remember the name, can someone help me on this?) from my cell phone.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TM60BWEC - Sebastain Bach - Video Clip (MPLS) Can someone tell me the name of this song please?

[Bandita]

Great review, AF

I think that Baz song is called "By Your Side"

[Edward Rose]

<i>
Well, I start off by getting there about 8:16 .....

..... that was fuckin' awesome!</I>

And some footage. Here is a video of a Bach song (can't remember the name, can someone help me on this?) from my cell phone.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TM60BWEC - Sebastain Bach - Video Clip (MPLS) Can someone tell me the name of this song please?

Glad you enjoyed it. We were in chat watching updates and hoping for Perfect Crime. Oh well. Maybe it'll be played in Cali.

And why am I the only one who's never seen Beta? I think she's a Changelum

[JuicySwoos]

Over 9100 people came! ?It seemed like a much bigger crowd than 02, which I think it was, (6-7k in 02 i think) which is awesome! ?I did not like the Pioneer Press reviewer mentioning of a FEW deadasses would couldn't handle the show. The crowd was extremely energentic, 90% of the people in the lower reserved sections where standing the whole time. (myself included). It makes you wonder what show the reviewer was watching. ?I went to the IA show the night before, I though that crowd was decent, but last nights crowd was crazy energy, losts of moshing and cheering the whole night. A buddy I was with went to the Chicago concert, and he said last nights crowd was much better, and Axl sounded much better as well, and he said Axl sounded great in Chicago (So again, don't know where this Pioneer press reviewer is gettting the sketchy vocals nonsense).

I was 4th row right of the stage, so we got to ?watch Axl run into his ?little room the whole night( i really would love to see what its like inside there..lol) ?Before the show I yelled and waved to Beta and she waved back, that was kickass. I think I was the only one around me who knew who she was, everyone I was with was asking why I was waving to her. ? Also, the same buddy and I got Ron to point to us during his Don't cry solo because we were belting the words out at the top of our lungs, that was one of the big highlights of the night. ? ?This was the best rock show I have ever been to. ? I really think minneapolis got something special last night, but of course, any GNR concert is special. I may have to try and take a trip out west in January to take in my 3rd show of the tour!

[Mr. Redman]

Mr. Poop - did you see the camera flash a few times from behind you? That'd have been me...

[Bubba St. Rose]

That review from Pioneer Press is complete bullshit. Typical negative reviewer crap. Nobody I saw at the concert was bored, tired or otherwise. Everyone in the joint stood the entire time.
I've seen GNR four times, twice with the old band in the early ninties and then again in 2002 and last night. This was by far the best performance yet. This band is awesome. I can't add much more to what the others have already written, but I can tell you that everyone in the building was standing the entire time. There were more people than in 2002 and the crowd reaction to the new songs was much better. In 2002, the crowd didn't really seem too receptive to Robin and Richard but this time around they were totally into their solos and gave much deserved cheering when finished. I think Axl and the band felt the love too. You could tell by the way they were REALLY into this show.
A couple more observations: Bach rules. He's like a giant kid and it's awesome how much he loves to rock.
Helmet was bad. When they got done I told my wife it sounded like we just heard the longest song ever written. They never stopped once, probably out of fear of crowd reaction.
In closing, best GNR show yet. I feel like I was witness to a piece of GNR history last night.

[holtzmn73]

   Also, the same buddy and I got Ron to point to us during his Don't cry solo because we were belting the words out at the top of our lungs, that was one of the big highlights of the night.   

I saw Ron do that, I was on the floor and was wondering who he was pointing at.

I agree about the reviewer pointing out one person who sat down, that was probably the best crowd I've seen GNR have in Minnesota and that includes the three I saw on the UYI tour. At both Target Center shows in '92 the crowd sat for most of the show while this time I didn't really see many sit at all. I was suprised at how energetic this crowd was, no one was really bitching about the late start time or anything, in '02 people were complaining and they came on 45 minutes earlier.

[JuicySwoos]

? ?Also, the same buddy and I got Ron to point to us during his Don't cry solo because we were belting the words out at the top of our lungs, that was one of the big highlights of the night.? ?

I saw Ron do that, I was on the floor and was wondering who he was pointing at.

I agree about the reviewer pointing out one person who sat down, that was probably the best crowd I've seen GNR have in Minnesota and that includes the three I saw on the UYI tour. At both Target Center shows in '92 the crowd sat for most of the show while this time I didn't really see many sit at all. I was suprised at how energetic this crowd was, no one was really bitching about the late start time or anything, in '02 people were complaining and they came on 45 minutes earlier.

Nice!!!  Kickass that you noticed Ron pointing to us! I am still in awe of the energy of last nights crowd, I can't get over it! I did not get to see them in 92(parents would not let me go as I was 13 then), but I was at the 02 show and I agree this show and crowd was hands down more energentic. My seats allowed me a great view of the crowd, and I kept mentioning to my buddy while looking at the whole lower level all standing and cheering that this crowd was unbelieveable, and you could tell that the band fed of of it.  I was concerned about this show at first, since the album was not out yet and I thought there would be less people there than 02, but there was more people than 02 and they all came to rock! 

The only shitty part of the whole night is that we had to kick out drunkards who took our seats and security would not help us do so, but I took it as a compliment, since we had such great seats and people wanted to steal them! I also loved how diverse the crowd was.  There were people of all ages there, hell, there was an 11 year old with his dad right next to me. My friends were amazed on how many young people were at the show.  If they put out a DVD sometime, I hope they consider using some footage from this concert, because the crowd as totally into it.

And god bless you for being on the floor. Man were people moshing like crazy, it was an awesome site to see. 

[Mr. Redman]

Shit, I saw some like 5 to 8 year olds 'round the TC.

[holtzmn73]

Shit, I saw some like 5 to 8 year olds 'round the TC.

One of the guys I was with said it was the most diverse crowd he had ever seen at a concert.  I saw alot more young people this time than in '02.

[leila]

What a great setlist? !!Thanks for all the reviews guys!

[ppbebe]

Thanks for nice reviews everyone.
a diverse crowd with crazy energies for an energentic band with crazy diversity?


NickM I can't wait for the pics.

[dodger girl]

Robin Fink played most of the leads. He did great! At one point, he lost a pick and had to play without one, and his finger got pretty bloody. There was blood all over the guitar..A string also broke and bubblefoot ran in to do the solo.

ohh poor Robin! hope it didn't hurt so much


thanks a lot for the reviews, this sounds like one of the best shows lately!