October 17, 2010 Birmingham, England

[One.In.A.Million]

Just got back and it rocked.

I've got to get some sleep for Manchester so can't go into detail. But once again another great performance by GN'R and Baz.

Axl was on top form and seemed to be enjoying everything, and the band was great as usual.

See you in Manchester. 

[gnfnr_87]

shifted my taxi till 12:30am, they didn't overrun that much in the end, finished just after 12, saw the whole show was great, peace out  

[Christos AG]

Great show tonight, most of the members were sick and Axl had a sore throat but still, they did the best they could under the circumstances...

I got some great videos again and Whole Lotta Rosie is one of them, as requested by Lara!

I'll be uploading ASAP...

[Lara]

Great show tonight, most of the members were sick and Axl had a sore throat but still, they did the best they could under the circumstances...

I got some great videos again and Whole Lotta Rosie is one of them, as requested by Lara!

I'll be uploading ASAP...

Thank you!!!!!! 

Oh and don't let the band members get near you, we don't want you coming down with anything. 

J/K, I hope everyone gets better real soon!

[GypsySoul]

bumblefoot
Audience pics at the Oct 17 Birmingham @gunsnroses show posted - tag yourself!!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=199989&id=6055603084
2 hours ago

gunsnroses
Fun time this evening with the good folk at the LG. THANK YOU! Birmingham!
now moving on to MANCHESTER - see you tomorrow!
1 hour ago

[John]

Had about 3-4 hours sleep but couldn't wait to get up, check out my vids + pics, tell you guys about the show and look forward to tonight.

Pre-show

Arena was practically full, only the back two blocks (single-tiered arena) were about a quater full, but place was packed !!

There were a few asshole's trying to start fights etc, but they were dealt with long before GN'R hit the stage.

Also saw a guy in a former band-member's wig (no guesses which one). Can't understand why youd pay ?45 to turn up dressed as a guy who left a decade ago, but oh well.

Was about 2 meteres from the stage (front-row), where Jarmo was prepping his camera down the front, but didnt wanna bother the guy.

Sebastian Bach 7.30-8.40ish

Bach was great !! Best warm-up act I've ever seen (and thats a lot of gigs).

Now, I know what youre thinking. But I assure you this mini-review or whatever isnt the opinion of some starry-eyed kid going to his first gig. I'll be critical where its warranted.

So yeah, crowd were in the palm of Sebastian's hands, he's a great showman more than anything else. Terrific on the mic talking to the audience, and the band were good enough to leave an impression.

My personal opinion is that Seb was what separated the other UK gigs from the Dublin gig. He left the crowd happy to be waiting for Guns, whereas in Dublin, the support left a little to be desired.

Seb knew what his role was and gave it plenty of energy. I've never seen a crowd so into a support act's set.

GN'R 10.00-12.10

Okay, the main event. Fans were cheering for them with surprising vigour until around 9.50, at which point there was one round of boos following the track that was played through the speakers.

They were audible but as soon as the house lights went down, the place went into uproar and all was forgiven. I didnt see anybody leave (even after paradise, arena was probably 80% full, which is rare as most people try to escape the traffic).

Band were in top-form last night, equally as good as Leeds Festival earlier in the year, sound mix was probably better last night though. Sound was full and powerful, although Axl's vocals drifted a bit too low in the mix a couple of times (Sweet Child O' Mine), but he was gesturing to the crew to sort it out, which they did.

Axl was clearly suffering the most from cold/flu, as I could see him sorting himself out after every song (was on the front row, right next to stage). Having said that, I would never have known. His vocals were better than at Leeds Festival, and you would have had no way of knowing he was ill from the performance, I'm certain of that.

Bumblefoot was either ill or drunk, but still playing like a demon, even mouthing to the camera "I'm so fucked up right now"  at one point. Not sure if he meant illness or booze, couldnt really tell but he was fighting something. His solo's were spot on though, and the Pink Panther (didnt think I'd enjoy this one) was powerful and the best solo skit of the night. 

DJ was about 2 meteres from us the whole night, often looking right at our front row, playing with tremendous energy and charisma. If this guy isnt the poster child for fan interaction, then I'm not sure who is (BBF maybe? haha). He regularly gestured to the crowd, at one point coming right down to the front barriers to do a mid-show meet-and-greet. His solo's were fantastic and are well refined, no sign of the minor inconsistencies which were there during the asia leg.

Tommy seemed about the most focused and you could really hear his bassline keeping everything in check. Underrated and his backing vocals were great too (YCBM a standout).

Fortus was mental. Not sure how else to describe the guy. He was staggering everywhere like a drunk, but hammering home every chord. Must say too, his solo's may of been the best sounding of the lot, could of been the mix that made his guitar stand out the most, but he never faultered all night. This guy has incredible energy, my girlfriend remarked that he'd probably be dead by the end of the night, given the pace he was going at.

Frank is probably the best drummer I've seen live, perhaps alongside Dave Grohl, not much between the two. Phenomenal beat all night, and really evident from tracks like YCBM, RQ and LALD that he can really power it home where needed. Very distinguishable beats and well placed in the mix too. You rock, Frank.

Finally there were a few standout moments. At one point Axl did the can-can with Tommy (band were clearly having a ball, or trying to, despite being ill), and then Axl went over to Bumblefoot to do the same thing. BBF couldn't hack it ! He could only do one leg because he was so messed up, hilarious to watch.

Knockin' On Heavens Door was probably the song of the night. Always a great track live but the fan-interaction, stripped-down parts and Axl's room to scream provided for a great atmosphere.

The band were also clearly having a blast. Plenty of on-stage pranks going on. Axl messing with Richard's dials, Ashba playing his guitar with a drumstick at one point, pushing each other, random dancing with Axl & BBF, all great fun. Axl was in a good mood too despite his sore throat (didnt realise he had one until afterwards).

Oh and a final shout out to a Whole Lotta Rosie. You gotta hear that shit live. One of the best songs of the night, very powerful and energetic, the boys belted this one home.

There were a couple of things about the setlist I'd of changed, but I'm sure the band played what they felt best doing, and I'm equally sure others would have a different opinion to mine. Dropping "Better", "Don't Cry" and "Nice Boys" whilst keeping Shacklers, Sorry and Madagascar wasnt a choice I'd of made. I have very few complaints though, from what was a great evening. Its also obvious how Nice Boys and Better may have damaged Axl's throat, and they have to take into account tonight's gig for sure. It was still a great setlist, if necessarily shorter.

The guys came out after paradise city for a final bow before My Way hit the speakers. Axl said "Thanks for coming out tonight" and remarked something like "Birmingham isnt just another one of our regional spots that we have on the schedule" or something similar. He then claimed "I woke up this morning, and I had a sore throat, and I was like argh... shit....but we all had a good fucking time tonight right?". Something very similar anyway, exact wording is probably off. I thought it was a nice touch though, as he was obviously struggling even if we couldnt tell. Very decent of him to mention it and still give his all.

Phenomenal show. Hope its not too long before theyre back in the UK.

Good, Fucking, Morning.

[gnr-4-ever]

^ Very cool review!

Hope everyone gets healthy and ready for Manchester tonight. 

[AndyM]

Great show - stand out performance for me was This I Love - Axl nailed it and it sounded miles better then the album version (which I love by the way!).

Finally got to hear Rocket Queen after four live shows + Whole Lotta Rosie was Awesome - tons of energy - I wish I could sing half as well with a bad throat - Axl was fantastic vocally and the Band were fantastic musically!!

[DemocracyRose]

Guns N? Roses

LG Arena, Birmingham

words and pictures by James Watkins

Axl Rose is rock's true demigod

You have to admire the chutzpah of Axl Rose. The frontman of Guns N? Roses belongs to a wilder, more decadent time. Not for him the rigours of arriving on time or playing by the rules. During his heyday, the willfully anarchic outlaw epitomised the excesses of sexs ?n? drugs ?n? rock ?n? roll.

On Sunday, following months of speculation and mass media coverage, Guns N? Roses finally arrived at Birmingham?s LG Arena to delight a sold out and extremely patient crowd.

Hearing the news that the band being would be nearly an hour late for their stage time came as no surprise to GNR fans and Axl Rose, rock?s true demigod, waltzed onstage at 10.10pm to kick off proceedings with Chines Democracy.

The light-hearted boos turned into thunderous ovation and hysteria as Rose screamed down the mic and lifted the roof in a way only he could.

It was almost like going back in time as the effervescent frontman danced around the stage in torn jeans, silver jacket and trademark hat and sunglasses as the re-shaped band played through a set of classics, including the incendiary Welcome To The Jungle.

Other classic GNR tracks on the set list included It?s So Easy, Heaven?s Door, and the epic November Rain, which saw Rose pull up at his piano for a three-song solo that could have made you believed you were back in the 1980′s.

The two-hour set failed to disappoint, even featuring the classic Live & Let Die cover, set amidst a massive blast of pyrotechnics and flames that lit the arena up like a firecracker. The biggest cheer of the night graced the power chords of Sweet Child Of Mine.

Ending the night with yet more pyrotechnics and an awesome version of Night Train, the band really played a remarkable gig that brought memories flooding back and Paradise City closed the curtain just after midnight.

They may be the most arrogant and tardy band to ever grace the stage, but if for those prepared to wait in line, they gave a performance to cherish.



Shropshire Star

[John]

Good review, if a little bland, no mention of band members, CD, half of the setlist etc.

Still, nice to see someone giving a fair reflection of what was seen.

[jarmo]

/jarmo

[John]

Awesome!

Thanks Jarmo, will be adding those to my collection of B'ham pics.

[diego]

great photos, thanks Jarmo!
 

[kollemann]

THX for the great pics Jarmo.

[juadlu]

I'm loading all my pics here-
http://www.axlroseappreciation.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=10193583

heres 1 of my favourites-this is 1 of the better 1's -my camera isn't that good

[Gezzy]

Phenomenal show, was at the front all night. I really had a good time.

[Galileo]

WTTJ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKAIYzscdWY

[André Menk]

WTTJ:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKAIYzscdWY

Thank you !!!

[Montrealrocks]

Not a lot of videos from last night...But here's what I found.  Hope some others will come out.

http://gnrworld.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/birmingham-uk-lg-arena-set-list-pictures-videos/

[tommyrai]

saw gnr at bham with my mrs, had a sign that said rons beard fucked me, gnr were fuckin immenses ron loved the sign was playin with his beard n shit fuckin yeaahhh ,and this is a rock band fuck the curfew and fuck work we pulled sickies, and thats good, cuz gnr gave us a good time love em