[Updates] July 14th, 2016 Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field

[tim_m]

Wow almost 70,000 people were there? That's gotta be the largest crowd so far.

It was jam packed.

I'm not sure what the seating is for concerts there.  It's where Eagles play.  Seen shows at the Phillies stadium, but never at the Eagles one.

But the club level was high enough that I got a nice panoramic view of the place.  They put the full lights on in between a few of the songs.  And you could see nothing but people everywhere.  No seats.  Even the upper levels were filled to capacity, looked like.

Oh, and every local review (TV, paper, blogs) raved about the show, effusively.

The review said about 70k. So that's what i am going by.

I think 50k is about right.

The U2 360 tour had 70k in this stadium, but that was in the round, not end-stage.

That's still impressive for a middle of the week show. I can't wait to see how many are at my show in Arlington.

[D]

Axl looks absolutely in the greatest mood ever
 Tickling Slash hahaha Slash was probably like, WTF

[Voodoochild]

This is trully a great moment to be a fan. This tour is getting better and better, and I'm still amazed how smoothly everything seems to be happening. Axl's mood from last show was just a pleasant surprise.

As far as I remember, on Chinese Democracy (and Sorry, Better...) the guitar is tuned Drop D indeed - and half step down, in GNR case: C#-G#-C#-F#-Bb-Eb. I don't know if Slash is using the aditional 4 strings of the B.C. Rich Bich, like on a 12 string guitar.

As far as I remember, Chinese is in standard E (with Drop D, of course). Or maybe its Shacklers? Dunno. Better is indeed Drop D half step down, that one I'm 100% sure because I used to play it. Never really tried Sorry, so I don't know.

[jarmo]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Went looking for DX, but didn't see him... 




/jarmo

[MrMojoRa]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Wow Jarmo, are you hitting them all?   

For those not aware, Jarmo is part of the GN'R team. Has been for close to 10 years if I remember correctly. He travels with them on all tours.


And his name is pronounced Yarmo, by the way.

[MrMojoRa]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Went looking for DX, but didn't see him... 




/jarmo

That was me and my wife that you met jarmo in between the pit and the first row of seats. For a reference you mentioned how hot is was and that Nashville was also hot. Right before This I Love. After we spoke I believe you went and took a photo of Duff.

It was great to meet you after all these years. I posted under the name K-Rock from 2001 until 2004-ish. I left after becoming one of those nagging voices around here complaining about the continued Chinese Democracy delays. I came back once Axl started firing up the GN?R engine again, in 2006.

Would love to hang out with you someday, you seem like a real cool person.

MY PHILLY EXPERIENCE:
I could go on and on about Guns N? Roses and how their music saved me. The second I heard Welcome to the Jungle come on from my friend?s turn table, life took a different direction. I was on my own since age 16. I had a roof over my head, but no parental direction. No rules, no guidance. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble back in metro Detroit, 1987, but staying inside of my attic bedroom listening to AFD over and over and over again, kept me out of a lot of trouble.

I first saw GNR opening for Aerosmith in 88. I then caught them 3 times during the UYI World Tour. I saw them in Hershey, PA, in June of 1991. By the time they came back around later in 1991, Izzy had left the band. I?ve seen every variation since then, with the exception of Buckethead in 2002. The infamous, the heartbreaking, Axl no-show, for which he apologized during this show.

My wife and I made it to the floor around 9:00. We were front row, Duff?s side. It was not as hot on the floor as it was in the stands. There was a breeze coming from somewhere. I started to get nervous when 9:30 came and went with no start. ?Here we go again?, came to mind. Then they hit the stage like a freight train. Goosebumps. The bands looks healthy. A lot different than when I saw them together back in ?91.

I had 3 songs I wanted to record: CD, Better, & Slash?s solo in This I Love. I?m a huge fan of Chinese Democracy. Anybody who's a fan of the band from the beginning who hasn?t given the record a chance, is not open to the possibility of it being worthy, IMO. And Sorry, if they dared play Sorry, I was going to record it.

I recorded CD, and then put my phone away. I feel distracted when I?m filming the show. I lose some of the ?being there in the moment? experience if I'm holding my phone up trying to film. And watching videos of the concert doesn?t come close to being in the stadium. Not even close.

And then they began Sorry. I scrambled for my phone and started recording. Got the whole song. Axl was fucking amazing. FUCKING AMAZING!!!. The crowd, most not knowing the song, went crazy at one point in response to Axl?s effort. It was his effort they appreciated not even knowing what the fuck he was singing.

And then, I went to hit stop on my phone and realized I didn?t record any other the song. I must have not hit the button. I held my phone up that whole fucking time zooming in and out, filming Slash, then Axl, the back again, filming the video screen??nothing. Missed the whole fucking song. And then in that moment it was if I missed the song entirely. I decided then to put my phone away and just be at the show the rest of the way. I give a lot of credit to those who film and who periscope. A big thank you and much respect.

BEST CONCERT I HAVE BEEN TO IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! No close second. I?ve seen the best at their best (Van Halen, Metallica, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Ted Nugent, etc) since the early 80?s. This concert had the best sound, the best tone (if that makes sense), the best mixing, etc. Axl has regained his voice. People can compare him to the past, but the only true comparison can be made by seeing him live to compare. In 80?s and 90?s he may have had more rasp, more bite to his chords, but this performance was the most consistent. He was sharp and on point from ISE to Paradise.

Slash was by far better than ever before. I?ve seen him live with Velvet Revolver. He was better on July 14, 2016, than in ?88, ?91, & ?04 (VR). He was fucking flawless. I love what he?s done with CD material. If he orchestrated the new intro to Better, then he?s a master. FUCKING LOVE THE NEW INTRO TO BETTER!!!

Duff! First time I?ve seen him live sober. No wait, he was sober, as far as I could tell, with VR. He looks so fuckin? healthy. My wife kept commenting how cool he was up on stage referring to his vibe. ?He?s just so cool?, she kept saying. He?s the best Bass player I?ve seen live. (Never saw Cliff Burton live).

Fortus! Underrated and under appreciated. Some guy next to me asked, ?Is that Izzy??. Nope, that?s Richard Fortus. His solo in Rocket Queen was phenomenal. And Wish You Were Here is the greatest guitar solo duet ever. Never once did I miss Izzy. NO disrespect to Izzy.

Frank! I?ve heard the little negative chatter here and there. I?ve seen him live 3 times now. LIVE! He?s the backbone of the band, the beating rhythm, the drive, the motor. I fuckin? love Frank, and appreciate his contribution to, hands down?..the greatest concert of my life.

Dizzy. Dizzy is Dizzy. Always there, always consistent, does his job VERY WELL!

Melissa? I don?t know. Love her vocal contribution, and oh so fun to look at. I can?t tell what she adds to the sound, but I could never tell what Chris added either.

My view, when looking back at the crowd, says to me that it was a sell out. There was one tiny pocket in one of the top sections that had approximately 100 empty seats. But that was it. And the pocket was weird, as if that section was closed off.

Lastly, there was a girl, long dark curly hair in a short skirt, who danced her ass off in the pit (left side) from ISE to Paradise City. She had a different dance for every song. She danced as if GN?R defined her very existence, much the same as GN?R defined my existence from 1987-1993.

I spent $500 for 2 tickets and would it again. I?m half tempted to trek to New York to do it again, but this time I would definitely want to be in the pit since my ass never hit my seat once, although it was nice to have my space and the front row railing to lean on.



Edited to Add: I almost forgot.....The Seeker. Stop complaining about The Seeker being part of the encore. Why? Because Axl absolutely, ABSOLUTELY, loves, LOVES, singing that song. Watch his face, watch his body, his arms, when singing that song. The man kept the GN'R world spinning for 20 fucking years until amends could be made, dividing bridges repaired.....let him have his song. Because, after all, AXL IS THE SEEKER!

[JAEBALL]

I think the first few rows are better than the pit ... More space , you can sit n chill for a few minutes if you need to and you have a better view of the whole stage and all the bells n whistles.

Glad you had a good time. I don't have great seats for MetLife but I couldn't be more excited to go to a GNR show with a group of 12 people I grew up with . Tailgate should be awesome

Hoping to hang with some fellow Gunners from here as well.

[AxlHBK]

What shirt was Slash wearing at this show? The white one with Bambi wearing a leather mask. Was that Some band's t shirt?

[faldor]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Went looking for DX, but didn't see him... 




/jarmo

That was me and my wife that you met jarmo in between the pit and the first row of seats. For a reference you mentioned how hot is was and that Nashville was also hot. Right before This I Love. After we spoke I believe you went and took a photo of Duff.

It was great to meet you after all these years. I posted under the name K-Rock from 2001 until 2004-ish. I left after becoming one of those nagging voices around here complaining about the continued Chinese Democracy delays. I came back once Axl started firing up the GN?R engine again, in 2006.

Would love to hang out with you someday, you seem like a real cool person.

MY PHILLY EXPERIENCE:
I could go on and on about Guns N? Roses and how their music saved me. The second I heard Welcome to the Jungle come on from my friend?s turn table, life took a different direction. I was on my own since age 16. I had a roof over my head, but no parental direction. No rules, no guidance. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble back in metro Detroit, 1987, but staying inside of my attic bedroom listening to AFD over and over and over again, kept me out of a lot of trouble.

I first saw GNR opening for Aerosmith in 88. I then caught them 3 times during the UYI World Tour. I saw them in Hershey, PA, in June of 1991. By the time they came back around later in 1991, Izzy had left the band. I?ve seen every variation since then, with the exception of Buckethead in 2002. The infamous, the heartbreaking, Axl no-show, for which he apologized during this show.

My wife and I made it to the floor around 9:00. We were front row, Duff?s side. It was not as hot on the floor as it was in the stands. There was a breeze coming from somewhere. I started to get nervous when 9:30 came and went with no start. ?Here we go again?, came to mind. Then they hit the stage like a freight train. Goosebumps. The bands looks healthy. A lot different than when I saw them together back in ?91.

I had 3 songs I wanted to record: CD, Better, & Slash?s solo in This I Love. I?m a huge fan of Chinese Democracy. Anybody who's a fan of the band from the beginning who hasn?t given the record a chance, is not open to the possibility of it being worthy, IMO. And Sorry, if they dared play Sorry, I was going to record it.

I recorded CD, and then put my phone away. I feel distracted when I?m filming the show. I lose some of the ?being there in the moment? experience if I'm holding my phone up trying to film. And watching videos of the concert doesn?t come close to being in the stadium. Not even close.

And then they began Sorry. I scrambled for my phone and started recording. Got the whole song. Axl was fucking amazing. FUCKING AMAZING!!!. The crowd, most not knowing the song, went crazy at one point in response to Axl?s effort. It was his effort they appreciated not even knowing what the fuck he was singing.

And then, I went to hit stop on my phone and realized I didn?t record any other the song. I must have not hit the button. I held my phone up that whole fucking time zooming in and out, filming Slash, then Axl, the back again, filming the video screen??nothing. Missed the whole fucking song. And then in that moment it was if I missed the song entirely. I decided then to put my phone away and just be at the show the rest of the way. I give a lot of credit to those who film and who periscope. A big thank you and much respect.

BEST CONCERT I HAVE BEEN TO IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! No close second. I?ve seen the best at their best (Van Halen, Metallica, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Ted Nugent, etc) since the early 80?s. This concert had the best sound, the best tone (if that makes sense), the best mixing, etc. Axl has regained his voice. People can compare him to the past, but the only true comparison can be made by seeing him live to compare. In 80?s and 90?s he may have had more rasp, more bite to his chords, but this performance was the most consistent. He was sharp and on point from ISE to Paradise.

Slash was by far better than ever before. I?ve seen him live with Velvet Revolver. He was better on July 14, 2016, than in ?88, ?91, & ?04 (VR). He was fucking flawless. I love what he?s done with CD material. If he orchestrated the new intro to Better, then he?s a master. FUCKING LOVE THE NEW INTRO TO BETTER!!!

Duff! First time I?ve seen him live sober. No wait, he was sober, as far as I could tell, with VR. He looks so fuckin? healthy. My wife kept commenting how cool he was up on stage referring to his vibe. ?He?s just so cool?, she kept saying. He?s the best Bass player I?ve seen live. (Never saw Cliff Burton live).

Fortus! Underrated and under appreciated. Some guy next to me asked, ?Is that Izzy??. Nope, that?s Richard Fortus. His solo in Rocket Queen was phenomenal. And Wish You Were Here is the greatest guitar solo duet ever. Never once did I miss Izzy. NO disrespect to Izzy.

Frank! I?ve heard the little negative chatter here and there. I?ve seen him live 3 times now. LIVE! He?s the backbone of the band, the beating rhythm, the drive, the motor. I fuckin? love Frank, and appreciate his contribution to, hands down?..the greatest concert of my life.

Dizzy. Dizzy is Dizzy. Always there, always consistent, does his job VERY WELL!

Melissa? I don?t know. Love her vocal contribution, and oh so fun to look at. I can?t tell what she adds to the sound, but I could never tell what Chris added either.

My view, when looking back at the crowd, says to me that it was a sell out. There was one tiny pocket in one of the top sections that had approximately 100 empty seats. But that was it. And the pocket was weird, as if that section was closed off.

Lastly, there was a girl, long dark curly hair in a short skirt, who danced her ass off in the pit (left side) from ISE to Paradise City. She had a different dance for every song. She danced as if GN?R defined her very existence, much the same as GN?R defined my existence from 1987-1993.

I spent $500 for 2 tickets and would it again. I?m half tempted to trek to New York to do it again, but this time I would definitely want to be in the pit since my ass never hit my seat once, although it was nice to have my space and the front row railing to lean on.



Edited to Add: I almost forgot.....The Seeker. Stop complaining about The Seeker being part of the encore. Why? Because Axl absolutely, ABSOLUTELY, loves, LOVES, singing that song. Watch his face, watch his body, his arms, when singing that song. The man kept the GN'R world spinning for 20 fucking years until amends could be made, dividing bridges repaired.....let him have his song. Because, after all, AXL IS THE SEEKER!

Agree with you about The Seeker. I can understand people wanting to hear other songs over it, but I don't get the over the top vitriol for the song itself. I think they do a kick ass version of it and the whole band seems to enjoy the hell out of playing it, especially Axl.

[ITARocker]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Went looking for DX, but didn't see him... 




/jarmo

That was me and my wife that you met jarmo in between the pit and the first row of seats. For a reference you mentioned how hot is was and that Nashville was also hot. Right before This I Love. After we spoke I believe you went and took a photo of Duff.

It was great to meet you after all these years. I posted under the name K-Rock from 2001 until 2004-ish. I left after becoming one of those nagging voices around here complaining about the continued Chinese Democracy delays. I came back once Axl started firing up the GN?R engine again, in 2006.

Would love to hang out with you someday, you seem like a real cool person.

MY PHILLY EXPERIENCE:
I could go on and on about Guns N? Roses and how their music saved me. The second I heard Welcome to the Jungle come on from my friend?s turn table, life took a different direction. I was on my own since age 16. I had a roof over my head, but no parental direction. No rules, no guidance. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble back in metro Detroit, 1987, but staying inside of my attic bedroom listening to AFD over and over and over again, kept me out of a lot of trouble.

I first saw GNR opening for Aerosmith in 88. I then caught them 3 times during the UYI World Tour. I saw them in Hershey, PA, in June of 1991. By the time they came back around later in 1991, Izzy had left the band. I?ve seen every variation since then, with the exception of Buckethead in 2002. The infamous, the heartbreaking, Axl no-show, for which he apologized during this show.

My wife and I made it to the floor around 9:00. We were front row, Duff?s side. It was not as hot on the floor as it was in the stands. There was a breeze coming from somewhere. I started to get nervous when 9:30 came and went with no start. ?Here we go again?, came to mind. Then they hit the stage like a freight train. Goosebumps. The bands looks healthy. A lot different than when I saw them together back in ?91.

I had 3 songs I wanted to record: CD, Better, & Slash?s solo in This I Love. I?m a huge fan of Chinese Democracy. Anybody who's a fan of the band from the beginning who hasn?t given the record a chance, is not open to the possibility of it being worthy, IMO. And Sorry, if they dared play Sorry, I was going to record it.

I recorded CD, and then put my phone away. I feel distracted when I?m filming the show. I lose some of the ?being there in the moment? experience if I'm holding my phone up trying to film. And watching videos of the concert doesn?t come close to being in the stadium. Not even close.

And then they began Sorry. I scrambled for my phone and started recording. Got the whole song. Axl was fucking amazing. FUCKING AMAZING!!!. The crowd, most not knowing the song, went crazy at one point in response to Axl?s effort. It was his effort they appreciated not even knowing what the fuck he was singing.

And then, I went to hit stop on my phone and realized I didn?t record any other the song. I must have not hit the button. I held my phone up that whole fucking time zooming in and out, filming Slash, then Axl, the back again, filming the video screen??nothing. Missed the whole fucking song. And then in that moment it was if I missed the song entirely. I decided then to put my phone away and just be at the show the rest of the way. I give a lot of credit to those who film and who periscope. A big thank you and much respect.

BEST CONCERT I HAVE BEEN TO IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! No close second. I?ve seen the best at their best (Van Halen, Metallica, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Ted Nugent, etc) since the early 80?s. This concert had the best sound, the best tone (if that makes sense), the best mixing, etc. Axl has regained his voice. People can compare him to the past, but the only true comparison can be made by seeing him live to compare. In 80?s and 90?s he may have had more rasp, more bite to his chords, but this performance was the most consistent. He was sharp and on point from ISE to Paradise.

Slash was by far better than ever before. I?ve seen him live with Velvet Revolver. He was better on July 14, 2016, than in ?88, ?91, & ?04 (VR). He was fucking flawless. I love what he?s done with CD material. If he orchestrated the new intro to Better, then he?s a master. FUCKING LOVE THE NEW INTRO TO BETTER!!!

Duff! First time I?ve seen him live sober. No wait, he was sober, as far as I could tell, with VR. He looks so fuckin? healthy. My wife kept commenting how cool he was up on stage referring to his vibe. ?He?s just so cool?, she kept saying. He?s the best Bass player I?ve seen live. (Never saw Cliff Burton live).

Fortus! Underrated and under appreciated. Some guy next to me asked, ?Is that Izzy??. Nope, that?s Richard Fortus. His solo in Rocket Queen was phenomenal. And Wish You Were Here is the greatest guitar solo duet ever. Never once did I miss Izzy. NO disrespect to Izzy.

Frank! I?ve heard the little negative chatter here and there. I?ve seen him live 3 times now. LIVE! He?s the backbone of the band, the beating rhythm, the drive, the motor. I fuckin? love Frank, and appreciate his contribution to, hands down?..the greatest concert of my life.

Dizzy. Dizzy is Dizzy. Always there, always consistent, does his job VERY WELL!

Melissa? I don?t know. Love her vocal contribution, and oh so fun to look at. I can?t tell what she adds to the sound, but I could never tell what Chris added either.

My view, when looking back at the crowd, says to me that it was a sell out. There was one tiny pocket in one of the top sections that had approximately 100 empty seats. But that was it. And the pocket was weird, as if that section was closed off.

Lastly, there was a girl, long dark curly hair in a short skirt, who danced her ass off in the pit (left side) from ISE to Paradise City. She had a different dance for every song. She danced as if GN?R defined her very existence, much the same as GN?R defined my existence from 1987-1993.

I spent $500 for 2 tickets and would it again. I?m half tempted to trek to New York to do it again, but this time I would definitely want to be in the pit since my ass never hit my seat once, although it was nice to have my space and the front row railing to lean on.



Edited to Add: I almost forgot.....The Seeker. Stop complaining about The Seeker being part of the encore. Why? Because Axl absolutely, ABSOLUTELY, loves, LOVES, singing that song. Watch his face, watch his body, his arms, when singing that song. The man kept the GN'R world spinning for 20 fucking years until amends could be made, dividing bridges repaired.....let him have his song. Because, after all, AXL IS THE SEEKER!

Agree with you about The Seeker. I can understand people wanting to hear other songs over it, but I don't get the over the top vitriol for the song itself. I think they do a kick ass version of it and the whole band seems to enjoy the hell out of playing it, especially Axl.

the problem it's not the seeker itself, the "problem" is that we already have LALD e KOHD (boring and iper extended version), I don't think people need another cover during an encore. I mean, i like to listen to the song sometimes, but it doesn't add anything to the show. I'd rather listen to "you're crazy", for example. They could alternate the song with something else, because the song itself is poor and not interesting. Plus r daltrey is a fuckin moron.

[faldor]

I get all those things, but ultimately it's up to the band. They enjoy playing the song, and it's a good lead in to PC. I don't see them taking it out anytime soon, so all the complaints about it are for naught.

[Axl4Prez2004]

^Sorry ITArocker, I am pro-Seeker.  The song kicks ass and belongs in the setlist.  It gets a pretty damn big reaction too...at least it did in Philly.

[sjgotnitro]

Yea I love the seeker as well. Axl really loves the song.   

[MrMojoRa]

the problem it's not the seeker itself, the "problem" is that we already have LALD e KOHD (boring and iper extended version), I don't think people need another cover during an encore. I mean, i like to listen to the song sometimes, but it doesn't add anything to the show. I'd rather listen to "you're crazy", for example. They could alternate the song with something else, because the song itself is poor and not interesting. Plus r daltrey is a fuckin moron.

KOHD should not be considered a cover in GN'R's world. They've been playing it live since as early as '87. I believe, somewhere along the line, Axl referenced the Dylan classic as being a theme song for all that surrounded GN'R in the beginning....everyone around them, including the band, were Knockin' on Heaven's Door on a daily basis (drug use). It's the song Axl gets to pull the crowd into the performance. One of the highlights of the Phiily show was when Axl dared Philly to match Pittsburgh's contribution. The band gets to freestyle on KOHD, something I'm guessing they enjoy.

LALD has been played live every show (I think) since the UYI Tour days. It may have been the 2nd, or 3rd, single from the Use Your Illusion albums. It's amazing to witness live.

KOHD & LALD are going nowhere.

So, in my book, The Seeker is the only cover they've been playing lately. GN'R has a history of playing a cover in every encore. I remember them playing Aerosmith's Mama Kin in encores during the AFD era.

Wish You Were Here shouldn't count as a cover. That's an amazing bonus, a treat for the fans.....2 of the best guitarists in a solo duet.

Just my opinion.......

[pilferk]

the problem it's not the seeker itself, the "problem" is that we already have LALD e KOHD (boring and iper extended version), I don't think people need another cover during an encore. I mean, i like to listen to the song sometimes, but it doesn't add anything to the show. I'd rather listen to "you're crazy", for example. They could alternate the song with something else, because the song itself is poor and not interesting. Plus r daltrey is a fuckin moron.

KOHD should not be considered a cover in GN'R's world. They've been playing it live since as early as '87. I believe, somewhere along the line, Axl referenced the Dylan classic as being a theme song for all that surrounded GN'R in the beginning....everyone around them, including the band, were Knockin' on Heaven's Door on a daily basis (drug use). It's the song Axl gets to pull the crowd into the performance. One of the highlights of the Phiily show was when Axl dared Philly to match Pittsburgh's contribution. The band gets to freestyle on KOHD, something I'm guessing they enjoy.

LALD has been played live every show (I think) since the UYI Tour days. It may have been the 2nd, or 3rd, single from the Use Your Illusion albums. It's amazing to witness live.

KOHD & LALD are going nowhere.

So, in my book, The Seeker is the only cover they've been playing lately. GN'R has a history of playing a cover in every encore. I remember them playing Aerosmith's Mama Kin in encores during the AFD era.

Wish You Were Here shouldn't count as a cover. That's an amazing bonus, a treat for the fans.....2 of the best guitarists in a solo duet.

Just my opinion.......

Agree, pretty much 100%.

I'd also point out that KOHD and LALD might be covers in the strictest sense of the word...but they are actually album tracks for GnR.  They recorded and published versions of those songs.  They're not JUST cover versions of material played at a show.  To me, thats a big difference.

[sky dog]

Probably the best show on the tour so far.

Went looking for DX, but didn't see him... 




/jarmo

awesome review! 



That was me and my wife that you met jarmo in between the pit and the first row of seats. For a reference you mentioned how hot is was and that Nashville was also hot. Right before This I Love. After we spoke I believe you went and took a photo of Duff.

It was great to meet you after all these years. I posted under the name K-Rock from 2001 until 2004-ish. I left after becoming one of those nagging voices around here complaining about the continued Chinese Democracy delays. I came back once Axl started firing up the GN?R engine again, in 2006.

Would love to hang out with you someday, you seem like a real cool person.

MY PHILLY EXPERIENCE:
I could go on and on about Guns N? Roses and how their music saved me. The second I heard Welcome to the Jungle come on from my friend?s turn table, life took a different direction. I was on my own since age 16. I had a roof over my head, but no parental direction. No rules, no guidance. I could have gotten into a lot of trouble back in metro Detroit, 1987, but staying inside of my attic bedroom listening to AFD over and over and over again, kept me out of a lot of trouble.

I first saw GNR opening for Aerosmith in 88. I then caught them 3 times during the UYI World Tour. I saw them in Hershey, PA, in June of 1991. By the time they came back around later in 1991, Izzy had left the band. I?ve seen every variation since then, with the exception of Buckethead in 2002. The infamous, the heartbreaking, Axl no-show, for which he apologized during this show.

My wife and I made it to the floor around 9:00. We were front row, Duff?s side. It was not as hot on the floor as it was in the stands. There was a breeze coming from somewhere. I started to get nervous when 9:30 came and went with no start. ?Here we go again?, came to mind. Then they hit the stage like a freight train. Goosebumps. The bands looks healthy. A lot different than when I saw them together back in ?91.

I had 3 songs I wanted to record: CD, Better, & Slash?s solo in This I Love. I?m a huge fan of Chinese Democracy. Anybody who's a fan of the band from the beginning who hasn?t given the record a chance, is not open to the possibility of it being worthy, IMO. And Sorry, if they dared play Sorry, I was going to record it.

I recorded CD, and then put my phone away. I feel distracted when I?m filming the show. I lose some of the ?being there in the moment? experience if I'm holding my phone up trying to film. And watching videos of the concert doesn?t come close to being in the stadium. Not even close.

And then they began Sorry. I scrambled for my phone and started recording. Got the whole song. Axl was fucking amazing. FUCKING AMAZING!!!. The crowd, most not knowing the song, went crazy at one point in response to Axl?s effort. It was his effort they appreciated not even knowing what the fuck he was singing.

And then, I went to hit stop on my phone and realized I didn?t record any other the song. I must have not hit the button. I held my phone up that whole fucking time zooming in and out, filming Slash, then Axl, the back again, filming the video screen??nothing. Missed the whole fucking song. And then in that moment it was if I missed the song entirely. I decided then to put my phone away and just be at the show the rest of the way. I give a lot of credit to those who film and who periscope. A big thank you and much respect.

BEST CONCERT I HAVE BEEN TO IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! No close second. I?ve seen the best at their best (Van Halen, Metallica, Motley Crue, Ozzy, Ted Nugent, etc) since the early 80?s. This concert had the best sound, the best tone (if that makes sense), the best mixing, etc. Axl has regained his voice. People can compare him to the past, but the only true comparison can be made by seeing him live to compare. In 80?s and 90?s he may have had more rasp, more bite to his chords, but this performance was the most consistent. He was sharp and on point from ISE to Paradise.

Slash was by far better than ever before. I?ve seen him live with Velvet Revolver. He was better on July 14, 2016, than in ?88, ?91, & ?04 (VR). He was fucking flawless. I love what he?s done with CD material. If he orchestrated the new intro to Better, then he?s a master. FUCKING LOVE THE NEW INTRO TO BETTER!!!

Duff! First time I?ve seen him live sober. No wait, he was sober, as far as I could tell, with VR. He looks so fuckin? healthy. My wife kept commenting how cool he was up on stage referring to his vibe. ?He?s just so cool?, she kept saying. He?s the best Bass player I?ve seen live. (Never saw Cliff Burton live).

Fortus! Underrated and under appreciated. Some guy next to me asked, ?Is that Izzy??. Nope, that?s Richard Fortus. His solo in Rocket Queen was phenomenal. And Wish You Were Here is the greatest guitar solo duet ever. Never once did I miss Izzy. NO disrespect to Izzy.

Frank! I?ve heard the little negative chatter here and there. I?ve seen him live 3 times now. LIVE! He?s the backbone of the band, the beating rhythm, the drive, the motor. I fuckin? love Frank, and appreciate his contribution to, hands down?..the greatest concert of my life.

Dizzy. Dizzy is Dizzy. Always there, always consistent, does his job VERY WELL!

Melissa? I don?t know. Love her vocal contribution, and oh so fun to look at. I can?t tell what she adds to the sound, but I could never tell what Chris added either.

My view, when looking back at the crowd, says to me that it was a sell out. There was one tiny pocket in one of the top sections that had approximately 100 empty seats. But that was it. And the pocket was weird, as if that section was closed off.

Lastly, there was a girl, long dark curly hair in a short skirt, who danced her ass off in the pit (left side) from ISE to Paradise City. She had a different dance for every song. She danced as if GN?R defined her very existence, much the same as GN?R defined my existence from 1987-1993.

I spent $500 for 2 tickets and would it again. I?m half tempted to trek to New York to do it again, but this time I would definitely want to be in the pit since my ass never hit my seat once, although it was nice to have my space and the front row railing to lean on.



Edited to Add: I almost forgot.....The Seeker. Stop complaining about The Seeker being part of the encore. Why? Because Axl absolutely, ABSOLUTELY, loves, LOVES, singing that song. Watch his face, watch his body, his arms, when singing that song. The man kept the GN'R world spinning for 20 fucking years until amends could be made, dividing bridges repaired.....let him have his song. Because, after all, AXL IS THE SEEKER!

[sky dog]

awesome review RA

[D-GenerationX]

I'd also point out that KOHD and LALD might be covers in the strictest sense of the word...but they are actually album tracks for GnR.  They recorded and published versions of those songs.  They're not JUST cover versions of material played at a show.  To me, thats a big difference.

Also singles and radio staples.

Never got the hate for these in the setlists.  They will always be there.

Honestly, I think LALD is often one of the best songs of the concert.  And Axl KILLED IT on the screams the other night.

[sandman]

I think I've finally recovered from this show. I had no voice for nearly 3 days.

it was absolutely incredible. I hate to immediately call a show the best of my life, but this one is right there with GnR in June 1991 (which has been the gold standard of concerts for me and would be nearly impossible to top). but this one was as good. this band is so fucking good and Axl's voice is as good as ever.

I watched a few youtube videos of prior shows and I have to say, I feel like the band was really fired up for this show. I think they have actually improved since the Vegas shows. They are a little tighter and more comfortable with each other. And when you see Axl dancing and running all over the stage like a madman, you realize how much was missing in Vegas.  

Sorry was an incredible surprise. I love that song and I thought is sounded great.

Welcome to the Jungle was the best version I've seen either in person or on video.

it was hot. I spoke to some guards that said it was 125 degrees on the field in the afternoon. I started tailgating at the CBP parking lot at 4PM. I never felt anything like it. we had a crew of about 30 people and 2 felt so dizzy they had to sit in their cars with the AC on (they were not drinking either). we started walking at 8:45 and got into the pit by 9:15. it was really easy which was a nice surprise. there was no line at all to get into the pit. it was still really hot inside, but felt ok compared to standing in the sun at 4PM.

I saw several people that I went to the show with over the weekend, and heard from several others. everyone LOVED it. several of my friends had never seen them before, and most were absolutely blown away. a few of them just kept saying how they can't believe how great they sounded. they all said they will definitely see them again if they come back. a few of us are talking about heading up to north jersey this weekend for one of the shows. it was just that good.

[sky dog]

can't wait for the ATL....wife said last night that my Taylor Swift daughter, 17 years old, wants to go! They have to grow up sometime!