To fans in Philly....

[pasnow]

I was at the Philly show, I'm going to withhold alot of comments re; the 2002 show. All I can say is I would not call it a quote unquote riot.. Alot of soda's & beers came flying down from the 2nd level, then maybe 20-30 kids throwing fold up chairs at the mixing board. Fuck it, I could care less about that mixing board. And I can't beleive Drew actually said something about "Stealing from the band" How about the band stealing 5 hours on a Friday night away from 12,000 people??


But I'd like to stay On Topic. Really the radio doesn't comment on it, I'll post if I hear anything. But there's only 2 rock stations on in Philly.. I can't see them getting "upset" over it, let's face it, right now this tour isn't quite taking America  by storm. I'm sure they'll have jokes but they're DJ's, that's what they do, make lame jokes.

[Drew]

The thread started off by asking if anyone thinks GN'R should do something for Philly? I don't see why Philly fans are more important than other GN'R fans who had bought tickets and planned trips so they could attend the other scheduled shows. I'm tired of hearing Philly fans complaining about their cancelled show and whining that they deserve something.

I am too to an extent. If Philly fan gets somthing than Vancouver fan should get somthing and in my opinion neither should get anything other than a concert which you have to pay to see. I travelled to Vancouver in 2002 for the show and it pisses me off but I don't think the City should get any special reward for it, nor do I think they should be skipped altogether.

Nor do I.

[BluesGNR]

that's bullshit. Axl wasn't even in Canada. That's on Axl. At least have the damn courtesy to be in the country of the show your supposed to be playing by the time the doors to the venue are supposed to open. "Axl was on his way" is such a load. I don't buy that for a second never have. The band, management and Axl himself can say it all? they want. it's nothing more than spin and excuses as far as I'm concerend. Why does everyone believe that story? It's not a stretch to think he simply wasn't coming. What happend in Philly? Exactly.? The only difference between Philly and Vancouver was there was no lame ass excuse giving after the Philly riot.

The excuse/reason may or may not ever come. I too would like to know but I've moved on from it. It's 4 years old, it's history!!

I'm not condoning the rioters but C'mon. It's a Gn'R crowd not a Neil Diamond crowd. What do you expect to happen when people find out the guy's not even gonna show up. That was the biggest let down ever in terms of concerts for me. 16 hour drive through the mountains at night in a winter blizzard for nothing.

That's a fan problem not being able to control their own actions. Not a GN'R problem.

Granted fans could cordially leave in an orderly fashion - but that's just not human nature. ?Especially given the Philadelphia mentality. ?Those people get pissed when cheese isn't melted properly. ?Nobody can blame GNR for the riot until a reason is provided. ?That day may never come. Many have moved on, but unfortunatly, until there is some sort of answer, I doubt the promoters will even discuss bringing them to Philly. ?

[BluesGNR]

I was at the Philly show, I'm going to withhold alot of comments re; the 2002 show. All I can say is I would not call it a quote unquote riot.. Alot of soda's & beers came flying down from the 2nd level, then maybe 20-30 kids throwing fold up chairs at the mixing board. Fuck it, I could care less about that mixing board. And I can't beleive Drew actually said something about "Stealing from the band" How about the band stealing 5 hours on a Friday night away from 12,000 people??


But I'd like to stay On Topic. Really the radio doesn't comment on it, I'll post if I hear anything. But there's only 2 rock stations on in Philly.. I can't see them getting "upset" over it, let's face it, right now this tour isn't quite taking America? by storm. I'm sure they'll have jokes but they're DJ's, that's what they do, make lame jokes.

I doubt Philly was skipped by GNR.. I'd lean more toward the fact that Philly promoters weren't interested in bringing them back. 

I also like your call on "stealing from the fans" - but it wasn't a stone and knife riot, you're right.  But a lot of damage was done to the place - to the tune of $2million, if I recall an older article.

[pasnow]

I also like your call on "stealing from the fans" - but it wasn't a stone and knife riot, you're right.  But a lot of damage was done to the place - to the tune of $2million, if I recall an older article.

Ok, but that is to the complex, not the band directly. Drew made the following comment:

So that gives them the right to riot, steal from the band, and cause alot of damage to the facility?

I don't think so.

That is what I was referring to.

[Bono]

From the last couple posts it sounds as if the Vancouver riot was a bigger deal. That shit got ugly fast. Cops and dogs and fans throwing huge rocks at the huge glass windows of GM Place. Dogs chasing fans and fans fireing roman candles at cops. Fans dropping rocks off the bridge at cops, cops running over a guy on his mountain bike who was trying to get away(I saw it, he wan't hurt). Baracades being used ot smash inot GM Place, fans reaching through the boxoffice window to grab computers, fans rocking the tour bus and getting blasted with pepper spray and more dogs chasing. it was pretty nuts for about 20 minutes. Lots when down in that short time.

the sad part was this crowd was amped ina ?big way and chanting Axl's name outside even before the doors opened(which they never did) and when the security guy came out to announce the cancellation the mood changed in an instant. it was n errie feeling. If there was ever a time when you could feel an atmosphere change ina mili second this was it. The poor guy who had the duty of informing us looked scared and he was a huge man. ?he had ?a mega phone and when he went to anounce it with that, the thing cut out and wouldn't work. he looked at people at the front of the line(I was third in line) and with a very worried look on his face said "You guys aren't gonna like this" then he yelled the announcment to the crowd. very surreal the whole thing.

[JohnnyBlade]

From the last couple posts it sounds as if the Vancouver riot was a bigger deal. That shit got ugly fast. Cops and dogs and fans throwing huge rocks at the huge glass windows of GM Place. Dogs chasing fans and fans fireing roman candles at cops. Fans dropping rocks off the bridge at cops, cops running over a guy on his mountain bike who was trying to get away(I saw it, he wan't hurt). Baracades being used ot smash inot GM Place, fans reaching through the boxoffice window to grab computers, fans rocking the tour bus and getting blasted with pepper spray and more dogs chasing. it was pretty nuts for about 20 minutes. Lots when down in that short time.

the sad part was this crowd was amped ina ?big way and chanting Axl's name outside even before the doors opened(which they never did) and when the security guy came out to announce the cancellation the mood changed in an instant. it was n errie feeling. If there was ever a time when you could feel an atmosphere change ina mili second this was it. The poor guy who had the duty of informing us looked scared and he was a huge man. ?he had ?a mega phone and when he went to anounce it with that, the thing cut out and wouldn't work. he looked at people at the front of the line(I was third in line) and with a very worried look on his face said "You guys aren't gonna like this" then he yelled the announcment to the crowd. very surreal the whole thing.

the 2002 guns n roses Vancouver Riot was nothing compaired to the 1994 canucks vs rangers riot when they had 20,000 drunk hockey fans who just lost the cup in their home town, but you know shit happens.
now that was a fucking riot my friend.

[banachkevin]

i was in vancouver in 2002 i live in saskachawan look at a map and you can tell why i was pissed but that was a long time ago and I'am looking forward to rocking out in edmonton which is a shorter drive than vancouver I just hope the weather is good in december

[Axl4Prez2004]

I haven't heard anything about this tour yet, but then again I don't listen every day.  WMMR's dj's always rip Axl.  Oh well, it's their loss.     Fuck 'em.  The funniest part is that they don't know what the hell they're talking about.  For instance, the whole story of Axl demanding a roast duck dinner and delaying a show on the European tour (which was a made up story) was something they feasted on in Philly.  Just stupid shit.  Like I said f 'em.
Real fans will go to NJ, MSG, or Baltimore.  Seeing as how I'm in Delaware, Philly would have been nice, but Jersey allows for my passengers to consume even more legal  beverages.   

[JohnnyBlade]

i was in vancouver in 2002 i live in saskachawan look at a map and you can tell why i was pissed but that was a long time ago and I'am looking forward to rocking out in edmonton which is a shorter drive than vancouver I just hope the weather is good in december

yeah man i hear that, iam from Van and spending alot of money to go to the calgary show, and being from vancouver its the mildest place in canada, doesn't get very cold so the weather in calgary during december isn't gonnq be very fun for me.
i'll just have to drink lots of fireball

[TWAT RULES]

philly fans don't deserve a show

[Bono]

i was in vancouver in 2002 i live in saskachawan look at a map and you can tell why i was pissed but that was a long time ago and I'am looking forward to rocking out in edmonton which is a shorter drive than vancouver I just hope the weather is good in december

yeah man i hear that, iam from Van and spending alot of money to go to the calgary show, and being from vancouver its the mildest place in canada, doesn't get very cold so the weather in calgary during december isn't gonnq be very fun for me.
i'll just have to drink lots of fireball

last year we had a very mild winter. barely any snow. it wasn't untill January where really really got any. I work outdoors all year and I think I put my actual winter boots on maybe half a dozen times and I'm sure they were all from January on.. That was last year but ya never know it might be like that again. hahahahaaa!!!!! yeah right. You're gonna freeze you fucking as off.  Just kididng.

[BluesGNR]

philly fans don't deserve a show

Thanks for the insight.  Go away 

[GnrAxl4life]

I think a date can still be announced. Theres 3 days inbetween NYC and Baltimore. I was at the Philly show as well in fact i had 6th row seats too. I wouldnt call it a riot either. Hopefully theyll announce a date and if not ill try to find tickets to the NYC show.

[Acquiesce]

The thread started off by asking if anyone thinks GN'R should do something for Philly? I don't see why Philly fans are more important than other GN'R fans who had bought tickets and planned trips so they could attend the other scheduled shows. I'm tired of hearing Philly fans complaining about their cancelled show and whining that they deserve something.

No one is saying Philly fans are more special but that Philly fans went through was completely different than the fans affected by the other cancelled dates (except Vancouver). It's one thing to have a concert cancelled in advance, but it's a completely different thing to actually travel to the show and to sit through the opening acts only to find out the lead singer never bothered to show up. I've had shows cancelled by my fave bands and its disappointing and a bit frustrating, but it doesn't compare to the frustration of what went down that night. I don't think Axl should do anything special for Philly but I think its a slap in the face if they don't play Philly.

[Booker Floyd]

The thread started off by asking if anyone thinks GN'R should do something for Philly? I don't see why Philly fans are more important than other GN'R fans who had bought tickets and planned trips so they could attend the other scheduled shows. I'm tired of hearing Philly fans complaining about their cancelled show and whining that they deserve something.

You really dont see the difference between Philly and the cancelled shows?

Theres a vast difference in disappointment between being inside a venue, two acts in, and waiting for the band to take the stage before being told the shows over and hearing that a future show is cancelled.  A lot of people came from different states.  Thats the difference, its not hard to comprehend.  People in other cities planned on attending; the Philly crowd did attend.  Of course theres no excuse for rioting, but the majority didnt riot and the "riot" that did occur was surprisingly tame.

* I shouldve read the whole thread, Acquiesce said it well.

I also dont think Philly fans are owed anything special, but to get no explanation in four years and to be skipped over on the follow-up tour is a bit insulting. 

[BurningHills]

I was there as well. I was disappointed for a long-ass time, but guess what? I got over it, I saw the best show of my life at the Hammerstein back in May!   

Really, its not totally out of the question for Philly fans to go to MSG or the Jersey shows - they're both what..an hour and a half away from center city? Yeah, its now a show in your backyard, but its still a GN'R show, and The Garden show is gonna be a million times better than any show in Philly ever could be!

[Eclipsed107]

If you guys had to sit through an hour of Mixmaster Mike you'd know why Philly fans are pissed over the noshow.

I was at the Philly show, and why the riot wasn't a gigantic one, it was a big enough one.  The 1,000,000 dollar soundboard that Axl uses was completely destroyed by folding chairs, and there was about 5,000 dollars worth of damage done to the arena (according to comcast specticor).

Anyone who says Philly fans don't have any right to be pissed (or more pissed than the other cancelations of 2002 not including vanccover) is an idiot.

Of course we do, we were all there and the band didn't show up.  After waiting over 10 years to see a Gn'R show and sticking with the band through all the shit that we've been though, to sit there that excited and have the concert canceled because of a lame excuse of "one of the band members is sick", and not to even get a real reason or excuse coming up on 4 years later?  You don't think we have a right to be pissed?

Well what about this, it was my first Gn'R show, I've been a fan since I was 14 (1997) and it was my first oppertunity to see them.  I was a hardcore fan for 5+ years at that point, and the rug was pulled out from under me.  We don't have a right to be pissed? fuck you.

But on the other side, I see it as kind of cool now.  12/06/06 is a show that Gn'R fans won't soon forget, like Montreal and St. Louis.  The Philly show was the end of the Buckethead era of Gn'R, the era that didn't work.  Obviously for whatever reason Axl wasn't ready to unleash the new Gn'R onto the world at that time (it's a shame, but hey..).  Our show is the only show that will be remembered from that tour, because it's the only one that mattered in the end.  It was the end of one of Gn'R's many eras.  I think it's cool, after all how many Gn'R fans can say they were at one of the band's many famious riots?

On the plus side the NJ show at the Continental Airlines Arena isn't that far away from where I live (maybe 30-45 minutes farther than Philly) and I'll be at that show.  Let's hope it goes better this time.

[Mattattack]

Philly will be alright as it's written in Sequal heaven that Philadelphia's own Rocky Balboa is coming to town on Christmas for one last round.

[sandman]

booker, acquiesce, and eclipsed explained it best.

and i'd like to add that there were probably about 20 people responsible for all the damage (which was minimal)......out of 20,000 that showed up (one of the few sellouts in 2002). so to classify philly fans as undeserving is really unfair, and makes no sense.

also, philly area is a HUGE rock market that everyone plays. so it is kinda of a big deal for a band to do a large tour and not play here.

to answer the original question of this thread. there is no talk whatsoever about this tour. none of my friends had heard of the tour until i mentioned it. but everyone's reaction is the same, "they HAVE to play philly".