Guns N' Roses - Jan 1 2001 - House of Blues comeback show

[Elevation516]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Elevation516

[niceguy]

Holy crap, he sounds so amazing here.

Then again, 2001 is only 8 years from 1993, when GNR was on top.

But 2016 is 23 years from 1993.

Edited January 19, 2016 by niceguy

[IncitingChaos]

I thought his style was much better than 02 but obviously a ton of rust here, yet it's easy to give him a pass considering this is the first show in a while. I like how he made light of him basically disappearing for years.

[Elevation516]

He also goes into the background of Chinese Democracy too before he plays it. This show is jewels.

[Brunzopolis]

Was the little intro cartoon shown only at this show, and RIR3? Is it known who made it/the story behind it?

[highvoltage]

I appreciate the significance of the gig, the setlist (with OMG), the energy and Buckethead... but Axl's vocal is way overrated here for me. Too clean for my tastes.

[Matt13]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

[J Dog]

Epic.

"I have traversed a treacherous sea of horrors to be with you here tonight"

[6lake sa66ath]

No doubt it was pro shot and the masters reside in a vault somewhere, possibly never to see the light of day

[Elevation516]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

Appreciate the response, but not gonna lie...that was a bit of a cock tease. You made it sound at first like you were at this gig which would have been awesome to hear about first hand lol.

[Italian girl]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

the same for me from Italy!!!

[maynard]

Not a comeback show. More like the debut of Axl's solo carreer.

It's a good show, although Axl sounds like Mickey, same for Rio 3. Filled with emotion and great cover versions from BH, Robin, etc.

[Towelie]

"You can write home to everybody and tell them how it doesn't work and it just sucks."

Seriously, Axl is like the ultimate cupcake.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Towelie

[TKesseli]

I remember looking for any video from this show but there arent any, right?

we see some cameras filiming but till now no video found.

[MrSoftie]

I remember looking for any video from this show but there arent any, right?

we see some cameras filiming but till now no video found.

It seems people do have it, but they're looking a lot of money for it. Which is ridiculous after 15 years.

[maxpax]

Nugnr was an interesting project, but it was never gnr. Axl went totally nuts with re-recording afd while wanting to go in a totally different music direction...When i first saw nugnr in 2002 at the vmas i thought: wtf?! The look of Axl and nugnr worked like the change of the WWF/wwe to the wcw for me. It came too fast...axls transformation was like the transformation of bret hart. From hero to heel...

[moreblack]

If GNR had broken up, this was probably as close as people were gonna get at the time. Even if some of the guys didn't play the parts right.

[Billsfan]

Epic.

"I have traversed a treacherous sea of horrors to be with you here tonight"

Agreed. The beginning of the new incarnation for GNR and axls comeback. Too bad it didn't last..

[Matt13]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

Appreciate the response, but not gonna lie...that was a bit of a cock tease. You made it sound at first like you were at this gig which would have been awesome to hear about first hand lol.

My bad... didn't mean to sound like I was there. You asked what the buildup was like and how that night went down and I just shared my story! The forums were epic back then... truly epic. I think GNR forums really started the whole forum craze for bands. In fact, I don't think many other bands have anything like the kind of forums GNR has managed to generate.

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

the same for me from Italy!!!

Fun times! Were you on CD.com at the time? Remember Xozi or Queenie? I think I was simply 'Matt'.

[themadcaplaughs]

Have been listening to this full show, and I truly have to say, absolutely phenomenal. Nearly everything about it from Axl to the band sounds on point. This lineup did a great job of keeping the feel of the original songs but adding some of their own flavor here and there. It makes me wish we could see some more of Paul Tobias, because I feel like he really would have been a perfect fit for the band if he weren't adverse to touring. Another cool side note listening to this through for the first time, Axl calling Paul "Paul Hew-Gee". I think we all assumed the name was how it looked, Huge, for those who never heard his name said before. That is unless that is Axl trolling, which he's certainly been known to do throughout history lol. Anyway, truly worth a listen for those who never heard it. Makes me wish there was a video, and even more so, makes me wish I could have been there. The energy in the room is incredible you could tell. Anyone have any insight into the buildup before the show and how it was promoted? Obviously a very small venue for a GNR comeback show. I was young and wasn't really following closely at that time.

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

Appreciate the response, but not gonna lie...that was a bit of a cock tease. You made it sound at first like you were at this gig which would have been awesome to hear about first hand lol.

I was at the show. I'll post some memories of it later tonight when I have time.

[johnnybebad]

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

Wow, thanks for taking me back. I used to check in on GNRonline message boards all the time, along with the other sites like CD.com and 2000 Intentions. I was 14 then. That is crazy. "Make Haste." haha

I was a kid who was so excited to see Axl back. I thought the new songs were so cool, and was very excited by the totally new direction Axl was taking his band (whether or not it was really GnR didn't interest me in the least - at least there was progress.) I remember downloading the show and thinking that the old songs sounded pretty cool, but it was the new stuff that I was way more interested in. After the cancelled tours and the overall dictatorship vibe coming from Axl, I gave up. Life is way too short, and there was way too much good music out there to waste my time caring about this sad excuse of a band. By the time Chinese Democracy was actually, begrudgingly, released in 2008 (with many of the key players from 2001 already having left the band), I had lost all interest, but I do still like to peek in and see that the madness continues.

But for a little while in 2000-2001, it really seemed like Axl and his new band were really doing something cool.

Funny how fast it all fell apart...

And that 15 years later, as a grown adult, I still want to see where it goes next.

Thanks for the great post

[drtydane]

This was an epic night. I was in my mid 20's at the time so it's all very vivid in my memory. This was around the same time that internet file sharing was really catching on (Napster... ICQ... etc.). The world was still stuck in dial up internet at that time. SUPER slow by today's standards, but for the time, magical. I don't even think DSL was out yet (the level up from dial-up internet).

I was on GNR forums from the get-go. Was one of the first CD.com members and that forum at the time was like this place. It was the place to go for GNR news, chat and info. Had some legendary members... Xozi, Queenie... the battles I had with those two clowns were epic. Kanada, probably known to most on this forum and others as one of Axl's biggest nut-swingers today, was at the time one of the biggest Axl/Nu-GNR bashers/'cupcakes'... if not the biggest. At every turn Kanada criticized Axl and NuGuns. I used to destroy him too through the years as, at the time, I was one of Axl's biggest supporters.

Anyway... those are stories for another time. The night of this show and the hype leading up to it was epic. The forums were on fire the entire time. I remember snippets of new songs showing up on Napster and forum members passing links back and forth to download the stuff. Now, a download of one song took HOURS. Again, at the time though it was magical to even have that kind of tech. The first song I was able to download was The Blues. I was instantly in love with it. I think the next day I was able to get Madagascar downloaded and also liked it. Eventually the entire show was leaked one way or another and people started making bootlegs of it on CD's and were selling them on Ebay. I still have a copy that I bought.

Deep down though, as much as I was supporting Axl and his vision, it didn't feel complete. The void Slash and the old band left was noticeable (I grew up on the original GNR). But, Axl had lots of promises of a new album and supporting tours. Each year a new release date came and went. And somehow, someway, we were all strung along for years and years. If you would have told me at the time (2001) CD would not come out until 2008, I would have laughed at your face.

But, alas, the NuGNR saga was just beginning. And it was all very, very painful. Starting with the first tour being cancelled one show before I was supposed to see them in DC. Albeit a few bright spots popped up along the way (Hammerstein, CD's eventual release and some regular touring). But it became painfully obvious by about 2009 that NuGNR wasn't going to ever reach the summit like the original band did. That's about the time I started to turn on NuGNR and started calling for a reunion.

Not that my voice mattered much.

But it was certainly a very unique journey for clearly unique people. Or should I say deranged people?! Lol. No music fan should ever have to endure what GNR fans like myself had to endure for 20+ years.

I just hope that the reunion proves to be a huge success and the old guys churn out 2-3 solid albums in the next decade, cementing a legacy of one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Right now GNR is just an interesting footnote in the history of rock. Kind of like Bo Jackson in the sports world... an absolute beast of a baseball and NFL football player... legendary. But his career was cut very short due to a devastating injury leaving many to speculate how incredible his career in both sports could have been. Some say he would have gone down as one of the best if not the best of all time in either sport. GNR has that same kind of legacy. The, 'what if' legacy. Had the original band stayed together and managed through some tough times, we may be talking about THE greatest rock band of all time... at least on par with a band like the Stones.

Instead, we all ask ourselves, 'what if'?

Well, we'll never know. I just hope they have some magic left in the tank and at least cement a legacy and pump out some good music for a few years and prove to us that, yes, they can now be mentioned in the same breath as Zeppelin, Queen, Aerosmith or The Rolling Stones as being among rock's elite.... and not just an interesting footnote.

Honestly, the band reuniting has brought back some of that 'magic' feeling from 2001... a certain excitement for what's to come. I just hope it's not the same nightmare us hardcore fans had to endure for the better part of two decades. I'm not as invested in it as I was when I was younger. There are far more important things in life, like my family and providing for them and watching them grow. But it's fun none-the-less to follow GNR news again! But if the shit hits the fan, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it anymore.

I just hope for you newer fans that the ride goes much smoother.

Wow, thanks for taking me back. I used to check in on GNRonline message boards all the time, along with the other sites like CD.com and 2000 Intentions. I was 14 then. That is crazy. "Make Haste." haha

I was a kid who was so excited to see Axl back. I thought the new songs were so cool, and was very excited by the totally new direction Axl was taking his band (whether or not it was really GnR didn't interest me in the least - at least there was progress.) I remember downloading the show and thinking that the old songs sounded pretty cool, but it was the new stuff that I was way more interested in. After the cancelled tours and the overall dictatorship vibe coming from Axl, I gave up. Life is way too short, and there was way too much good music out there to waste my time caring about this sad excuse of a band. By the time Chinese Democracy was actually, begrudgingly, released in 2008 (with many of the key players from 2001 already having left the band), I had lost all interest, but I do still like to peek in and see that the madness continues.

But for a little while in 2000-2001, it really seemed like Axl and his new band were really doing something cool.

Funny how fast it all fell apart...

And that 15 years later, as a grown adult, I still want to see where it goes next.

Thanks for the great post

AND THAT IS ALL

QUEENIE

[WAR41]

The build up for this show was insane. So so crazy. Had I not been a college sophomore living in North Carolina at the time I would have been at that show. I was trying to make arrangements to go with my brother, but he couldn't do it for financial reasons. I was (and still am) devastated that I did not make it. I remember my last ditch plan so well. I was going to fly out the morning of the 31st, get to Vegas, pretty much wait on line the whole day, get into the venue, see the show and fly back the morning of the 1st. Unfortunately for me, the flights were absolute garbage that morning and I never pulled the trigger. Good thing too because I would have missed the flight because of how late the show went. Definitely my biggest regret in the world of GNR.

[Elevation516]

I'm half kidding @Matt13, great post. And please post your story from the show @themadcaplaughs !! Waiting to hear it.

[donof]

I was at the show as I live in Vegas and I've seen them many times at the Hard Rock since. Nothing compared to that first show though. It was supposed to start at 1 am but it didn't start until around 3am and it ended close to 5am. Axl was so emotional and became very choked up as he almost cried. It was an amazing memory. I can't believe it's been 15 years.