[Mutant Rose]

My Sunday show review
Please keep several things in mind:
1. This was the FIRST Gun's N Roses concert even though I have been a fan from the beginning.
2. I promised myself I was going to see and listen to this band without doing comparisons.(Hey I tried damn it)
3. I am not scizophrenic, but I do talk to myself (alot).
4. "The crowd" is a large part of any concert experience for me.
5. I am not good at keeping it short, so I will put show review in caps when I actually start the main show review.

Due to an alternate route we didn't get to Vegas nearly as early as I wanted to. It was probably around 5:00 pm and there were already around 30-40 people lined up outside the back entrance to the Joint, at the Hard Rock Hotel. I did a walk through that line, because who I am going to be listening to a show with is always very interesting to me. It was a mixed group, age wise, and I saw close to a dozen GNR tatoos and T shirts in what I figured must be a pretty hard core group.My T shirt was a plain Hanes undershirt with a hastily penned I believe in Chinese Democracy using a sharpy. Several people commented on it, including one talkative young man who said he wanted a T shirt that said "I believe Chinese Democracy will see light this year." He looked really young to me, maybe 16, and it did my heart good to hear a young fan saying that with the same strength,faith and beautific expression on his face as I have seen on much older fans who have been waiting much longer. The legacy does indeed live on.
I didn't want to be that far back in line and was hoping to see a band member, so I stood inside the glass doors, across from the unmarked, keyed elevator, and jotted some free flowing concert thoughts in my (hip pocket) notebook which I always take to concerts. While I stood there a scalper tried to sell me a ticket. He said he needed to get rid of two and I hope he was unable to.I also had a member of the hotel? or more likely band managment shake my hand and hand me a back stage pass with a "This will get you in and out". When My jaw dropped he asked "You are the one from Rolling stone magazine right?" Well of course I am not a proficient liar lol so no pass. Still a very cool moment. I walked back outside and at this point there were over a hundred people all lined up and the back half were not happy.
I went to the front entrance even though ropes were not up yet and figured when they brought people around I would tell them that no one told me the line was over there ect and maybe be placed closer to the front. I know what a bitch, but I am not that large and I know they put up with no/very little rowdiness and wanted to be as close to the front as possible. About five minutes a big beautiful mountain of a man showed up with his beautiful petite new wife and asked if the line was here and I told him the real line was outside(didn't want to screw them if my plan didn't work) Well He said WTF no way I am a guest of this hotel and I am not going to wait outside ect. He hunted down someone from the Hard Rock who set up a rope and told us to stay in line here. My hunny and I had a nice chat with Robert and his wife, both very cool people and when another Hard Rock employee tried to move us Robert held his ground got the person that originally put us in line there and after a debate we couldn't here the guy who was trying to move us brought us line passes. YEAH. We chitchatted with fans and I people watched, until closer to show time and then they moved about 20-30 people from somewhere infront of us and they all had line passes. As show time got closer I was told by security my bum bag could not come in with me, which sucked because it has my water bottle. Maybe being a GNR show they thought I had vodka in the bottles LOL. Anyway I ran it down to the bell desk and got back to the line just in time for a pat down. OK first bitch on a short list of bitches. I have no problem with being patted down. GNR fans can be some of the rowdiest fans in the free world, but if they are going to have women only patted down by women then they should have more than one woman, which was all I saw. Anyway by the time I got in I was four rows back which was still close, but I could have been all the way up front so it kinda made me mad. Especially since the two gus in front of me were at least 6 foot tall. Now I am not one to say you should be penalized if you are tall and male, just that it sucks at times that you miss out if you are short.
It didn't seem like too long of a wait before Hubbastank came on and that is when my biggest bitch of the night started. Two heckling wankers, about two rows behind started up and did not shut up for 90 percent of the show. However with that said even though I had never seen them live Hubbastank went up in my estimation just because of how the lead singer at least tried to handle these two guys BS. I am sure the lead singers comments about Gun's N Roses, how they were excited to be opening, the little snipit of Cival war ect. was a response to these guys. I also like how he told the main guy "You may be a crazy MO Fo but you are not getting on this stage". I will refrain from doing a review here and just make three observations. The lead singer has a better voice than he is generally given credit for. The "Brick in the Wall" cover, may well have been the best I ever heard. Also their most played song Inside of you, I spent crowd watching and I think it is popular with the ladies because it makes them think of someone they would like to have singing it to them. More than half the women I saw where swaying/slow grinding with eyes half closed and mouths half open and way more than half the guys were watching these ladies. So I now think this song, if it is popular with guys at the clubs it is because they just want to watch the ladies LOL. Lastly one crowd surfer was snagged and taken out before GNR ever hit the stage. The two hecklers just kept up with a constant stream of insults /talking crap and telling them to shut up did no good, as did throwing ice at them(which a young pretty girl beside me did) I think if Hoobastank did indead leave early it was because of these two assholes, which is a shame because as far as I could tell they were only fair weather GNR fans and at least one of them was appeared to be drunk, very drunk.
ACTUAL GNR SHOW REVIEW Sorry set list won't be followed exactually my memory isn't that good.
As soon as Hoobastank left the stage the two hecklers started demanding Guns N Roses with a chant then they started calling Axl all kinds of names most notably and repeatedly an asshole. Finally the intro started and Welcome to the Jungle and the crowd went fuckin nuts. Every one was singing and I could only hear maybe a third of the lyrics from Axl himself because the crowd was just so loud and you could feel the love. I know that sounds corny, but it was true and if you were there, at least anywhere around me ,you felt it too. From what I could hear Axl was spot on, having a ball and lookin very rocker in his T shirt and worn out jeans. The energy just continued to increase and soon a good portion of my energy was just used up trying to keep from jostling those in front of me, or being crushed by those behind. I could hear Axl pretty good for My Brownstone and some of his facial expressions were pricless. "wow he looks just like the old days with Slash except for those damn corn rows" I told myself. "Shut the fuck up and don't go there I sternly replied. The Pyro for Live and let die startled the crap out of me, but were fun and then the Finck solo started. It was so alien. Is that what the term diddili9ng means when it comes to a guitar I wondered. I think I liked it, I am honestly not sure. Maybe it was the fact that it seemed almost otherworldly and light years away from a "slash copy cat", which is what I waws afraid of. Maybe it was that even though I started thinking of other guitar players I could not figure out who his influences were, definatly because he looked like some giant wizard with a guitar instead of a staff. Yeah I think I definatly like it and then it went into sweet child of mine and I actually felt ill. It was the low point of the concert for me. For me this song should not be covered and in my own mind unless it is Slash playing and Axl singing it is being covered. I argued with myself for the entire song, but it did no good. This song can not be played by anyone else (except Aerosmith) and have me like it. I was afraid the good vibe of the show was over for me, but the piano solo gently towed me back in completly. He looked like an angel with the light shining down on him and that amazing music from the piano. The keyboards/piano make it so much easier to not compare the basic rock of VR with these guys. It is like apples and oranges and makes it clear why all the guys are happier making there own kind of music away from each other.
For the next two songs the vocals were crap ie. I could not hear Axl, not that his voice was bad. He needed his volume turned up According to the set list they were the Blues, the band intro and Better. It seemed that Axl was being somewhat emotional as he did intros so it really sucked that I could not make out what he said about anyone. I doubt that a boot leg would be made of this part and/ or would be any clearer, but if it was I would love to hear it.
The Next Solo was Fortus who I thought of as Goth Guy and it was really good. One of my dozen on going writing project is about vampire like musicians and both this guys look and sound made me wonder if I had fallen into my own imagination mid concert. I see why many on the Forum really like this guy.Is he really considered rhythm or rhythm/lead? Then another song Out to get me? where I could not make out Axl and the crowd were not singing to help me figure out what song it was. Then one of the highlights of the night Axl at the piano for November Rain. I actually almost started to cry the possitive energy was so high. I listened and looked around and people looked so blissful. There is a happiness at concerts that perhaps comes as close as kids at Christmas as we adults can get. There was a sense of belonging, that all was right with the world and for those few minutes I stopped envisioning slugging the hecklers in the nose. They were after all only two assholes in a sea of the tranquility. The odd tranquility that can perhaps only be experienced at a Rock concert, or in the middle of a lightning storm in the dessert. There is all this incredible dangerous energy, but one still feels safe, at peace and as one with the universe, which is just as it should be.
Perhaps I disliked Ron's solo because it disturbed this sence of bliss I was so completly immersed in. Perhaps it was that he looked like a werewolf mid transformation and was in a suit and I kept asking myself "what is up with the suit?" Try as I might I never could give myself a satisfying answer. Does he always dress this way?I also found myself thinking that "all" the solos were just filler so Axl could disapear and go suck on some air. I told myself to shut up and give the guy a chance. I tried and will continue to try especially after now knowing who is who and having heard so many nice things about Bumblefoot. He is one of Axl's gunners and is happy with him so that alone means I respect and accept him. The liking will be like Weiland of VR an aquired taste. Which I think will be aquired more quickly if he will lose the damn suit. Was Night train really played as late in the set list as it is listed? I remember it viviidly, but not where it was placed. The song was requested by at least a dozen people I could hear and when it started the crowd went crazy. I think it may have been the song that got another crowd surfer or two pitched. I know a young gal up front asked to be pulled out after it and I was shoved at least five feet too the left and two foot forward before it was over. I was at this point in front of a very brave youngman in a wheel chair who had several people in the crowd using his chair as an anchor. He seemed very into the music. I was never that big of a My Michelle fan, but the crowd was having such a good time with it it was hard not to get into the groove. People listened and seemed receptive to IRS and what I heard sounded good. I don't remember when but at some point Finck was down off the stage and running by and the first few rows all surged forward reaching for him and after I touched his hair I realized I was reaching too. I guess on some level I just wanted to see if he was real.
Patience was somewhat like November Rain for me, a trancendental Rock experience and I spent a good part of the song looking at people, and again there was so much love for Axl in the room and I would like to think for the band as well. I heard several people shouting out to Axl during this song and I don't think it is a coincidence. This song seems to be the mantra for the hardcore fans when things get cancelled, pushed back, their is negitive press of whatever kind etc.. Even though we don't excuse everything he does we know the good and beauty that is there and know "we can make it" I noticed the room, a large portion of it, had arms raised for this song with every thing from a gently bobbing metal sign to just one finger up. "This is the year. This is the group. Guns N Roses will concur the world again." I told myself "But without Slash, without Duff,without Matt it isn't fair, it isn't right. It won't be the same. It can't really be Guns N Roses" I whimpered in reply. "No not the same, but it is time to move on and let go. Look how happy Axl is. Listen. Shut the fuck up and listen to how good they sound. Remember how happy the guys looked when you went to VR. Remember how fuckin fine they sounded. Remember Contraband and Libertad is just around the corner." I smiled and listened and looked at Axl's antics during Used to love her. He really did seem on top of his game and on top of the world. No doubt he greatest front man I have ever seen.
I was disapointed in how bad the sound was for Madagascar. The crowd was actually being quiet, no one seemed to know the words and we were all straining to hear them. "What what is he saying?" I kept asking myself. "Shut up and listen I can't hear it either. Should have worn earplugs for Hoobastank and saved my ears. Just wait for the CD. We will be able to listen to any and all of them to our hearts content." I told myself as it became clear the song was not going to get any clearer. "What if it doesn't come out this year, what if it never comes out?" I asked. The old doubt creeping in. "Oh my FRICKEN GAWD! That is it! Read our shirt and shut the fuck up you twat. Thats it I am not even speaking to you for the rest of the show. That is it!"
The Guns N Roses Chant was so loud and then they did Paradise City and it was so great. Again the entire room singing their asses off. Several surffers nabbed and taken out. At least they had the sense to wait till the end. I wanted to jump the baracade and jump on stage and see how many I could hug before I was nabbed, but of course couldn't. The band taking their bows the graffiti coming down and then even though it had been three hours long it was over way too soon.
I can't wait for Chinese Democracy. I can't wait to see them again. I hope the inland invasion goes well and they come back to The Joint next year. Early next year. I had a killer headache by the end of the show and was exhausted and so went straight to our room. Hopefully next time I will be abloe to meet some of you.
Sorry for any spelling grammer errors.

[Axls_Disillusion]

did you have to do the hoover dam detour as well coming up the 93 on the arizona side? we had to take a detour all the way up southern nevada because of a huge crash.

[Mutant Rose]

Axls_Disillusion, on Sep 22 2006, 09:06 PM, said:

did you have to do the hoover dam detour as well coming up the 93 on the arizona side? we had to take a detour all the way up southern nevada because of a huge crash.

Coming from AZ we had to go via Laughlin because of the hoover damn mess. The problem was it is not normal for that much traffic through Laughlin and not being that familiar with it and not knowing the turn lane at the bridge was two lanes we stayed in the slow left hand lane moving at 3-7 mph for almost 40 minutes AARG! Still the show was more than worth the trip and I can't really complain because I was way upfront even though we didn't get their till 5:00

[Axls_Disillusion]

Mutant Rose, on Sep 22 2006, 09:31 PM, said:

Axls_Disillusion, on Sep 22 2006, 09:06 PM, said:

did you have to do the hoover dam detour as well coming up the 93 on the arizona side? we had to take a detour all the way up southern nevada because of a huge crash.

Coming from AZ we had to go via Laughlin because of the hoover damn mess. The problem was it is not normal for that much traffic through Laughlin and not being that familiar with it and not knowing the turn lane at the bridge was two lanes we stayed in the slow left hand lane moving at 3-7 mph for almost 40 minutes AARG! Still the show was more than worth the trip and I can't really complain because I was way upfront even though we didn't get their till 5:00

yep i was stuck in a similar traffic jam right there before crossing into Laughlin. i think it was a fallen crane or something, it happened on friday afternoon, about an hour before we hit kingman. a few miles past there the cops made us all turn around and take the laughlin detour to the 95. but it was at least a 2 hour delay just sitting in traffic between the 93 and laughlin.

This post has been edited by Axls_Disillusion: 23 September 2006 - 04:15 AM