[kyrie]

Dunno if this was posted, found it via another board.

Wee Hours For Paradise City
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By CURTIS ROSS The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 26, 2006


TAMPA - A concert review isn't really the place for a lecture on tardiness but good grief. Guns n' Roses' set didn't start until almost midnight Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

Is singer Axl Rose that unfamiliar with the real world that he isn't hip to the whole job-responsibility-up before noon lifestyle? Or does someone need to point out that even the pre-teens who bought "Appetite for Destruction" in 1987 are now in their 30s? Whatever. If you can get past the time element, the show was about as good as one might have hoped and at times considerably better.

The two-hour plus set relied heavily on songs from "Appetite … " and it's likely few in the crowd of 10,522 would have complained about that.

Few seemed bothered by the fact that Rose is the only member of the "Appetite … " lineup currently in the band. That took away some of the potential excitement since the old Guns was a band of loose cannons. Now it's one loose cannon and eight hired guns.

Excellent hired guns, mind you. Most of them got solo spots which gave Rose a chance to catch his breath, change his shirt and do whatever else he needed to away from the spotlight.

Rose remains a natural front man, sprinting around the stage, baying and howling and expressing all the rage and fear that made the band so intriguing when it appeared 20 years ago.

His voice, though, was erratic, mostly strong and true but occasionally pinched and thin. In contrast to his old rabble-rousing image, Rose was unfailingly polite between songs, telling the crowd it was "very, very nice to be here" moments after telling them they were in the jungle, baby.

Such is the dichotomy of Axl Rose: charming and possibly insane.

The band was almost too reverent in its treatment of the older material, replicating each solo and fill with a classicist's touch. Only on "Out ta Get Me" did the players make the song their own, and that one left the "Appetite … " version in the dust.

However, new material, from the oft-delayed "Chinese Democracy" album, sounded vibrant and raised hopes that the disc may one day actually be released.

In the end, despite any longing to see the original lineup back together, Rose established his new Guns as a vital, exciting force and threatened to once again inject some excitement into a stale mainstream rock scene. If only he could do it a couple of hours earlier.

Curtis Ross can be reached at (813) 259-7568 or cross@tampatrib.com

This post has been edited by kyrie: 26 October 2006 - 10:48 AM

[Spoon87]

Fair review, a good read.

[W. Axl Kev]

Fuckin' yes! Another good review, this band is kickin' some serious ass!

Quote

Such is the dichotomy of Axl Rose: charming and possibly insane.

That one made me grin!

I swear there can never be a better opening to a show than 'Welcome to the Jungle'.

[shades]

how about a fan review?

When they wake up

[radioflyer]

That's a fairly positive review - but notice that this is the second published review in a row saying how silly and rude it is to hit the stage so late. If I was at this show, even after buying tickets, parking - the whole deal, I would have had to leave early due to work - and that just plain sucks. I can't be out until 3 am on a weeknight.
Plus - don't these venues have curfues?

[Montrealer]

They're getting great positive review so far!! Surprising!

[PrettyTiedUp763]

W. Axl Kev, on Oct 26 2006, 10:52 AM, said:

Fuckin' yes! Another good review, this band is kickin' some serious ass!

Quote

Such is the dichotomy of Axl Rose: charming and possibly insane.

That one made me grin!

I swear there can never be a better opening to a show than 'Welcome to the Jungle'.

I liked that part too! It was a fair review. Nice to hear postive things about this band.

[JONEZY]

radioflyer, on Oct 26 2006, 10:55 AM, said:

Plus - don't these venues have curfues?

If there is one, its probably a small fine which Axl can afford to pay.

10,000 + people, I assume the venue holds around 15-18000 for a concert?

10,000 + is good in my opinion, especially without a new album.

[jonx12]

radioflyer, on Oct 26 2006, 04:55 PM, said:

That's a fairly positive review - but notice that this is the second published review in a row saying how silly and rude it is to hit the stage so late. If I was at this show, even after buying tickets, parking - the whole deal, I would have had to leave early due to work - and that just plain sucks. I can't be out until 3 am on a weeknight.
Plus - don't these venues have curfues?

Trust me, if he turned up on time every night the reviewers would be saying GnR have lost their edge, its all too predictable blah blah blah. Its Axls way of keeping that whole aura of mystery surrounding him while also scaring people by making them think he isnt going to show. It doesnt do anyone any real harm but looks kinda controversal!

Jonx

[rocketking]

jonx12, on Oct 26 2006, 09:02 AM, said:

radioflyer, on Oct 26 2006, 04:55 PM, said:

That's a fairly positive review - but notice that this is the second published review in a row saying how silly and rude it is to hit the stage so late. If I was at this show, even after buying tickets, parking - the whole deal, I would have had to leave early due to work - and that just plain sucks. I can't be out until 3 am on a weeknight.
Plus - don't these venues have curfues?

Trust me, if he turned up on time every night the reviewers would be saying GnR have lost their edge, its all too predictable blah blah blah. Its Axls way of keeping that whole aura of mystery surrounding him while also scaring people by making them think he isnt going to show. It doesnt do anyone any real harm but looks kinda controversal!

Jonx

Exactly. I kinda like the fact that the show starts somewhere between 10-11pm. Remember in the club days, GNR always hit the stage around 11pm. Punctuality is for us "job-responsibility-up before noon" peeps, not Guns N' Roses. So you sacrifice one night's sleep for seeing the greatest rock show around... stop whining, gramps!

[zakk]

I agree. It is once a year. So you go to work tired. Take the morning off or don't go to the show. Great review on the music though. Rock on!

[life_247]

GnR have always hit the stage late, look at the illusions tour, tardyness was the norm.

Why change it now?

[abw1987]

life_247, on Oct 26 2006, 12:24 PM, said:

GnR have always hit the stage late, look at the illusions tour, tardyness was the norm.

Why change it now?

Because it's annoying. Haha. And I think it's just a power trip for Axl -- he thinks that people must reallllllly want to see him if they wait for 2 hours.

[HisRoyalFatness]

life_247, on Oct 26 2006, 12:24 PM, said:

GnR have always hit the stage late, look at the illusions tour, tardyness was the norm.

Why change it now?

Because 1991 was a loooooooong time ago. If you'll notice, the band is quite different now... i.e. unpopular.

We're all fanatics here, so we understand that's Axl's thing and we expect it.

Not every casual fan is going to be that forgiving. You can understand that, right?

Can someone please forward this question to Axl... Why go out of your way to be a dick to the very people who are paying money to save your trainwreck of a career? Why not just go on stage when you told them you would? Don't be a fucking pussy ass bitch. I know you don't like having to work, but enough's enough. Just take the fucking stage at a normal hour. Imagine how much better this band would be received if 10000 people weren't just booing them for an hour and a half. It's not fucking rocket science.

Did 2k2 teach these guys ANYTHING?

[DCGNR]

JONEZY, on Oct 26 2006, 12:00 PM, said:

radioflyer, on Oct 26 2006, 10:55 AM, said:

Plus - don't these venues have curfues?

If there is one, its probably a small fine which Axl can afford to pay.

10,000 + people, I assume the venue holds around 15-18000 for a concert?

10,000 + is good in my opinion, especially without a new album.

Agreed. I'm beginning to think some of these venues were chosen for a specific purpose. 15,000 seat arenas with 10,000 people in the house can make a strong audience - If album was released a month or two ago and a video and single were out there, does anyone really doubt this place wouldn't be sold out?
Or that they would have picked out bigger places? This really is not bad so far -