Pinball Wizard

Eddie Irvine wasn't that fast at disappointing people when he used to race formula one. 😂

I've been dealing with a pretty fucked up case of depression for 8 months now, I've been absent from work on a medical leave for half of this year because of it. I lost my dad last year and I haven't digested it yet. It's not the first time I struggle with depression and GnR has got me out of it before.

Anyways. Today I decided to get out and I went to the GYM to see if it could help me blowing off some steam. I had a panic attack while I was running so I decided to head back home asap. I had my headphones on and I played a playlist I have on spotify and Breakdown came on. It's been a loooong time since I've listened to it, so I paid lots of attention in an attempt to change my focus and bring myself back. It's weird how messed up Axl must had been back in the days when he wrote this song and how it completely describes the moment I'm living now, 28 years after its release. Specially on these verses:

When I look around
Everybody always brings me down
Well is it them or me
Well I just can't see
But there ain't no peace to found
But if someone really cared
Well they'd take the time to spare
A moment to try and understand
Another one's despair

That's one of the big reasons I want them to release new music. This guy's a genius lyricist. 

1 hour ago, UcudBmine said:

But after reading the same complaints since 2001 I don't get why they still bother, the band sure as hell doesn't.

I see what you're saying and I kind of agree with you. The band is not bothered about playing the same setlist while grossing a shitload of money 3 nights a week. But I think the "bitching" over the setlist from fans that are on the forums is not just about the setlist itself, I see this "bitching" as an exemple to what really is pissing off the fanbase, most of them, that's been supporting the band for 25+ years for the most part: it feels like GnR is not a band anymore. There's no fire in them, you don't feel like "they're up to something". You see GnR these days and all you see is the big 3 playing the catalog on automatic mode and getting their 6 or 7 digit paychecks after each concert and that's it. I'm not gonna lie, If I were in their positions, I wouldn't bother either.

But the thing is: we, as hardcore fans, who's been supporting/following the band since the early days, it's a turn off to see them on the automatic, "jukebox", mode for almost 4 years. You would expect that them getting back together would sparkle a fire in them to create something, to make the GnR name relevant in the charts again, to show that GnR still has something to say. But the way things are, it's like watching your prodigal son being satisfied with B+'s when they can get straight A's if they wanted. Frustration is something that will come out of it.

When I see people complaining about the setlist on the forums I don't see it as complaints over the setlist itself, but what it really represents. The band is giving us a message that they just don't care anymore. They get together, play a couple of months doing the same songs, fill up their asses with money, then each one goes their own way, do their own things and then rejoin and do the same thing all over again.

Plus, when it comes to the setlist, I agree and understand it's a big production, there's a lot going on offstage that needs to be settled and working as a clock to make the show look like it does. But lets be fair, how many songs have pyro on the setlist? 5? 6? Most of the songs have specific videos playing on the screens... videos. If the band decides to move things around it doesn't take much time to play the correct videos for the correct songs. It's different from Iron Maiden and their LOTB tour. Is it a cash grab tour? Yes sir, it is.  Are they playing the exact same setlist for each and every concert? Yes sir, they are. But they have a different stage design for EACH SONG on the setlist. You have a fucking airplane over their heads. You have eddie fighting with bruce, you have a gigantic eddie head coming from the back of the stage, you have props, pyros, Bruce's costume changes... it's like a broadway show in a way and the band is on fire. And this whole thing they do really needs to be working perfectly offstage to make the show works, there's no room for changes because it was a concept they drawn when the LOTB thing started... and it's just for this tour, that just ended. I'm sure they will come up with something different when they hit the road again.

And that's the difference right there, that reflects on the setlist "bitching" on the forums. The tour is over next month, then they will take a break and come back in March for the festivals. I live in Rio de Janeiro and they're doing Lollapalloza in São Paulo. I'm not interested AT ALL. I weighted in the pros and cons about going to another state to see GnR - in a festival - when I know there's a huge chance of seeing them doing the same thing I saw them doing 3 times when they came here in '16 and '17. It's like I've lost my mojo for them, because I don't see the band wanting to change things (and I'm not talking about the setlist here). But it's fine for other people to see the same thing over and over again (who am I to talk? I still watch FRIENDS everyday and laugh my ass off everytime). It's also fine for the band to do the same thing and get paid big bucks when 90% of the people who are making them earn those big bucks are not interested in listening to new stuff. Hardcore fans don't fill up stadiums for 4 years in a row. And the hardcore fans are the ones who want the band to be productive, who want to hear what they have to say, who want to see what they can pull off their sleeves... and it's fine for the hardcore fans to be upset about it too. But in order to keep playing big stadiums and getting that amount of money they're getting without any effort, they need to please the general public, who go to the show thinking "OMG, I hope they play sweet child tonight!".

Yes darling, they will play Sweet child.

This is madagascar 1db up, right?

What an AMAZINGLY MIND-BLOWING NIGHT!!!

The band was in such a great mood and tighter than ever!

I got from row, right in front of Duff. I was singing the whole set and interacting with him, he would smile and point at me all the time. He tried to throw me a pick 3 times but he missed it, so right after Sweet Child he looked at me, showed me the pick and mouthed "This is yours", then threw it to a security guy so he could give it to me. He sang attitude looking at me and after the final bow he stopped in front of me, bowed and pointed at me saying "thank you"... IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!

Maybe he was like that with me because I sang and enjoyed the whole concert without taking my phone out once... instead I was there, living the moment and showing him how much I appreciate him being there,,, it was incredible...

Out ta get me was AWESOME and I couldn't believe when they started Yesterdays... me and one of my friends hugged each other and I cried the whole song... it was beautiful...

I've seen GNR 11 times, I've attended so many concerts I can't even count (ozzy, metallica, kiss, iron maiden, slipknot, aerosmith, motley crue, queen...) and this was BY FAR the best concert of my life!! I'll never forget this show... EVER!!!