kyrie

Hello there. First time I post in this forum, but I have been browsing here since CD came out a couple of years ago.

Since I am Italian and was at the show in Rome (BTW, I apologise if I am not 100% spot on with my english) I thought you might find interesting to know how the concerts were generally received from fans in Italy.

1. Lateness: there were few attempts in the Italian newspaper to focus on Axl's previous delays, but it really fired-back because all the comments to those articles and reviews were along the lines of "10:30 start is NOT exactly late for Italy, and generally speaking with don't give a damn!"
2. Performance: there wasn't literally NONE at the gig (at least in Rome) that was less than enthusiastic about the band's performance. I have heard many people (even much younger than me - I am 37) commenting that they came to see "the artists formerly known as GNR" with zero expectations and found Axl in top shape and the band super
3. Atmosphere: just one word: "CRAZY". When the lights went down and CD riff started (not to mention WTTJ) the hell went loose. Everybody was singing and jumping and a couple of times I had to catch my wife before she surfed away from me over the "waves" in the crowd (I think you all saw the mosh pits). After three songs I was literally gasping for air and begging for a ballad, which came shortly afterwards (TIL) and everybody sung that one as well. Axl and the guys were probably caught by the excitement and soon started to smile an make jokes among them; for example BBF started puffing air from his mouth pretending to be bored during a couple of DJ's solos; someone threw a bra and Axl said that it matched his thong, ecc.
4. Last but not least talking about Axl's attitude: you might like to know that a very famous music journalist here in Italy mentioned in his review of the concert that after the concert in Milan he saw a steady flow of beatiful girls in the band's dressing room coming and going but Axl - in his bathrobe - was apart practicing his voice (cool-down exercises) until late night.

Hope this was interesting enough for you.

Awesome! Thanks for posting!

Jam

Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Nightrain

Hopefully this quiets the setlist complaints for a day or two. Well, we can dream...

There is a gig tonight??? How come nobody made a thread? Nice to see Shacklers back

Isn't this the thread?

Someone already posted it... but Axl said Checkmate was a fake title, and the "working title" was Jackie Chan.

That might have been a joke, and I doubt that'll be the final name, but who knows.

Did I just step into the Twilight Zone???

The Australian dates are already confirmed, they're playing with Korn, tickets are on sale... so it's not just 20 gigs to go.

And you can fully expect to see more dates next year. I would guess: Mexico, more Euro dates (Germany), U.S. Maybe South Africa, maybe some more Asian gigs.

Iggy Pop's food and dressing room rider alone is like 5 pages! And here we are saying Axl is extravagent haha!

Grolsh and Budvar (Czechvar) are actually pretty decent beers. And yeah, overall that's not too crazy of a list. Considering it's not just Axl but the entire band which is basically 8 people, plus whoever else they let snack, and when you really think about, that's 6 of each beer, a few bottles of booze, some snacks, condiments, drapes, flowers, and some food... given what these shows bring in? No big deal

8 minutes earlier than Dublin. Difference is Rome is ready to rock.

God I get more ashamed by the day.

Dublin was also ready to rock u misinformed asshole...we dont let people get away with fuckin around with us thats all..Axl met his match..the reason 06 went well is he came on stage on time

lol so you bottle people in the face? Sorry, but that's not an artist "meeting their match" - that's drunks in the crowd behaving badly. And why this is in the Rome thread...

great showing Rome!

I think CD is all there is.

thats clearly not the case. just last week bumble said, paraphrased, there is a whole lot of material from the past era, so whatever they choose to do with that...yeah

there is at least another album of 02 GNR.

i want it.

Others who worked on CD or are close to axl, also said their was tons of material.

Axl says no.

I gotta believe Axl, because nothing new is ever played in concert. No B-Sides etc.

Due to the prevalence of file sharing etc. very few bands play new material live until a month or two away from an album release, and even then it'll only be one or two tracks.

Axl confirmed all the song titles in my earlier post as well as a few others I didn't include.

To quote Axl, from this forum (as Dexter):

"...the whole throwing shit sucks and is pretty cowardly but the leaving I got at Donnington from Lemmy. When we 1st played Donnington I was so happy I had knocked a bottle of piss out of the air when Lemmy gave me a lecture how if another band got hurt because I allowed people to throw things at our shows I'd be responsible for other bands getting hurt. Whether real or there's an argument against that, I've never been able to have anything override that in my head, not even a riot and I don't know why. If you're working hard and some cunt throws something so he can tell his buddies I don't see where it's worth it."

Can we end this fucking discussion now?

We're no strangers to love

You know the rules and so do I

A full commitment's what I'm thinking of

You wouldn't get this from any other guy

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling

Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up,

Never gonna let you down,

Never gonna run around and desert you,

Never gonna make you cry,

Never gonna say goodbye,

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

So people type out rick rolls now? Wow. That's even lamer than the original.

Well - as to an album: I think we might see one at some point in the next two years. Its hard to tell. I'd say it has to be after the European leg, Australia, and whatever the band chooses to tour in 2011. This year has been awesome for GN'R, even with these little hiccups to start the second European leg.

now, there were some semi-legit sounding rumors about a possible album, self-titled, being handed in/rejected at some point, I dunno. I honestly think the band should put out two albums and make this a little trilogy of sorts: the rest of the stuff from the CD era (Thyme, Seven, The General, Ides of March, Atlas Shrugged, Zodiac, Down by the Ocean, Oklahoma, and Elvis Presley and the Monster of Soul... call it Soul Monster) and a CD written by the current lineup, done quick (unlikely, I know, make it the self-titled disc).

But hey - hopes and dreams

Revisionist history is now rearing its ugly head. Suddenly it's plastic cups?

No people, some video clearly show bottles. Are they plastic? Maybe, but a full plastic bottle with lid on can do some serious damage!

So quit making excuses for the gutter trash who pulled this crap. No one's blaming the Irish as a whole - just the assholes who caused this mess. Lots of other bands have stopped shows for bottles, yes just plastic bottles.

Or, would anyone like to stand there while I whip one in their face - even though it's "only plastic" (but filled to the brim with a cap on and heavy).

IT SAYS ;

.fan of Guns N’ Roses will know that punctuality...the inability of Axl Rose, the frontman...counts as Guns N’ Roses at all. A lot of...think of it as the Axl Rose band, so he’s...jungle · Guns N’ Roses have sold more than...becoming a rock star Axl Rose, which is an anagram...

when you click on it , you gotta pay to read a paper? Whoa!

Is that English?

Say what you will about his Axl obsession, but he's a good writer, and a clever one. I always enjoy his articles even when I don't altogether agree with them.

He's an adequate writer, really. And his Axl obsession just makes it all too apparent that it's his only real claim to fame in the public's eye. He's done a few schlock pieces on other bands but he'll always be remembered as the guy who got called out in a GN'R song (well one of 'em).

Actions have consequences? Who knew...

Unfort for Axl, the consequences are that thousands of media music people, located all over the world, have made it their life's mission to portray Axl in a negative light. Because they are jealous of Axl's rock star attitude and his willingness to "give it to the man.".

You don't really believe that...do you?

People write negative shit about Axl, because he does negative shit.

They also write negative shit because he's Axl. He's an easy target. While you can blame some of it on him, the media go to extremes. They don't bother to fact check any story involving Axl, they just assume it's true and go with it. The review of the first gig after leeds didn't even mention the performance, just ragged on his image and what an asshole he is. Tell me that isn't biased reporting. This "argument" Tommy had backstage, posted with zero sources by an outlet that's never had inside info about the band in the past. This chick being allowed on the radio last night telling stories contradicted by the rest of the people there... it's a joke. Axl's been a dick to the media, and frankly most of the time the media are scum, and so the media gets their revenge. Even in cases where corrections are printed, most people only remember the initial story.

I've stuck up for this band for a while, but this is starting to really make me question that. They're showing up later and later for the shows and blowing high profile gigs, and it's getting hard to support them when Axl obviously just doesn't give a fuck anymore.

Not true. As somone else pointed out, they've been coming out earlier compared to the past.

Here's what the real issue is: certain troublemakers are using the late thing as an excuse to cause shit. There was an hour between bands last night but if you look at the twitter posts, after 5 minutes people were crying "oh Axl's late" as if a 5 minute changeover between bands is even possible. Fights were breaking out after 20 minutes despite even that being too short a time to be feasible.

Assholes will use any excuse to stir shit up and that's all you're seeing now. They know GN'R has a history and they're taking advantage of it. You can blame the band hisorically but that's B.S. especially given it's a rock show and these unwanted elements should know better. They're just punks.

Sounds like B.S. to me - remember Tommy was the one who, in the past, took the mic and threatened that the band would leave if people didn't stop throwing shit.

And as someone else said, how could anyone hear shit?

Could be bullshit, but it could very well be true, much like the story about the chicken coop in the studio(which Beta did confirm) and "aura readings"(which Tom Zutant confirmed). Who knows though. One thing i will say that if Tommy leaves it will certainly NOT be the end of the band. He is just a bass player after all, an average one of that. Im not bashing him but there are better bass players out there like Rob Trujilo from Metallica. The only person who will end the band by leaving is Axl. Hell Robin and Bucket had very prominent roles in the sound of the band and the band has carried on without them. So Tommy leads the band during rehearsal, big deal, im sure the rest of the band are going to stop collecting their very nice pay cheques because of Tommy leaving...

Like I said, I have mixed emotions about Tommy but he is the one who holds this thing together. What is the point of carrying on without him. Its already lame that the lead guitarists dont play songs they wrote....old or new. You can only keep carrying on with newer members for so long. Why do you think this band hasnt taken off over the past decade. The avg rock n roll fan cant name 1 dam player outside of Axl. There is no continuity. Cant expect people to buy into new faces every tour. Not going to work.

the only one that's not replaceable is Axl

the band has moved on when others left buckethead, brain, robin

lame response.

Hmm i dunno man, Black Label society, Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Smashing Pumpkins and Black Sabbath have had no troubles with revolving members. Lets face it, most people go to a Guns show to see Axl, if Tommy was replaced with a clown that played bass, no one would really care. Things haven't picked up for this band since 1994 because of Axl's on and off tinkering with the album and touring, not to mention being anti-media and doing NO promo. When Bucket and Robin left, it was not reported in the general media, as no one outside hard Guns N' Roses fans would really care, however when Axl so much as bats an eyelid, its all over the papers. Just my opinion though, i don't really get why people view Tommy as a special member really, he is as much a member as Sorum was, and thats it.

Your making my point. No one cares because there hasnt been any continuity/promotion since Slash left. The avg rock fan hasnt accepted new gnr because everytime they see them its a new lineup. So that feeds into the whole this isnt gnr its just a revolving door thang. The comeback ship has long sailed but in regards to the hardcore fans you can tell the lineup changes are getting out of hand. And when the harcore base begin to scratch there heads, you know the people who actually dont have a problem with you carryingon the name and accepting a new version,,then you begin to enter the danger zone

GN'R is attracting 15,000 hardcore fans a night on this tour thus far...

or, the average fans are going to the shows.

The UK press have exaggerated and played up late start times, told everyone repeatedly how Axl and the band hate their fans, and played up the "poor" crowd element to no end. I don't know what it is with the "ME" 1st mentality that has taken hold of this generation, but its beyond ridiculous. As with every concert headliner, it takes 45 minutes or so to get the set changed, and the extravagant lighting and explosives ready for this show--then they need to test it out to make sure no one gets blown up like James Hetfield. I have no idea why the press has failed to report this (well, I do--they have it out for Axl), but by not telling the truth, they have created an environment where the band walks into an arena, and if the band is not on five minutes after the opening act, the drunks begin feeling like they need to deal with Axl and become a UK hero. Before you know it, the dipshits in the crowd, feel empowered and almost justified in throwing shit and basically taking matters into their own hands. Hell they'll be a hero on the front page of NME tomorrow! What you have here are spoiled idiots, who think that they should get what they want when they want it, have no idea what logistical matters need to be dealt with to ensure a good show, and now are emboldened by a UK press who have slandered the band to no end and created a polluted and dangerous atmosphere. Shame on the UK press for their total slandering and irresponsible reporting. Watching the crowd last night at Belfast losing their minds in joy, and then reading a report that half the crowd left and those remaining were silent and booing sealed the deal---the UK press have no credibility whatsoever.

With that said, Axl going on two hours late when it's his fault is ridiculous and he deserves blame. But, being onstage 45 minutes to an hour after the opener is not LATE--and on this leg of the tour, that is what it has been. Starting a show at 10:20 or so like they did tonight, about 50 minutes after the opener is not a big deal, and would not have gone down like it did if the UK Press had not ratcheted up the crowd and made them believe that attacking the most hated band in the UK was OK! The nutcase on the radio, making shit up about the show and band was a perfect example of the delirium, somewhat similar to the same "Islamophopia" sweeping the US. People start seeing bogeymen after awhile, and the press is doing that with GNR. It's sad, and absolutely ridiculous. I feel for the band--sure in the past Axl has had his moments in the past--but during these past four shows, he hasn't done anything to deserve the bullshit that happened tonight. A band cannot be pelted with gallons of piss and debris, and expected to stand there and take. Hats off to them for finishing the show.

If Danko Jones goes on at 8 and plays for 40 minutes, GNR could have the 50 minute change over and be on stage by 9:30. Not a peep would be heard from the crowd.

An even better solution would be to set up GNR's stage before the opening act comes on to cut down on the time needed for change-over. That is what most of the world's major touring act's do that have elaborate stage shows.

When the ticket says 8PM, the opening band usually isn't on til later. That's the time they let you in.

Last night Danko was on stage til after 9PM...

GnR's *stage* is set up before the opening act. However, all bands need to check instruments AFTER the opening band is off, check the soundsystem, check the lighting rig, because these things can fuck up during the opening band when their equipment is patched in. Also, I don't know much about pyro but they may need to do a last minute safety check or something.

Iron Maiden had a 30 minute wait time when I saw them this year after the opener, and that was with: no pyro, no massive lighting rig like GN'Rs, used just the venue video screens. 30 minutes just for instruments and the band to show up. Considering GN'R's show is a lot more intense I don't think the added wait time last night is a huge deal. 60 minutes - I've waited that for other acts.

No US promoter wants any of Axl's act these days. Not a one.

You couldn't be more wrong. For the right price/tour many promoters will step up. Keep in mind that Live Nation promoted some of the Candian and Euro shows. The Euro shows, while controlversial, have been selling extremely well. Promoters care only about the bottom line, and there are plenty of them around.

Can someone who went to the show, or has tickets to an upcoming one verify what time is actually printed on the tickets?

That would not be possible givin the fact that 99% of shows never print the headlining bands time on the ticket, therefore how can they ever be late?

The problem is that people look at their ticket and see let's say 8 o'clock on there. They get there at 8. Whether Axl is "late" or not, people are pissed if they have been sitting there for 2 and a half hours without having seen GNR yet.

Maybe it's time to start printing the headlining time on there, because whatever they are doing is not working as everyone outside of a few message board warriors seems to be totally unaware of what time the band is actually going on at these shows which is in part causing the hostile audiences.

All tickets are like this. Not just GN'R. Printing this would likely mean the ticketing company needs to implement it. They wouldn't for just one band. A few places do it, but most won't. It means more work for them - getting the schedule from the band and verifying it. I know that seems trivial but rest assured, people are LAZY.

Yeah, that's true. I've seen Queensryche, Slash, Iron Maiden and Aerosmith in the last few months and I didn't see on those tickets, nor do I recall seeing on tickets in the past what the specific start times were for opening and headlining acts.

Naupis, can you name a show for which you've seen start times for both the opening and headlining acts printed on the ticket?

Ali

Someone posted earlier in the thread, it got buried, think it was a euro show from 06. A very limited number of areas have it. EDIT: misch beat me to it, was Madrid. It's a rarity though.

Since you saw Maiden, well I did as well - awesome show, but it sort of plays off onto this topic.

When I saw Maiden there was about 30 minutes between them and Dream Theatre. They had no pyro, a cool stage but it was setup beforehand, and used the house video screens and I think mostly the house lights also.

Then you've got GN'R with a massive lighting rid, pyro, and their own screens in some cases (did they have 'em tonight?)

Suddenly, 60 minutes between bands doesn't seem like that big of a deal...

Can someone who went to the show, or has tickets to an upcoming one verify what time is actually printed on the tickets?

That would not be possible givin the fact that 99% of shows never print the headlining bands time on the ticket, therefore how can they ever be late?

The problem is that people look at their ticket and see let's say 8 o'clock on there. They get there at 8. Whether Axl is "late" or not, people are pissed if they have been sitting there for 2 and a half hours without having seen GNR yet.

Maybe it's time to start printing the headlining time on there, because whatever they are doing is not working as everyone outside of a few message board warriors seems to be totally unaware of what time the band is actually going on at these shows which is in part causing the hostile audiences.

All tickets are like this. Not just GN'R. Printing this would likely mean the ticketing company needs to implement it. They wouldn't for just one band. A few places do it, but most won't. It means more work for them - getting the schedule from the band and verifying it. I know that seems trivial but rest assured, people are LAZY.

God, Axl man....you should have just thrown out the people who were throwing the bottles, not penalized the whole audience.

yea Axl, not only focus on performing but why the fuck cant you pick out a few assholes out of a sea of people.

Are you serious with that comment?

Yes very serious, and considering(as most people know) that I defend Axl to the death and even did so at the Reading incident, this isnt a way to treat a sold out crowd who give YOU money. Rather than stopping for 45 min, why didnt he call security or something? Im not defending the crowd or anything but....come on!

Yeah, but do you really think that it's possible even to notice who exactly threw the bottles out of a large crowd? If not, then what is the alternative?

Ali

Even better - how on earth did those bottles get in?

Venues here, you cannot bring even a plastic bottle in. There are NO bottles of any kind allowed. They don't sell them inside either - it's open plastic cups. If you throw them, they go nowhere.

If someone walks into a bar on a Friday night decked out in Swastikas and Nazi gear, the chances are dramatically higher their will be an incident of some kind than if the same guy went out dressed in jeans and a plain t-shirt all other things being equal.

Same as the chances are dramatically higher that a crowd will be angry and possibly throw piss bottles at the stage when you go on over an hour late than if you started on time.

No one is justifying the bottle throwing, but what some are failing to see is that in both situations of the guy walking into a bar in Nazi gear and going on stage awful late at a concert you are laying the groundwork that create the conditions for a confrontation of some sort that otherwise wouldn't be there if you don't act provocatively.

Is there really anyone here that will argue that, whether it is right to throw bottles or not, that the band doesn't dramatically increase the probability that something like that may happen by coming on when they do?

Could a happy crowd throw bottles? Absolutely. Are the chances higher that it will happen when the crowd is aggitated and hostile because of your behavior, you better damn believe it.

What Axl does on a nightly basis is no different than driving home drunk from the bar. There's a good chance you'll make it home sage and nothing bad happens, but the percentages say there is a dramatically higher probability you will end up getting in an accident or pulled over/arrested than if you drive home sober. There is just no debate about that.

Naupis I get what you're trying to say here but it's not the same, at all. The band was an hour late. They didn't go on past midnight, like they have in the past.

I'm sorry but the bottle throwers here are just looking for excuses. What if they're 15 minutes late? 5 minutes late? Do they have to go on at 9 sharp every night despite no time ever being printed on the ticket??

It's a bad joke. The world wants rock n' roll but wants it on schedule.

When is it ok to resort to this kind of shit? Never.

The only thing that happened tonight was that a bunch of assholes in the crowd decided to ruin it for everyone. There's no time for when GN'R starts on the ticket. People just wanted to bitch and moan over a 60 minute change-over. Wow. I've seen other bands take that long before; so what?

That's not bad behavior by the band. Going on past midnight - yeah I'll put up with it as a fan but I can see why the crowd might be pissed. 60 minutes sharp after the opening act? Shut up, drink a beer and don't throw shit.

Sounds like B.S. to me - remember Tommy was the one who, in the past, took the mic and threatened that the band would leave if people didn't stop throwing shit.

And as someone else said, how could anyone hear shit?

"Nobody owes you

Not one god damn thing

You know where to put your

Just shut up and sing"

If you pay 70$, he owes you at least a good show...

Which the crowd would have got - if it weren't for lame-ass security and a bunch of fuckwits throwing things. You throw things at a GNR concert and you know what is going to happen, simple as. It would be cool if Axl were more diplomatic about these things, but he isn't. People need to get used to it and stop whining.

You turn up ridiculously late to perform and you're gonna get an angry crowd, simple as

None of which gives anyone in the crowd free license to risk injuring another crowd member or a ban member by throwing things. That's why the show was stopped. Not because the crowd was "angry", but because of how someone in the crowd chose to express their anger.

Ali

I'm not saying it's justified, in no way is it ok to throw bottles at people. I'm just saying that if you treat your audience like shit, these things are likely to happen

Look, I'm sorry it wasn't a better experience for you and the others at the show. But, it sounds to me like your anger is kind of clouding your view of what you're saying and how it comes across. It sounds like you're saying that Axl and the band asked for bottles to be thrown at them for being late instead of directing your anger at the idiot or idiots who threw bottles on stage, and holding them responsible for their poor decisions.

Ali

I am angry at the idiots who threw bottles, there's no doubt about that. I just don't think that two bottles being thrown by some assholes should mean that the rest of the 10,000 people there should have to suffer, it shouldn't justify stopping the show

Ok if it does not justify it then what should they do instead?

They should get over it! 2 little plastic bottles aren't going to kill them. Just another occupational hazard

Those two full bottles hit someone in the finger (guitar/bass), or someone in the face (think Axl), they could break a finger or nose if thrown hard enough when full. Yes, a full plastic bottle can do that.

Guess what - then two shows, or more, are fucked - tonight's, and any show in the next week? Two weeks? Til someone heals.

Everyone in this thread needs to be very clear - whipping shit at the band has NO PLACE at ANY concert! It's not cool, not badass, I don't give a fuck if the band was late, and neither should you. If they were late and you're upset, bitch about it online or to your friends. Frankly I don't think an hour wait is that bad for this show but if you do, that's fine. You have every right to claim it but no one should be supporting these assholes throwing shit, and the band had every right to leave. Nice of them to return mind you.