kyrie

Gnr also just played in Vegas, La and all the surrounding areas a number of times over the past couple of years. Also, not sure what time of year Crue played Vegas but this time of year was too hard for me to make it to Vegas. I havent ruled out a last minute attempt but Ive seen this show a number of times. There's definitely less of a sense of urgency for me to pull out my credit card and spend money I dont have. I may just wait and go to Def Leppard in the spring. I havent seen them in years. Doesnt mean I like them more than gnr. Not even close. Same probably was the case for Crue selling out.

But that's just the thing. They did NOT sell out, Groghan falsely claimed that they did.

If GN'R have already reached Motley Crue's attendance records for their entire residency, then ironically by Groghan's OWN selected criteria, GN'R's residency is very successful.

Funny how those numbers were supposed to be great for Crue but they're supposed to be bad for GN'R.

Did Groghan claim that they sold out EVERY show? Which bands ticket prices were higher In 2011? Which band sold more tickets? Which band had the higher average gross?

Ticket prices were identical for both bands.

How did they add more seats between week one and week two

This is actually a great question and I noticed no one answered:

Most venues have the capacity to add a few seats here and there. Since attendance actually went up, the venue may have increased capacity a little in case there were any last minute walk up ticket buys - it is Vegas after all. Alternately, there could have been a VIP group or something brought in that was accommodated for. The extra number of seats was pretty low - we're talking less than a hundred.

Still, the fact that the numbers went up from the first three shows (which did very respectable business) to the second three is an excellent sign. This is really turning out to be a great run for GN'R in the U.S., where the new band has struggled to connect with fans (in comparison to basically every other country on planet, where they still have excellent success).

If that had come out back when the album was released I think it would have been a great help in the promotion. It's nothing epic, just a solid bunch of clips. The only thing I didn't like was the titles for each person. Plus having bucket in there might have been confusing. Still though it would have been something.

"***The figures contained in this list were acquired from all publicly available information including salaries, real estate holdings, divorces, record sales, royalties and endorsements. The final net worths come from a formula that takes out taxes, manager’s fees, agents’ fees, and lifestyle.***"

For those asking how they got these numbers.

Doesn't look like it's that accurate however - to the clowns screaming about the private gig, bands including Metallica, Tool, and Nirvana, in their history, did private gigs. Metallica for a beer company, Nirvana for some corporate gig, Tool (that story is kind of funny, band didn't seem to know who hired them), etc. It's not uncommon.

Interesting choices.

Mine:

AFD - Anything Goes. It was that or Think About You. They're the two songs that I feel lack the most punch. Neither of them are bad per se but in the context of being on one of the best albums of all time, they're average tunes among a bunch of greats.

Lies - Mama Kin. There's nothing on the acoustic side I don't like. Patience was a smash. I honestly think, had the lyrics not included the words "immigrants" "hooray for tolerance!s" and "hooray for tolerance!s" that One in a Million would have been a hit. Make those verses less offensive and it's something that gets tons of airplay. The chorus is catchy and the music is there. I view it as a product of its time and the place Axl might have been in then. So I can't exactly hate it even when I don't agree with the sentiment. Used to Love Her is a guilty pleasure and I like the acoustic You're Crazy. On the electric side I love Reckless Life and Nice Boys, so that leaves Move to the City and Mama Kin. I'm not big on Aerosmith (only select songs really appeal to me) so I went with that one.

UYI I - Back off Bitch. Just seems... juvenile. Bad Obsession is up there also.

UYI II - My World. Goes without saying. So Fine would be second. Sorry Duff.

TSI - Since I Don't Have You. I love Ain't It Fun. I love Down on the Farm. I wish either of those had been videos (sure would have needed some bleeping out of the f bombs but so what). I can't believe that's what we got as a video for TSI.

CD - Rhiad and the Bedouins. I'm surprised at all the Scraped hate. Rhiad is a song that never grew on me from day one. I just can't get into it. It's the only song on the album I routinely skip.

Has anyone considered that the lower numbers in attendence are also impacted by the UCAP tour which was smaller venues?

That will skew the numbers.

Guns next arena tour in the US (actually North America) should either be a summer shed tour with a strong opening act, or focus on major markets - New York Dallas Boston Chicago Los Angles Toronto Montreal Vancouver Miami Philladelphia.

And that's it. Make it exclusive. At least until an album is out.

Or do some summer festivals.

Has anyone considered that the lower numbers in attendence are also impacted by the UCAP tour which was smaller venues?

That will skew the numbers.

Guns next arena tour in the US should either be a summer shed tour with a strong opening act, or focus on major markets - New York Dallas Boston Chicago Los Angles Toronto Montreal Vancouver Miami Philladelphia.

And that's it. Make it exclusive. At least until an album is out.

Or do some summer festivals.

You can keep marginalizing it all you want. America is the most important market place in the world. Fact.

Fail.

Rammstein (Germany) Opeth (Sweden) Gojira (France) Iron Maiden (UK) - four great bands I've seen live in the past two years who aren't from the U.S.

Keep on deluding yourself. The hard rock/metal scene is stronger outside America than in it. Canada has a better rock scene, but the US? Dead. Dead. Dead.

The facts show that GnR's US ticket sales have been roughly the same in 2002, 2006 and 2011. If they were able to book the 2006 and 2011 US shows in arenas, they'll be able to do the same next time they tour the US if they so cheese

The usual naysayers and doom and gloomers will post their usual doomsday predictions but the reality is that GnR is still a perfectly viable arena touring act in the US. This myth that you need to sell out every venue you play to be a viable touring act is incredibly misguided and naive

they were the "same" in 2002 2006 and 2011 because Axl gave a 4-5 year break in between the shows, so people had the desire to see them again

If Axl decides in 2013 he is going to play Arenas again in the US, I guarantee these places will be less then 1/2 filled

between people not having a desire to see them again, having a bad experience by the shows ending at 2AM, and people being upset at Axl not showing up for the Rock N Roll Hall of fame, Guns N Roses in their current capacity is irrelevant

like I said if he does not mind playing 2-4,000 capacity clubs they will get good crowds, but never will "new" Guns be able to play Arenas again

You're talking out of your ass and don't understand the touring business at all.

If you look at what the show costs to put on, plus the fee for the venue, vs. total profit, you would understand that Guns can play to half-full arenas and still be profitable. You're simply one of those "it's not a sellout" whiners who has very little understanding of actual touring.

Guns could announce a show in MSG and probably sell it out yet again, announce a show in Toronto and come close, and do some big shows in Chicago and Boston like they always do. Sprinkle in some smaller shows and they're set.

The only thing they need is either some new material or a hook to get people in the door... you know, like the 25th anniversary of AFD.

Believe me Guns will play more arena shows in the US at some point. I saw Stone Temple Pilots in a half empty arena a few years ago. Half. And they came back and did another arena show recently. They didn't pull half the fans Guns did when they were here.

Before people get all cranky about "no new songs" for the tour in India - they haven't played there yet. It wouldn't make sense to debut new material there. These will be current setlist shows, which they should be.

Hold the new stuff and debut it for an audience who has seen the rest before. And frankly hoping for a release in 2012 is a bit much. 2013 actually makes more sense with DJ, Tommy, and Richard all saying that they're still working/recording - 2012 would be rushing it. 2013 would be 5 years between albums which is pretty normal in this day and age (look at Tool, or NIN taking 7 years for The Fragile).

Vegas shows? Or a song title?

Street of Dreams gets played here every now and then, I've heard it once this summer at least. Not in heavy rotation or anything (Toronto/Hamilton area).

Did Waxl lose the lawsuit?

Things have gone silent on this. It might still be going.

Reading those docs, there's alot about how much the song means to Axl, and how Axl is focused on the future of Guns N'Roses and not the past. I'm sure the song in question is important to all involved in its creation. If Axl is focused on the future, then why be so bothered with a song from the past ? he was after all happy for it to be used in exchange for money.

id axl is so focused on the future of guns n roses and not the past...axl should stop playing slash live on 2012 guns n roses world tours. oh wait. over 90% of the 2012 guns n roses concert setlist is slash. OOPS

Slash himself stated both Izzy and Axl contributed more to AFD than he did.

That's why some songs are simply not played live, where as the Axl/Izzy/Duff stuff is.

With the exception of some of the hits.

And frankly, given VR and Slash solo play some of it live, you can't bitch about one and not the other.

Stop beating that poor dead horse...

There will be music when there's music.

And dragging up something from ages ago...

The band finishes a successful tour, and all people can do is bitch.

Actually I have some friends I want to bring out if they hit Toronto in the near future.

Also the fact that I haven't seen Civil War played live yet.

I'd love a few other songs added to the setlist, I'd love new songs, but GN'R being one of my alltime favourite bands, I'm pretty okay if I get a song or two live that I haven't heard before, which has happened every show I've been to. I've never heard the exact same setlist twice in 7 times seeing them.

A new album, however, would get some friends of mine off the sidelines.

It's all about quality, not quantity. I'd rather go to a 1 1/2 hr to 2 hr show where the lead singer stays more on stage than off it, interacts with the audience, sings in top form, and where I don't have to be subjected to multiple jams and neverending solos just to pass the time away.

"Subjected to" ?

Really?

You're griping and nitpicking. Find me a band who plays 3 hours shows, period, with no jams. Bands that are tight musically love to do jams. Pearl Jam does jams as well. Foo Fighters broke out into a jam mid-song at one of their gigs I was at.

I've provided real examples in my last post; I've seen over 80 bands live and I can count on one hand the number who put on the effort GN'R do.

Also, Axl is on stage a lot, so he's off now and then for breaks to get Oxygen etc. I would prefer that to the Rob Zombie or Vince Neil style of skipping words in every other song.

Motorhead had a drum solo as did Zombie's drummer when I saw him. In fact in a 90 minute show Zombie had a drum solo and a guitar solo. ROB Zombie, not White Zombie, so honestly, in a 90 minute set with a guy being billed as a solo artist, that's even worse. At least GN'R present themselevs as a band (even if the naysays here will cry that it's just Axl solo).

Quality for $$, I give you:

Rammstein

Guns N' Roses

Iron Maiden

Pearl Jam

Ozzy Osbourne (I'm even shocked I'm including him but he did a good, long show and was having a ton of fun when I saw him)

with honourable mention to Alice Cooper, Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails, and Soundgarden.

Keep in mind that's out of the acts I tend to like, but again, I've seen over 80 bands live, so I've got a pretty good basis for comparison.

Pretty pathetic Axl Rose can't hang onto a band member for more than 5 years..whatever Axl, keep hiding you old pussy.

lmao hey anyone can call him out, he won't respond.

The amazing part to me..is that to this day..Axl believes he is the victim to everything. Even if Bumble leaves. The guys a joke.

Pretty pathetic that you can't count.

How long has Tommy been in the band? Richard? Dizzy? Chris Pittman?

Riiigghht....

Hey, Iron Maiden has had 5 singers (though only 2 notable ones) and has 17 former members at last count.

This is not a unique situation. Bands who last through the decades often have lineup changes. Ron Wood's not even considered a full member of the Stones.

half of the show is just for jams and instrumentals. one jam or solo is ok, more than that is just tiresome and boring, imo.

I saw Stone Temple Pilots play a 90 minute show two years ago and they had at least three jams, one of which Weiland kind of babbled along to.

I don't mind the solo spots/jams, especially since Tommy does a full out song, and Ashba's solos have been sweet (he really needs to get Axl to look at these as potential full out songs). Ron's and Richard's are just fun... and like the piano moving jam shit, so what, if they don't play a little jam then you just wait for the piano to get set up.

There are breaks and lulls in every band's set.

I've seen:

Tool

Ozzy

Rammstein

Soundgarden

Foo Fighters

Pearl Jam

Iron Maiden

Megadeth

Manson

Nine Inch Nails

Stone Temple Pilots

Rob Zombie

Opeth

Alice in Chains

and a lot of other acts live, but that's good for now. Out of that list plus GN'R, you know who else played a 3 hour set?

Pearl Jam. And that's it. Ozzy came close, and credit to him that at his age, he really put on a show (was just two years ago).

STP did 90 minutes. Tool did about 90 minutes (I love them, and they do the cool visuals, but their setlist is extremely static and the run time quite short for a band of their status). Zombie did about the same. The rest were probably 2 hours give or take a few minutes. I've seen Maiden twice, they're great players, great show, but they aren't doing close to what GN'R does. Pearl Jam does it by nature of having been together 20 solid years and having a huge catalogue and making their name as a touring band.

Honestly 2009 - 2012 has probably been the best time for GN'R fans since the UYI era - album out, mutliple successful tours, awesome shows.

So thanks to the band, crew etc. - have a well earned rest (and a beer, on me, at any place that will take an IOU scribbled hastily on a cocktail napkin ).

Bumblefoot ‏@bumblefoot

That was actually fun as fuck & everybody was so sweet

^^ Ron seems to have enjoyed it more than he expected. Dude could have just been having a bad day.

guys keep a close eye on his tweets tonight - he's on meltdown!

Frustrating as it is - he has a choice, no?

If he's that concerned about "integrity" - get on a flight with your wife and go home! I mean no offense, love the guy but the effect his attitude/tweets maybe having on others in the band....?

Again, understand the point he's making but for me you either do it and hold your council to your employer, or you go "fuck this I'm off" - In between has me bemused. Jmho.

I agree. I love Ron but these tweets doesn't do anyone any good including himself. Fans are left confused and worried and his band members may take it the wrong way. Either say exactly what the fuck is going on or don't say anything.

Agreed also. Ron's a great guy but I don't think he realizes how wide an audience he has at this point. A lot of people look up to/respect him and love that he's in this band. I know there's a lot of bullshit he has to deal with and if he were to walk away, okay - I think we all understand (at least around here) that lineups change, but right now it just confuses everyone, gets people worried, uncertain, etc. I know his back is still fucked and hope he gets well, maybe take some time off after this leg...

In any case whatever it is, I hope it improves, I love this lineup of GN'R, I think it's the best since AFD so...

As an FYI, other bands that have played private gigs over the years include both Nirvana and Tool.

I mean really the guy is clearly a fan, if he wants to pay the money to have his own little gig, so be it.

Molson up here in Canada paid Metallica a ton to put on a little private gig for contest winners back in the day also. Was basically just a marketing campaign.

No biggie.

As for Ron... I like the guy. I love how accessible he is, but I think after this tour, he really needs to look into treatment options. It's pretty clear based on his comment about needles etc. that his back has a lot to do with this even if there are other things at play.

After browsing the new shop that has just been updated, i found a cool looking shirt i hadnt seen before, either online or at the shows, and noted it says "North America Tour 2012" on the front, assuming its not the UCAP tour, can anyone confirm whether this was at the UCAP shows or not?

http://gunsnroses.shop.bravadousa.com/Product.aspx?cp=1158_1497&pc=BGCTGR08

I have that shirt bought it in December 2011. Mine says 2011 not 2012. The 2012 one was sold at shows earlier this year. There are no tour dates on the back of mine btw. Great shirt btw! And only 10$ more than most of the tees.

But I dont think its a sign of anything one way or the other.

Estranged sounds awesome.

Someone should get that posted on Wikipedia.