Do you think the 2011 Rio performance resulted in others becoming GNR fans?

[It's So Easy]

Since the new GNR refuse do press, disappear for years at a time, and don't make music that is commercially appealing, do you think this week's globally syndicated Rio performance helped to draw any new fans of the band? GNR haven't played such a public event since 2001. Back then, they had to settle for playing another band's work since Chinese Democracy was still seven years from completion. Now that the new era Guns have established their own legacy and proven themselves to be worthy of the name, is it possible that their recent Rio performance resulted in a whole new generation of followers?

The 2001 Rio performance made me become a fan. I'd like to think that this week's perfomance did the same for others.

Edited October 6, 2011 by It's So Easy

[Mastodonny]

My buddy, who is deaf, loved the show and became s convert.

[realpoti]

I'm still trying to find someone who thinks it was at least "decent". For the first time in my life I'm not defending Axl when someone comes to trash him for Rock In Rio. It was THAT BAD. Still can't believe I took 10hrs of bus to get a cold and to hear a dying chicken instead of a singer. A guy who disrespects his own bandmembers, all amazings musicians putting their asses on the line to make a good show.

Sorry for being an asshole in every thread, but I'm still pissed. Two months saving money to hear someone whispering words during November Rain and talking shit throughout Patience. Pathetic!

Edited October 6, 2011 by marlon_brando15

[Freddie Mercury's Ghost]

If it wouldn't have rained and they would have did the entire setlist as it was posted, the show would have been epic.

It then would have pushed 4 hours and maybe even been the longest GNR show ever. But, alas, not everything in life happens as planned.

[Sonny Largo]

No.

[dalsh327]

When I heard Nov Rain, this is who came to mind.

[Sonny Largo]

When I heard Nov Rain, this is who came to mind.

Sandler would've been better. More entertaining, anyway. "Funny" is better than "sad" in front of a festival crowd.

[Powerage5]

I'm still trying to find someone who thinks it was at least "decent". For the first time in my life I'm not defending Axl when someone comes to trash him for Rock In Rio. It was THAT BAD. Still can't believe I took 10hrs of bus to get a cold and to hear a dying chicken instead of a singer. A guy who disrespects his own bandmembers, all amazings musicians putting their asses on the line to make a good show.

Sorry for being an asshole in every thread, but I'm still pissed. Two months saving money to hear someone whispering words during November Rain and talking shit throughout Patience. Pathetic!

Personally, I love the fact that Axl decided to do the NR outro without lyrics. I've always found the repetitive "everybody needs somebody" lyrics to be annoying. I hope he decides to keep it the same for the US shows.

He didn't do it trying to make the song special...he did it because he was in a piss-poor mood by that point in the show.

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

Maybe within the tone deaf community.

[Guest gunns5]

I think Dj won over a few fans thats for sure.

[Zint]

Well I can tell you this...people who know I like GnR come up to me now and say..."so I hear they've got a guy who wears a Star Wars helmet now".

That completely unprofessional moment when Ron's putting the helmet on (in the middle of a song) while his guitar goes KRAAAAAAAANG is getting played a LOT on the net and people are ripping the band to shreds.

Axl standing there sulking didn't help either.

Not sure Rio has brought a legion of new fans to the fold.

[wasted]

statistically it's very likely some people became fans.

[Zint]

Well I can tell you this...people who know I like GnR come up to me now and say..."so I hear they've got a guy who wears a Star Wars helmet now".

That completely unprofessional moment when Ron's putting the helmet on (in the middle of a song) while his guitar goes KRAAAAAAAANG is getting played a LOT on the net and people are ripping the band to shreds.

Axl standing there sulking didn't help either.

Not sure Rio has brought a legion of new fans to the fold.

Yes, but the people who make the"so I hear they've got a guy who wears a Star Wars helmet now" comments are obviously just jaded fans who are pissed off that Slash is no longer there. BBF was trying to do something fun for the fans; so I don't think he deserves scrutiny for providing some harmless entertainment.

Plus, I don't know it's fair to say that Axl was "sulking". For all we know, he could have missed a dose of his meds or just been stoned as shit altogether. I really believe that those who criticize either action are just digging for something to be unhappy about.

Imo, thwe only thing to be unhappy about regarding that performance is that the band didn't premier some of that awesome unreleased material leftover from the chinese sessions

Actually they are not jaded fans,in my case anyway.They are people who don't really give a fuck that much about the band,but hear about events peripherally.Happenstance info on the internet and through co-workers etc.

BBF "trying to do something fun" is all well and good.You DON'T have a giggle in the middle of a song and ruin it when the entire fucking planet can tune in and watch the proceedings live on the internet.You act professionally and perform the song properly,the way people have known it to be and grown to love it that way.You do it justice.You respect it.

"KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG" is NOT performing the song professionally.

Pick up the helmet at the end of the song,put it on for a few seconds for a photo op and move on with the business at hand.

There's a time and place for spontaneuous fun...in the middle of a song (if it's going to ruin the performance) is not it.

I know people who gave some of the newer lineups a chance in concert.They didn't follow the changes closely,showed up at the arena and saw a guy with a chicken bucket on his head.Now they are hearing stories about a guy with a Star Wars helmet.They've already witnessed chicken-bucket-guy,what's to stop them from believing Star-Wars-helmet-guy stories and staying away from future shows?

"Completely harmless fun"??...perhaps not.

Ok... Axl wasn't sulking,fine.He missed his meds?Unprofessional.

If that's your excuse for Axl's performance,that's pretty weak.

That was an important gig.

Standing there with his legs crossed,talking some of the lyrics in a monotone voice and,worse,not even bothering to finish singing at times looked pretty bad.

Splashing the puddles to show he didn't like them...yeah it's raining,that happens at outdoor gigs.Do the best you can with the situation...don't fold on the soaking wet,cold people who waited till the middle of the night to see you...and the people around the world who stayed up all night,or got up extra early,booked the day off work etc.,just to see your band.

Deal with puddles and perform the songs as best you can in the circumstances...that,for the most part,did not happen.

And to comment on your last point...I wasn't really disappointed at no new songs,I was fairly certain there wouldn't be any.

What disappointed me is the Chi-Dem songs are still being kept to mimimum and the greatest hits tour rolls on.

[Nick85]

Ok... Axl wasn't sulking,fine.He missed his meds?Unprofessional.

If that's your excuse for Axl's performance,that's pretty weak.

That was an important gig.

Standing there with his legs crossed,talking some of the lyrics in a monotone voice and,worse,not even bothering to finish singing at times looked pretty bad.

Splashing the puddles to show he didn't like them...yeah it's raining,that happens at outdoor gigs.Do the best you can with the situation...don't fold on the soaking wet,cold people who waited till the middle of the night to see you...and the people around the world who stayed up all night,or got up extra early,booked the day off work etc.,just to see your band.

Deal with puddles and perform the songs as best you can in the circumstances...that,for the most part,did not happen.

Well said. For me, the most unforgivable thing about it was how Axl sulked and phoned it in for the the second half of the show, like it was all about him, and not the thousands of people who waited and watched him in the cold pouring rain, through the wee hours of the morning.

Up there with one of the most unprofessional moves he's ever made.

[sweetness]

Fumble-dicking around with star wars helmets is so rock n roll

[spicer]

rio sucked balls

[Guest NewGNRnOldGNR]

They certainly gained fans.

2010 built a sizeable following. Anybody with a prior insight would realize Rio was uncharacteristic.

Fumble-dicking around with star wars helmets is so rock n roll

It was a gesture to a member of the audience. I don’t think Bumblefoot embraces the theatrics of “rock n’ roll”, he very much keeps it real.

I wouldn’t appreciate the players robotically putting on faultless shows. It’s good to demonstrate a little personality.

[bran]

Well I can tell you this...people who know I like GnR come up to me now and say..."so I hear they've got a guy who wears a Star Wars helmet now".

That completely unprofessional moment when Ron's putting the helmet on (in the middle of a song) while his guitar goes KRAAAAAAAANG is getting played a LOT on the net and people are ripping the band to shreds.

Axl standing there sulking didn't help either.

Not sure Rio has brought a legion of new fans to the fold.

Yes, but the people who make the"so I hear they've got a guy who wears a Star Wars helmet now" comments are obviously just jaded fans who are pissed off that Slash is no longer there. BBF was trying to do something fun for the fans; so I don't think he deserves scrutiny for providing some harmless entertainment.

Plus, I don't know it's fair to say that Axl was "sulking". For all we know, he could have missed a dose of his meds or just been stoned as shit altogether. I really believe that those who criticize either action are just digging for something to be unhappy about.

Imo, thwe only thing to be unhappy about regarding that performance is that the band didn't premier some of that awesome unreleased material leftover from the chinese sessions

i agree

[Zint]

since when is rock n roll supposed to be professional?

Probably since artists first started hiring managers.

I love the unpredictability of the band. BBF could have popped a squat right there on stage and took a massive shit and I still would have enjoyed the show. I love the fact that GNR aren't afraid to give anybody a big fuck you. That's what really makes them amazing and separates them from the rest.

I loved the unpredictability too,when it meant something.Street rats living the life and buying into the rock n roll cliches'.

It was accpeted and expected of them,and they spoonfed it to us.

Times have changed...this is a band struggling for a fan base.On the eve of a long awaited U.S. tour...home turf,ya know?..you DON'T walk on stage and take a huge fucking dump on one of the bands' songs held with the greatest reverence weeks before hoping to fill American arenas....KRAAAAAAAAAAAANG.

Furthermore,it's not so much the band that's unpredictable these days,it's still Axl.

Compared to the original line up these guys are pretty cookie cutter (and that's not a slag on them).

Go to three shows in a row and you're not going to see a lot of variables.

"How weird is Ron's hair going to look tonight,can't wait to find out!!"

If stopping in the middle of a classic band-defining song to put on a Star Wars helmet is your idea of great rock spontanaity...more power to ya.It made me want to turn the computer off and go crash.

Regardless of whether or not Axl missing his meds or abusing prescription painkillers is a weak excuse, it's still an explanation for what likely happened. To say that he was just "sulking" makes him sound like a self absorbed, bitch ass crybaby

k..

And yeah,sure the band has always been "hit or miss on stage,it's part of the GnR experience"...that's fine.

But as someone stated in the Rio thread..."if you're playing RIR,you bring your A game".

You strive for a hit,you don't settle for a miss because you're having a shitty night.

Chinese is what really turned me on to this band.

Maybe that's why the complete shit-dump on one of the absolute greatest songs that initially helped break this band worldwide didn't bug you that much.

[SunnyDRE]

My buddy, who is deaf, loved the show and became s convert.

lol

[Cosmo]

This is a true story. My brother's girlfriend, who attended the show with us, became a GnR fan. She was not into Rock n Roll music, and she attended the Shakira concert and still liked GnR better (she's a Shakira fan).

[ohmygod]

Rio is done and finished. Who gives a shit. You guys are way overestimating the importance of that show.