Guns n Roses kicking ass & taking names at its Vegas residency: Billboard boxscore

[Val22]

Too bad we don't know how much money it costs to put on the show. Are they gonna break even?

Yes but they're not travelling. Since it's a residency, I'd imagine that mitigates a lot of the cost. C'mon man, over 700 grand for 3 shows. They're gonna break even methinks.

No offense, but you people need to make up your mind. One minute it's a "cash grab" and then the next minute it's "are they gonna break even?" I guess Axl just can't win, can he? :eyeroll:

I agree. It seems with some people on this board, no matter what Axl does, it's not enough or not good enough.

I think at this stage of Axl's life, he doesn't give a shit about what people say about him and the band. He's always done what he wanted, much as most musicians do, please yourself first, and he'll continue to do it. Many bands feel the same way. I think that takes courage to stand by your convictions and continue on.

I'm one of the older fans, so I think that's why I like CD so much. I understand what Axl is saying now in his stage of his life. Don't get me wrong, I still love, love love WTTJ and still rock, but I understand how your life changes as you get older and I feel alot of what Axl is saying on CD.

It wouldn't make sense if Axl was still singing about shit from his younger days. He's been there and done that.

If some people can't understand how you change as you get older, then maybe it's those people who just don't get it. You can still listen to AFD and stay there if you want to, but don't condemn Axl for moving on with his life and with his music.

[batman007]

Too bad we don't know how much money it costs to put on the show. Are they gonna break even?

Yes but they're not travelling. Since it's a residency, I'd imagine that mitigates a lot of the cost. C'mon man, over 700 grand for 3 shows. They're gonna break even methinks.

No offense, but you people need to make up your mind. One minute it's a "cash grab" and then the next minute it's "are they gonna break even?" I guess Axl just can't win, can he? :eyeroll:

I agree. It seems with some people on this board, no matter what Axl does, it's not enough or not good enough.

I think at this stage of Axl's life, he doesn't give a shit about what people say about him and the band. He's always done what he wanted, much as most musicians do, please yourself first, and he'll continue to do it. Many bands feel the same way. I think that takes courage to stand by your convictions and continue on.

I'm one of the older fans, so I think that's why I like CD so much. I understand what Axl is saying now in his stage of his life. Don't get me wrong, I still love, love love WTTJ and still rock, but I understand how your life changes as you get older and I feel alot of what Axl is saying on CD.

It wouldn't make sense if Axl was still singing about shit from his younger days. He's been there and done that.

If some people can't understand how you change as you get older, then maybe it's those people who just don't get it. You can still listen to AFD and stay there if you want to, but don't condemn Axl for moving on with his life and with his music.

Good post! And it's true Axl doesn't give a shit for the people who are never pleased. He puts on a good show for the ones who still support him.

[dalsh327]

Too bad we don't know how much money it costs to put on the show. Are they gonna break even?

Yes but they're not travelling. Since it's a residency, I'd imagine that mitigates a lot of the cost. C'mon man, over 700 grand for 3 shows. They're gonna break even methinks.

No offense, but you people need to make up your mind. One minute it's a "cash grab" and then the next minute it's "are they gonna break even?" I guess Axl just can't win, can he? :eyeroll:

I agree. It seems with some people on this board, no matter what Axl does, it's not enough or not good enough.

I think at this stage of Axl's life, he doesn't give a shit about what people say about him and the band. He's always done what he wanted, much as most musicians do, please yourself first, and he'll continue to do it. Many bands feel the same way. I think that takes courage to stand by your convictions and continue on.

I'm one of the older fans, so I think that's why I like CD so much. I understand what Axl is saying now in his stage of his life. Don't get me wrong, I still love, love love WTTJ and still rock, but I understand how your life changes as you get older and I feel alot of what Axl is saying on CD.

It wouldn't make sense if Axl was still singing about shit from his younger days. He's been there and done that.

If some people can't understand how you change as you get older, then maybe it's those people who just don't get it. You can still listen to AFD and stay there if you want to, but don't condemn Axl for moving on with his life and with his music.

AFD has nothing to do with age or time. It affects people of any age when they hear it. Not a lot of albums resonate the way that one continues to. I doubt Axl enjoys singing WTTJ or SCOM, and he barely ever focuses on Patience, but they're "crowd pleasers".

[Apollo]

A 250,000 gross would put the show in the 25th range for the year. Which isn't too shabby.

Interesting notes.....Springstein and Waters are in the millions.

Nickelback was top ten with $700,000...average ticket prices $70.

Black Keys were at $500,000 with average ticket price of $50.

Would you considerate it a financial home run if compared to nickelback? GnR's average ticket price is a bit higher......but nickel is doing 700,000 and GnR 250,000.

Again, costs, gross and attendance has nothing to do with quality of the show.

Just adding a little perspective to those who think that everything Axl does is a success.

[JayGatz]

Oh and BTW looking at Gross to gauge whether anything is successful or not successful is foolish. Net is what matters.

Slash played a show by me earlier this year that grossed $20,000. No way to know what the net was, but it can't be much and certainly nothing compared to what GNR nets.

Haha, ok...not sure why you would bring Slash up.

BTW though his average concert gross in the past year is about $120,000 and includes quite a few venues with 1,500-2000 capacity like the one in FL that you mentioned, which coincidentally just happened to be the lowest grossing one...

Oh and Motley Crue did a residency at The Joint as well and grossed about $3 million over 12 shows...Which is almost exactly what these GNR numbers would be if 9 more shows had #s like these. At least Axl has relevant company.

[JayGatz]

It matters to the total gross throughout a year. If you played venues that were mostly smaller your chance of a high average gross would be lower as well. I already saw those numbers of Slash's lowest grossing show, how'd u think I knew you selectively picked the lowest grossing concert date? One of Slash's concerts in Sydney this past year had 7,000 in attendance and it grossed over $500,000.

Hopefully Axl's new vision of GNR in the mid nineties was one of equivalent relevance to Motley Crue and himself looking slightly worse than Vince Neil because I'd hate to know he didn't achieve his goals.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Well, this thread went downhill quickly.

[Chris 55]

Those are impressive numbers indeed.

Compared to what?

[Roush]

Also, "Scraped" is a good song.

[izzydoezit]

Compared to what most people in this forum make a year, well it's a great success. For the average rock band it still is very successful. Compared to the original band that would sell in one show what the current band will sell in 3-4 shows is not really a huge success.

[downzy]

Those are impressive numbers indeed.

Compared to what?

I was speaking in a nominal sense. I don't have extensive information on what normal residencies gross but if GNR and The Joint are making $200k-$250k a show using a smaller venue, nobody is losing money on that deal (unless Axl demanded an insane upfront fee). Grossing over $700k for three shows with a smaller capacity venue isn't exactly a failure. Credit given where credit is due.

Hopefully we get a full run down once the residency has run its course. It will be interesting to see if sales parallel the first three shows.

Edited November 13, 2012 by downzy

[sailaway]

I'd say this is fairly impressive. Would you agree?

http://www.billboard...entboxscore.jsp

This is very impressive indeed! On it's own and especially with the economy these days which does play a factor.

Rock on GNR!!!

[Aussiegun]

I'd assume that GNR would be getting paid the same whether they had 85% attendance or 50% attendance.

[Dazey]

And Axl can go to certain countries and do 40,000 attendance and well gross well over a million dollars in one night.

What is your point?

Are you really arguing that attendance, and not dollars, is the true measure of success in the music BUSINESS?

And if not, why are you arguing with me if you agree with me? Very odd.

The Guns n' Roses name is the reason for those figures. If it really was Axl on his own we'd be seeing numbers far more in line with those posted for Slash.

[batman007]

A 250,000 gross would put the show in the 25th range for the year. Which isn't too shabby.

Interesting notes.....Springstein and Waters are in the millions.

Nickelback was top ten with $700,000...average ticket prices $70.

Black Keys were at $500,000 with average ticket price of $50.

Would you considerate it a financial home run if compared to nickelback? GnR's average ticket price is a bit higher......but nickel is doing 700,000 and GnR 250,000.

Again, costs, gross and attendance has nothing to do with quality of the show.

Just adding a little perspective to those who think that everything Axl does is a success.

What your not adding is that those artists played in a big arena, which adds up to more. Duh! It only makes sense!

Edited November 13, 2012 by batman007

[maynard]

so.... how long til this elvis residency bullshit ends? pathetic.

[batman007]

so.... how long til this elvis residency bullshit ends? pathetic.

Pathetic says the one who writes from home. Fn awesome show ! Says the one who attended a couple of shows!

[Dazey]

Dazey, your argument is tired, old, and irrelevant. Slash left 16 years ago, you need to accept that the band continued without him. What's being discussed is attendance vs. dollars for determining success. The moaning and crying about the name changes nothing in terms of attendance vs. dollars.

Was neither moaning nor crying about anything. You clearly stated in your post that "Axl can go to certain countries and do 40,000 attendance and well gross well over a million dollars in one night". I was simply pointing out that you should have said "Guns n' Roses can go to certain countries and do 40,000 attendance and well gross well over a million dollars in one night".

[volcano62]

so.... how long til this elvis residency bullshit ends? pathetic.

Pathetic says the one who writes from home. Fn awesome show ! Says the one who attended a couple of shows!

+1

[Apollo]

A 250,000 gross would put the show in the 25th range for the year. Which isn't too shabby.

Interesting notes.....Springstein and Waters are in the millions.

Nickelback was top ten with $700,000...average ticket prices $70.

Black Keys were at $500,000 with average ticket price of $50.

Would you considerate it a financial home run if compared to nickelback? GnR's average ticket price is a bit higher......but nickel is doing 700,000 and GnR 250,000.

Again, costs, gross and attendance has nothing to do with quality of the show.

Just adding a little perspective to those who think that everything Axl does is a success.

What your not adding is that those artists played in a big arena, which adds up to more. Duh! It only makes sense!

Uggg. I guess you didn't read this entire thread.

I said I was surprised at the low attendance numbers. Somebody then posted that attendance didn't matter......only gross did. Others them proclaimed how impressive a 250,000 gross was.

I was just giving some perspective by showing other top grossing shows this year.

So my "uggg" comes because I was originally the one saying that all the numbers have to be taken in perspective. I'm not defending or bashing any of the various figures.

GnR now is selling tickets and collecting concert grosses just under the range that Motley Crue does. Take that info however you would like!!!

I saw GnR last year and had a great time. The amount of people at the show or the concert gross had no bearing on my enjoyment level.

[Crash Diet]

To be honest, I don't care how many people showed up or how much any show grossed. I just hope everybody there had a great time.

I think it is funny how people always have excuses for Axl now - and twist the numbers/situation around to make him look good - no matter what. 2,800 a night is NOT good, and we don't know how good a 250,000 gross is - without knowing the costs of the show.

[Apollo]

To be honest, I don't care how many people showed up or how much any show grossed. I just hope everybody there had a great time.

I think it is funny how people always have excuses for Axl now - and twist the numbers/situation around to make him look good - no matter what. 2,800 a night is NOT good, and we don't know how good a 250,000 gross is - without knowing the costs of the show.

Exactly

[ARX77]

Why does it matter that capacity for the show in question was 1500 if only 600 people bought tickets?

Slash

Florida Theatre

Jacksonville, Fla.

May 9, 2012

$20,411

600 / 1,500 (40%)

1 / 0

$39.50, $34.50, $29.50

AEG Live

I was at that show... Not a lot of people at that show for sure. in 2006 GnR played the Veterans Coliseum in Jacksonville and only sold a little over 2K tickets and 500 of those were on the floor. They ended up giving tickets away they day of the show so there was a decent crowd. I dont hold the ticket sales against GnR or Slash Jacksonville is just a slow market for rock shows. Ozzy had a hard time selling tickets as well last year with Slash opening.

[ZoSoRose]

jacksonville was always one of my best markets strangely enough

of course

[Aussiegun]

To be honest, I don't care how many people showed up or how much any show grossed. I just hope everybody there had a great time.

I think it is funny how people always have excuses for Axl now - and twist the numbers/situation around to make him look good - no matter what. 2,800 a night is NOT good, and we don't know how good a 250,000 gross is - without knowing the costs of the show.

Exactly

2800 out of 3300. Around 85% capacity. Sounds pretty good to me.