classicrawker Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Steven Tyler: 65 Bruce Springsteen: 64 Mick Jagger: 70 52 isn't an excuse.ronnie james dio was 67 weak from chemo and dying from cancer, and he still sounded better than a 52 year old axl rose.Spot on Bran...people can go on making excuses for Axl but the fact is there are a number of older front men who prepare for their tours and can still deliver with some semblance of energy........Axl is just mailing it in these days collecting a check IMHO...did he sound terrible for a first gig of a tour? not as bad as the last American tour but the sad thing is some people on this forum are now willing to settle for mediocre as being good............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
War2k14 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I donno Steven definitely sounded shot. Back in the Saddle from that show was horrid. Maybe that's why Axl sings like Mickey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I skimmed through parts of the thread. Seems like most agree the performance was an improvement on Axl's part compared to recent shows. Yet many still complain. Most would recognize and applaud improvements. The only reason I can see why an improvement deserves criticism is when you expected even more. Why people would expect much more than what we have heard in recent years is beyond me. When will they adjust their expectations to something realistic?And the age argument: Yeah, it is easy to find artists who are better than Axl at preserving their voices as they grow old. But it is damn easy to find examples of the opposite, too. Probably easier, especially when you started out singing like a bloody banshee. Just because Dio or whoever managed to do it doesn't mean that anyone else should be expected to the same . It really depends on so many factors, including how your voice was to begin with and your singing style. Why people can't just accept that his voice will never be what it used to be, is beyond me, and so is the incessant need to blame someone for something as trivial as the decline of a voice ("he is not taking care of himself!", "he doesn't care about us!!", "he is lazy!"), and all the whining and drama. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 The decline of a voice is hardly trivial when it's your main asset. And he seems to have no energy at all in performances of songs like YCBM and Nightrain. If this is gonna be it from here on out, why bother, other than to rake money in from fans who would be happy just to see you stand there while a backing band plays their favourite songs? I once saw the 2001 line-up described as Las Vegas Guns N' Roses, and I think that was unfair and just incorrect to describe that line-up, but it's very much the case these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cbgnr666 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Nice to see such positive reviews and the vids from the show,and the crowd surely was into it.Nice Start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlashisGOD Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I once saw the 2001 line-up described as Las Vegas Guns N' Roses, and I think that was unfair and just incorrect to describe that line-up, but it's very much the case these days.Literally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cbgnr666 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Don't cry was really good.I wouldn't play anything new until there's a new album or a single on the radio at least.New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl_morris Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Don't cry was really good.I wouldn't play anything new until there's a new album or a single on the radio at least.New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.This is very true. This happened at the shows in 2006, the was complete flat, less those who knew the leaks which were no one around me.It wouldn't make sense and Im guessing universal wouldn't want them to play new music either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfierose Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Don't cry was really good.I wouldn't play anything new until there's a new album or a single on the radio at least.New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.This is very true. This happened at the shows in 2006, the was complete flat, less those who knew the leaks which were no one around me.It wouldn't make sense and Im guessing universal wouldn't want them to play new music either.At what point did people become conditioned to believe new music is a bad thing if you haven't heard it on a radio or youtube at least a dozen times? Is it symptomatic of the Internet generation? I'm sure this wasn't an issue fifteen plus years ago. I sometimes see bands I've never heard of in local bars, the fact I don't know the material doesn't make it a bad experience if the band is good. I think the essence of gigs has been spoilt somewhat by the changing music industry. The desire to control seems to have killed spontaneity and lulled younger generations into accepting a fixed, narrow view of what touring bands can be. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudolf1978 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Jungle That was pretty bad. Right at the end you can hear him and it didn't sound too hot, and that's the part where he usually sounds pretty decent even if it's a first show/bad night.I thought last year he was starting to phone it in but that was depressing, he was hardly moving and just seemed like he didn't care, I hope it was just a bad night...The next few shows will be telling.he seems SO BORED,ive checked some videos of the first show and he looks to put less energy than 2012 which is difficult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patience 4 Axl Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.So do all the solos, but that doesn't seem to stop them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.So do all the solos, but that doesn't seem to stop them. 2012 was the worst with the Motivation + Dizzy Solo + Street of Dreams combo. Huge lull in the setlist, drained a lot of energy from the show. YCBM should have picked things up after that but that's not Axl's strong point these days. Dropping Tommy's solo spot and switching to Catcher was a great move for 2013.I just want to know when Jarmo, MSL, et al think the optimum time to release/perform new music would be. 2020? 2099? Perhaps we should just listen to AFD played by DJ AshbaTM on repeat at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 The decline of a voice is hardly trivial when it's your main asset. And he seems to have no energy at all in performances of songs like YCBM and Nightrain. If this is gonna be it from here on out, why bother, other than to rake money in from fans who would be happy just to see you stand there while a backing band plays their favourite songs? I once saw the 2001 line-up described as Las Vegas Guns N' Roses, and I think that was unfair and just incorrect to describe that line-up, but it's very much the case these days.Why bother? Because he enjoys it? Because thousands of concert-goers enjoy it? Because it is a way to make a living? What reasons do he really need to continue as an entertainer? That he must fullfil some hardcore fans unrealistic expectations of what GN'R anno 2014 would be? Nah .You are certainly entitled to not enjoy the performance, just as you are entitled to not spend money on the shows. But to extrapolate from your own disappointment and conclude that he should just give it up the day after what appears to have been a good show (based on reviews), is a bit bizarre. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 But he doesn't seem to enjoy it, concert numbers are dwindling, and consequently it's not much of a way to make a living. And I don't think hoping that the your favourite lead singer turns up to rehearsals and actually puts a bit of effort in is an unrealistic expectation of any fan. He really does seem like he's just rolled out of bed half the time. I have a hard time believing he's done any preparation from July 2013 until now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulMonster Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 But he doesn't seem to enjoy it, concert numbers are dwindling, and consequently it's not much of a way to make a living. And I don't think hoping that the your favourite lead singer turns up to rehearsals and actually puts a bit of effort in is an unrealistic expectation of any fan. He really does seem like he's just rolled out of bed half the time. I have a hard time believing he's done any preparation from July 2013 until now.Which is all pretty irrelevant as long as the audiences are entertained. It might not be enough for you but is hardly disqualifies him as an entertainer or makes for a puzzle as to why he does it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nosaj Thing Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.Yeah, right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 I don't see why people expect new songs at Vegas but not here. The South American fans are much more hardcore than the Vegas crowd, of whom most of the latter will likely stumble in after playing the slots and craps tables, opposed to the former who will queue for hours in the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moreblack Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.Yeah, right.They do, it's night and day compared to when they do Jungle or SCOM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.Yeah, right.They do, it's night and day compared to when they do Jungle or SCOM.Except for South America, though. First tour in South America after the album dropped, you can barely hear Axl over the crowd on songs like This I Love. That's why I feel that if any group of fans deserve more from the concerts, it's the South Americans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saber_ Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 You never know, we were told 3 new songs would be played on the upcoming tour. Tommy's, DJ's and Bumblefoot's solo spots.Called it!I said the tour, not the first gig (yes yes, go ahead and make fun)But it ain't over til it's over! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naupis Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 That's why I feel that if any group of fans deserve more from the concerts, it's the South Americans.That's why he gives them the bare minimum effort wise though.He could walk on stage, drop a deuce, and take off for the evening and the crowds there would cheer like it was Beethoven's 5th symphony.When you're as lazy as Axl is you look forward to crowds that have no expectations of you and are just happy you're there. It means you don't have to put in any effort and can just mail it in.At this point in his career that is really the only thing he is good at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 That's why I feel that if any group of fans deserve more from the concerts, it's the South Americans.That's why he gives them the bare minimum effort wise though.He could walk on stage, drop a deuce, and take off for the evening and the crowds there would cheer like it was Beethoven's 5th symphony.When you're as lazy as Axl is you look forward to crowds that have no expectations of you and are just happy you're there. It means you don't have to put in any effort and can just mail it in.At this point in his career that is really the only thing he is good at.Yeah, I was gonna add that point as well: from the videos we've seen it seems more about the crowd than Axl's voice. I saw Iron Maiden in London and Rio last year, and Powerage asked me which I preferred. I said I enjoyed both equally, and that the Brazilian crowd for the latter was great. Powerage said from the livestream the actual performance from the band seemed much worse at Rio, but I couldn't tell at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jordan Rose Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Billy Joel and Axl have something in common: they've both only put out one album of new material since 1993. The difference is that Joel said that he was done writing music and would only play his back catalogue from then on. New article at Rolling Stone on how he likes to mix his sets up:Billy Joel Rocks 'You Shook Me All Night Long' With Brian Johnsonhttp://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/billy-joel-rocks-you-shook-me-all-night-long-with-brian-johnson-20140322"We mix it up," he said. "I don't ever want to do the same show twice. We're bringing in some of the more obscure songs, but we do enough of the hits and songs that people know and stuff that we like to do. We're making it up all the time." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powerage5 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Don't cry was really good.I wouldn't play anything new until there's a new album or a single on the radio at least.New songs that no one knows kills the energy.Tumbleweeds start blowing around.This is very true. This happened at the shows in 2006, the was complete flat, less those who knew the leaks which were no one around me.It wouldn't make sense and Im guessing universal wouldn't want them to play new music either.At what point did people become conditioned to believe new music is a bad thing if you haven't heard it on a radio or youtube at least a dozen times? Is it symptomatic of the Internet generation? I'm sure this wasn't an issue fifteen plus years ago. I sometimes see bands I've never heard of in local bars, the fact I don't know the material doesn't make it a bad experience if the band is good. I think the essence of gigs has been spoilt somewhat by the changing music industry. The desire to control seems to have killed spontaneity and lulled younger generations into accepting a fixed, narrow view of what touring bands can be.It all goes back to most people at gigs just wanting to hear the hits. I'm not just talking about GN'R here; in general any concert crowd is going to be made up of casual fans, not diehards. You get people who have never seen the band before, and only want to see them do the hits. I mentioned it in another thread a couple days ago about the Metallica By Request tour - someone said that the setlist for the opening night was boring, pretty much what you'd expect at any other Metallica gig. No shit...you let the fans pick the setlist and you're going to get loads of people who have never seen them before saying "OMG, please play For Whom The Bell Tolls", or whatever concert staple you want to insert there. In 1999 Maiden let the fans pick the setlist for the tour - people still voted in Run To The Hills, Number Of The Beast, Wrathchild, etc...there were only a couple even moderately rare songs, and the rarest one ended up getting dropped because they couldn't do it with 2 guitarists when Adrian had to miss a few gigs. Frankly, people are going to complain when bands play stuff they don't know. Most people want to go to a gig, hear a band play all of their hits, and don't want to discover anything more than they already know. People like to be comfortable, knowing when they shell out money for a concert they're not wasting a penny of it when the band decides to play something they don't know. The only band where I don't see people ever complain about a lack of hits in the setlist is Rush - the more unusual stuff they play the more people collectively seem. The other night I saw Reel Big Fish, and in the middle of their set one of them said "We're gonna say the 4 worst words any musician can say on stage - here's a new song". I think that's very true, as sad as it may be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amir Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) Strength of the music itself can overcome that, though. When I first saw Springsteen, I was lost for the first 10 songs since they were mostly fan requests, but there were a couple I made a note of to listen to as soon as I got home (I remember Lost in the Flood being one of them). Then he played one of his most popular albums from start to finish, followed by a mix of 10 crowd favourite songs.My dad was a fan of TIL from the Abu Dhabi shows, he hadn't heard it before, and I notice it generally gets a really good response from the crowd, especially in 2010 when Axl absolutely killed it. Edited March 22, 2014 by Amir 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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