Slash live at the Roxy VS. GN'R Appetite For Democracy

[EvH]

Alright.

Gave a few listens to Live At The Roxy (CD). I'm pretty disappointed by it. A few thoughts...

- The abrupt start during Ghost sounds weird.

- The performance is very lacking. Slash has on more than a few instances the "sticky fingers syndrome" I mentioned when I saw him live a few months ago in Paris. The extended jam during Rocket Queen is very, very sloppy. Nice to hear a few licks reminiscent of his talkbox solo during the UYI tour, but overall it goes absolutely nowhere...Only the amazing groove from the song saves the whole.

Myles is pretty good. A few instances where his vocal choices don't work (YCBM comes to mind).Todd, Brent and Franck are faultless obviously.

-Anastasia is good, but the first solo is sloppy as eff. The 12 strings part sounds great.

- Most of the WOF songs pretty much suck. Only Wicked Stone really works, but isn't up to par to the studio version.

- The audience suck. You can't hear them most of the time. I don't like overbearing crowd noise a la Live Era or Maiden/ACDC River Plate releases, but FFS.

-There's quite a few instances of audible saturation on Franck's track.

-I HATE Slash's tone on Sweet Child. Way too processed.

As you can tell, I'm very disappointed. I won't buy the Blu Ray. Stoke was way, way better than Roxy. No contest, really. Just rip the audio from the MTV Glasgow show if you want something more recent and professionnal sounding.

Edited June 24, 2015 by EvH

[maynard]

Alright.

Gave a few listens to Live At The Roxy (CD). I'm pretty disappointed by it. A few thoughts...

- The abrupt start during Ghost sounds weird.

- The performance is very lacking. Slash has on more than a few instances the "sticky fingers syndrome" I mentioned when I saw him live a few months ago in Paris. The extended jam during Rocket Queen is very, very sloppy. Nice to hear a few licks reminiscent of his talkbox solo during the UYI tour, but overall it goes absolutely nowhere...Only the amazing groove from the song saves the whole.

Myles is pretty good. A few instances where his vocal choices don't work (YCBM comes to mind).Todd, Brent and Franck are faultless obviously.

-Anastasia is good, but the first solo is sloppy as eff. The 12 strings part sounds great.

- Most of the WOF songs pretty much suck. Only Wicked Stone really works, but isn't up to par to the studio version.

- The audience suck. You can't hear them most of the time. I don't like overbearing crowd noise a la Live Era or Maiden/ACDC River Plate releases, but FFS.

-There's quite a few instances of audible saturation on Franck's track.

-I HATE Slash's tone on Sweet Child. Way too processed.

As you can tell, I'm very disappointed. I won't buy the Blu Ray. Stoke was way, way better than Roxy. No contest, really. Just rip the audio from the MTV Glasgow show if you want something more recent and professionnal sounding.

Thanks for the review. I didn't enjoy Made in Stoke and probably will pass on this one. Lucky for Slash that there are some badass performances on YT to save his ass.

[EvH]

Alright.

Gave a few listens to Live At The Roxy (CD). I'm pretty disappointed by it. A few thoughts...

- The abrupt start during Ghost sounds weird.

- The performance is very lacking. Slash has on more than a few instances the "sticky fingers syndrome" I mentioned when I saw him live a few months ago in Paris. The extended jam during Rocket Queen is very, very sloppy. Nice to hear a few licks reminiscent of his talkbox solo during the UYI tour, but overall it goes absolutely nowhere...Only the amazing groove from the song saves the whole.

Myles is pretty good. A few instances where his vocal choices don't work (YCBM comes to mind).Todd, Brent and Franck are faultless obviously.

-Anastasia is good, but the first solo is sloppy as eff. The 12 strings part sounds great.

- Most of the WOF songs pretty much suck. Only Wicked Stone really works, but isn't up to par to the studio version.

- The audience suck. You can't hear them most of the time. I don't like overbearing crowd noise a la Live Era or Maiden/ACDC River Plate releases, but FFS.

-There's quite a few instances of audible saturation on Franck's track.

-I HATE Slash's tone on Sweet Child. Way too processed.

As you can tell, I'm very disappointed. I won't buy the Blu Ray. Stoke was way, way better than Roxy. No contest, really. Just rip the audio from the MTV Glasgow show if you want something more recent and professionnal sounding.

Thanks for the review. I didn't enjoy Made in Stoke and probably will pass on this one. Lucky for Slash that there are some badass performances on YT to save his ass.

Pretty much. What didn't you like about Stoke?

[maynard]

Alright.

Gave a few listens to Live At The Roxy (CD). I'm pretty disappointed by it. A few thoughts...

- The abrupt start during Ghost sounds weird.

- The performance is very lacking. Slash has on more than a few instances the "sticky fingers syndrome" I mentioned when I saw him live a few months ago in Paris. The extended jam during Rocket Queen is very, very sloppy. Nice to hear a few licks reminiscent of his talkbox solo during the UYI tour, but overall it goes absolutely nowhere...Only the amazing groove from the song saves the whole.

Myles is pretty good. A few instances where his vocal choices don't work (YCBM comes to mind).Todd, Brent and Franck are faultless obviously.

-Anastasia is good, but the first solo is sloppy as eff. The 12 strings part sounds great.

- Most of the WOF songs pretty much suck. Only Wicked Stone really works, but isn't up to par to the studio version.

- The audience suck. You can't hear them most of the time. I don't like overbearing crowd noise a la Live Era or Maiden/ACDC River Plate releases, but FFS.

-There's quite a few instances of audible saturation on Franck's track.

-I HATE Slash's tone on Sweet Child. Way too processed.

As you can tell, I'm very disappointed. I won't buy the Blu Ray. Stoke was way, way better than Roxy. No contest, really. Just rip the audio from the MTV Glasgow show if you want something more recent and professionnal sounding.

Thanks for the review. I didn't enjoy Made in Stoke and probably will pass on this one. Lucky for Slash that there are some badass performances on YT to save his ass.

Pretty much. What didn't you like about Stoke?

To be honest and direct, it bored me to death.

[James Bond]

I haven't picked up the Roxy yet so by default I vote for Appetite. It's too bad Axl is mostly awful on the AFD release because the production values are outstanding. The video quality is top notch and the mix is incredible. RockFuel definitely delivered a quality product from the technical side of things, and the band sounds good.

[Stealmylife]

The standard of that Roxy blu Ray is very poor even by the Myles Kennedy & Slash standard

I feel the novelty of Slash playing Gnr has worn off and I just don't think Myles sounds great on stage with slash. I'm not an Alter bridge fan but it's easy to see how much better Myles is in that band.

It's like seeing Scott in VR and then seeing him with STP

Really enjoy watching Appetite for democracy from time to time all the same

[Towelie]

The standard of that Roxy blu Ray is very poor even by the Myles Kennedy & Slash standard

I feel the novelty of Slash playing Gnr has worn off and I just don't think Myles sounds great on stage with slash. I'm not an Alter bridge fan but it's easy to see how much better Myles is in that band.

It's like seeing Scott in VR and then seeing him with STP

Really enjoy watching Appetite for democracy from time to time all the same

I think Scott was at his best in VR.

I haven't picked up the Roxy yet so by default I vote for Appetite. It's too bad Axl is mostly awful on the AFD release because the production values are outstanding. The video quality is top notch and the mix is incredible. RockFuel definitely delivered a quality product from the technical side of things, and the band sounds good.

I don't think Axl is that bad on A4D. Okay, November Rain and Estranged are ropey as hell. This I Love is also a bit touch and go. But he really knocks it out of the park on most of the Appetite songs (especially Nightrain and Rocket Queen). And sounds decent-pretty good on the rest of it.

[EvH]

Alright.

Gave a few listens to Live At The Roxy (CD). I'm pretty disappointed by it. A few thoughts...

- The abrupt start during Ghost sounds weird.

- The performance is very lacking. Slash has on more than a few instances the "sticky fingers syndrome" I mentioned when I saw him live a few months ago in Paris. The extended jam during Rocket Queen is very, very sloppy. Nice to hear a few licks reminiscent of his talkbox solo during the UYI tour, but overall it goes absolutely nowhere...Only the amazing groove from the song saves the whole.

Myles is pretty good. A few instances where his vocal choices don't work (YCBM comes to mind).Todd, Brent and Franck are faultless obviously.

-Anastasia is good, but the first solo is sloppy as eff. The 12 strings part sounds great.

- Most of the WOF songs pretty much suck. Only Wicked Stone really works, but isn't up to par to the studio version.

- The audience suck. You can't hear them most of the time. I don't like overbearing crowd noise a la Live Era or Maiden/ACDC River Plate releases, but FFS.

-There's quite a few instances of audible saturation on Franck's track.

-I HATE Slash's tone on Sweet Child. Way too processed.

As you can tell, I'm very disappointed. I won't buy the Blu Ray. Stoke was way, way better than Roxy. No contest, really. Just rip the audio from the MTV Glasgow show if you want something more recent and professionnal sounding.

Thanks for the review. I didn't enjoy Made in Stoke and probably will pass on this one. Lucky for Slash that there are some badass performances on YT to save his ass.

Pretty much. What didn't you like about Stoke?

To be honest and direct, it bored me to death.

Oh, to each his own I guess!

But if you were bored by Stoke, you sure don't wanna buy Roxy. I just listened to it a third time and it's really bad.

[Ant]

The vibe at that Roxy show is awful. Feels like noon on a Tuesday.

[RandallFlagg]

On the surface you'd assume it's a good comparison but in reality it's not worth holding both ends up and trying to understand it, both are great for me but utterly independent of the other, which again, sounds odd but that's how I view it.

[DieselDaisy]

I have Appetite for Democracy on my computer. Have not watched it yet; will I end up regretting downloading it?

[WillBailey]

I voted for AFD, but for me it's difficult to compare Myles and Axl singing. I don't think GN'R songs suit Myles, but that's just me.

On AFD I loved the production, the setlist and really enjoyed the boxset with the Blu-ray + 2CDs. Axl's voice was probably better in 2014 with Yesterdays and all (and even better in 2006 at Rock Am Ring for instance), but overall I really liked that release.

[dando]

I voted for AFD, but for me it's difficult to compare Myles and Axl singing. I don't think GN'R songs suit Myles, but that's just me.

On AFD I loved the production, the setlist and really enjoyed the boxset with the Blu-ray + 2CDs. Axl's voice was probably better in 2014 with Yesterdays and all (and even better in 2006 at Rock Am Ring for instance), but overall I really liked that release.

Great post! Exactly the same here

[wasted]

I haven't seen Roxy but AFdem is pretty entertaining show. I like Dj's solo spots and Axl's performance for Rocket Queen was great. Bunspiracy!

[Mendez]

the sound mastering on A4D always irritates me. Everything on the enter channel (Axls voice, drums and lead guitar) has some noise reduction applied, which always makes everything sound processed and unnatural. The guitars aren't all the same volume and fluctuate in volume. THey should all be the same volume and the lead only a slight bit higher only when theres a solo. For example: on better, you can't even hear richards chorus riff at all, both his and Slashba's are drastically lowered and Ron's Bucket part (which sounds horrible on his nasally guitar tone) is upped in volume. Hell you can barely hear Richard's rhythm at all. Everything should be the same volume and stay the same volume (except for a solo, which then should only increase the volume of the lead by 1-2 dB). Franks drum's sound too processed (i.e. too equalized/sounds fake) and are obviously messed with (on ISE intro drum roll he's hitting more than is actually heard) for some reason. the background noise from Axl's mic keeps irritatingly cutting in and out when he starts and stops singing. Backup vox should be louder (except pitman, fuck him) Dizzy's tamborine and maracas and other percussion things of his (and or pitman) should be ommited completely. His piano should be the same volume through out and able to be sufficently heard.

[Nosaj Thing]

I have Appetite for Democracy on my computer. Have not watched it yet; will I end up regretting downloading it?

Definitely. I would suggest that you immediately delete the file. But, if you want to cringe, feel sorry about Axl and laugh for a while (in that order), then watch it. For comedy purposes, it is a great experience.

[MYWIFEMYLIFE]

AFD is not that bad, and actually not bad at all.

[jmapelian]

I couldn't get past Axl's voice and his bans tone and performance. Both are terrible but Axl's vvoice just sounds completely shot.

[DieselDaisy]

I have Appetite for Democracy on my computer. Have not watched it yet; will I end up regretting downloading it?

Definitely. I would suggest that you immediately delete the file. But, if you want to cringe, feel sorry about Axl and laugh for a while (in that order), then watch it. For comedy purposes, it is a great experience.

I got as far as Estranged before knocking it off. Dreadful. Simply dreadful.

[RandallFlagg]

Whoops I thought it was live at the ritz vs A4D nevermind

[ChristmasFnatic]

Just got the Roxy Blu. Its not the best Conspirators' concert, but I finished it all. A4D, I got it as well, but cant finish it. Axl's voice makes me sad, esp when you were watching concert videos since their heyday.

[Nosaj Thing]

Yeah, Live at Roxy is definitely one of the weakest performance of Slash's band, but still 10000 times better than Appetite For Democracy, that is just unwatchable. Axl voice ruins everything.

[dando]

I won't get slash's new one , made in Stoke is great (apart from I think myles is a weak link) , if you take Nov Rain, parts of Better and Carcher out of Appetite For Democracy then it's a great watch

Rockfuel did a awesome production job, shame they didn't do the last 2 Vegas 2014 shows, we should have got TWAT on the DVD

[Nosaj Thing]

I would get A4D if somehow I could erase Axl disastrous voice from the mix. It would take away the endless cringeworthy moments throughout the show.

[DieselDaisy]

There was something depressing about watching Axl replicate his 1980s moves with declining physical attributes and paunch. You remember the hands in the air gyrating number that he does on ''we've been dancing with, Mr Brownstone''. Well now it is a fat little man doing it (Axl somehow seems smaller). There was a lot of embarrassing, 'dad dancing'. As I said, I knocked it off after Estranged.