About Axl being late: what is the real problem for you?

[Free Bird]

If he'd sound like he did in the 90's I still would hate it if he's late, but most probably I would tolerate it for one or two show attendances.

I don't mind if he's wearing yellow raincoats or isn't looking like a 20 year old dude anymore, but sadly it's a pain in the ass to hear him perform nowadays. That's my biggest issue with him.

This and the lack of new music

Edited July 16, 2015 by Free Bird

[Towelie]

The only thing that really bothers me about it is that it's hardcore fans who supported New Guns and love Chinese who get screwed over because we have to queue in the pissing cold and rain from 8am to guarantee a spot on the barrier and then dehydrate all day so we don't need a piss when we finally hit the barrier and have to stand there for 4+ hours before Axl comes on.

But that's on them, isn't it? The hardcore fans who hang around all day and go through hell just to be by the barrier are choosing to do that. I love GNR, they're my all time favourite band and Chinese is one of my most played albums, but I'm not glutton for punishment.

I'm not dehydrating and feeling like utter shit for anyone. If GNR mean that much to you then fork out for a seat at the front of the seated area and save the pain and misery of the moshpit for the twenty year olds who don't know any better.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Towelie

[Nosaj Thing]

Yeah, not really understanding the need of going to a show really really early to get "better" seats. If you go to a show at 8am and then complain, well, that's on you.

When I saw Axl and his band in 2010, I went at 5pm, show was supposed to start at 7. I had the highest-priced ticket, so there weren't too many people when I arrived (aside from some idiots that were holding themselves to the barriers). Show started at 7pm, first opening band was a national band called 'Gaia' or something like that, then there was another national band I can't remember their name.

At 8pm Sebastian Bach's band was on stage, they gave a great show, his show ended at 9pm (the time Axl was supposed to show up). By 9:30pm every equipment for Axl's band was correctly set up. From that point on, nothing but silence until Axl showed up at 12:30am.

[Jordan Rose]

The only thing that really bothers me about it is that it's hardcore fans who supported New Guns and love Chinese who get screwed over because we have to queue in the pissing cold and rain from 8am to guarantee a spot on the barrier and then dehydrate all day so we don't need a piss when we finally hit the barrier and have to stand there for 4+ hours before Axl comes on.

But that's on them, isn't it? The hardcore fans who hang around all day and go through hell just to be by the barrier are choosing to do that. I love GNR, they're my all time favourite band and Chinese is one of my most played albums, but I'm not glutton for punishment.

I'm not dehydrating and feeling like utter shit for anyone. If GNR mean that much to you then fork out for a seat at the front of the seated area and save the pain and misery of the moshpit for the twenty year olds who don't know any better.

Absolutely agree if it's 2011-2015 and i'm gonna risk a show on the off-chance of getting Twat or Prostitute.

The late starts didn't bother me at all at Hammerstein 2006 when we got Twat, IRS and Better for the first time along with Chinese, Madagascar, SOD, RQ etc and Axl was on fire.

[Rovim]

When I saw him in 2012 there wasn't a long wait. Once the stage has been set up, they went kinda on time if I remember correctly.

I think the late starts were a big problem, but there has been an improvement since.

[GNRmello77]

Yeah, not really understanding the need of going to a show really really early to get "better" seats. If you go to a show at 8am and then complain, well, that's on you.

When I saw Axl and his band in 2010, I went at 5pm, show was supposed to start at 7. I had the highest-priced ticket, so there weren't too many people when I arrived (aside from some idiots that were holding themselves to the barriers). Show started at 7pm, first opening band was a national band called 'Gaia' or something like that, then there was another national band I can't remember their name.

At 8pm Sebastian Bach's band was on stage, they gave a great show, his show ended at 9pm (the time Axl was supposed to show up). By 9:30pm every equipment for Axl's band was correctly set up. From that point on, nothing but silence until Axl showed up at 12:30am.

12:30am?? Dude thats insane!! What show was this? I remember waiting only for 75 minutes after start time when i saw them on the 2010 tour, so compared to you i have no right to complain

[WAR41]

I have said on here and other boards that I skipped GNR the last time they came to NYC. Those were the Randall's Island and Brooklyn Bowl shows. I have zero interest in paying money to see that band anymore until I see tangible proof that they have/intend to diversify their set list. I can afford the tickets, I just refuse to reward Axl and nuGNR for bringing nothing new to the table since they started touring again. I'd prefer he goes onstage at a normal time, but if the show is entertaining then I can look past it.

Instead I have been paying money to go see new artists/bands who remind me of old GNR (personality-wise, not musically). I recently saw Death Grips. If anyone wants to see an angry group of guys who also don't show up for their gigs sometimes which lead to riots, check these guys out. They put on a SHOW.

[Nosaj Thing]

12:30am?? Dude thats insane!! What show was this? I remember waiting only for 75 minutes after start time when i saw them on the 2010 tour, so compared to you i have no right to complain

Lima, Peru, 2010. Show ended around 3am. I got home almost 4am.

[whatashame]

you know, i saw GNR live 5 times and every single time they hit the stage between 11.30 pm and midnite.

it was the tickets which on every occasion told me to show up anytime between 12 noon and 5 pm to hang around longer, stuff my face with more hot dawgs, buy more merch , drink more beer , so on and so forth

and, o yea, the sunday rockers which consisted 3/4 of the crowd around me was shocked every single time - whaddya mean he ain't here? it's way past my bedtime

but i can relate to one thing

if you gotta stand around and keep your good view pointin front of the stage for 8-9 hours,it sucks big time - even when you get those expensive tickets

especially if the opening acts are super cool and you wanna check them out and then you know that once the opening act is finished you gotta hang around for the next 6 hours trying not to

- get too drunk

- get in trouble

- get high

- get too hungry

- get tired and sleepy (bikoz you always DO get tired and sleepy once you check the previous points of this list, no matter what)

[DieselDaisy]

11: 30 Newcastle 2006

The crowd were starting to get really restless and drunk, people slobbing around in the corridors saying to each other, ''when is the cunt going to start''. There was a big coin throwing/Axl storms off incident which ended the show which I am sure was largely attributable to Axl's lateness at beginning of the thing, i.e. drunk member thought, 'fuck yee ya cunt' and lobbed a projectile at him. Understandable in my opinion.

10: 30ish Newcastle 2012 as I recall.

[Kittiara]

Whilst I voted that, yes, I would wait three hours if Axl looked and sounded like he did in the 90s, I'm not that keen on the whole being late trend. As a fan, I know Axl does what Axl does, so the last couple of times I booked seats. In 2006 I went by car, but plenty of people in the crowd were reliant on public transport, and had to catch the last train back partway during the show. In 2012 I was reliant on public transport, so I booked a hotel, but not everyone can afford that. It turned out to be a really hot day, and I wasn't feeling my best, so I actually didn't end up going. I couldn't stomach being in a hot arena for hours and hours on end, not knowing when the band would show up, when it was already roasting outside.

I'm also a bit unfortunate in being the only GN'R fan I know in my family and social circle. That generally means dragging someone along who isn't as keen on the band as I am, and who will most certainly not be as patient.

On a less personal level, aside from the public transport and money issue, it's not uncommon to see kids at a Guns N' Roses concert. It's great that a new generation likes the band, but I do feel for them when the band enters the stage at some ridiculous hour.

[Apollo]

The fact people are justifying the late start times is really inconceivable.

[Smokin' Cigarettes]

People that justify the late starts still think it's 1993 like Axl does.

It's not 93 nor is GN'R the biggest musical attraction on the planet. Just get out there and give the fans the shell of a version of yourself that they paid to see for 2 hours.

[F*ck Fear]

Let me start by saying that no I do not agree with the late starts. There are all sorts of different people from all walks of life that pay to see these shows, and each person has a different life situation. Myself personally, I book time off from work so that I am not tired the next day etc.

Ive seen Guns 5 times since 2002. The first two were late starts. Approx 11:45pm. That being said i realize this is something that has been happening since the 80's and I do not complain as I know what I am getting into when I buy a ticket.

And anyways, they havent been late in a few years right? So this is redundant.

[GNRmello77]

12:30am?? Dude thats insane!! What show was this? I remember waiting only for 75 minutes after start time when i saw them on the 2010 tour, so compared to you i have no right to complain

Lima, Peru, 2010. Show ended around 3am. I got home almost 4am.

poor man must have been a torture?? Good that it was a solid performance then, cause if he would have sucked it would have been a total Drama

[DR DOOM]

if you gotta stand around and keep your good view pointin front of the stage for 8-9 hours,it sucks big time - even when you get those expensive tickets

especially if the opening acts are super cool and you wanna check them out and then you know that once the opening act is finished you gotta hang around for the next 6 hours trying not to

- get too drunk

- get in trouble

- get high

- get too hungry

- get tired and sleepy (bikoz you always DO get tired and sleepy once you check the previous points of this list, no matter what)

It's a recipe for disaster.

[Majestic Beast]

Coray taylor sucks,his band is now a tribute band,we all know who Axl is and his weird behavior all over the years,its not something new in history that Axl may being late onstage,it's disrespect to the fans? yes it is,but that's it and not gonna change now.

Edited July 17, 2015 by Majestic Beast

[tomfriend]

If Axl 'Integrity' Rose had an ounce of honesty in all those years tickets would have said "GNR start 10pm-12am".

Why didn't they ever do that?

Because they wouldn't sell as many tickets if people knew it was going to start so late.

Where I come from we call that duping people.

[DieselDaisy]

At the shows I went to there were people leaving before the show started, presumably because of work commitments, travel arrangements or just because they thought, ''what a cock''. You are not telling me these people paid £60 for the privilege of waiting for something they knew would not arrive until, whenever? Nobody does that.

[Len Cnut]

When i went to Hammersmith everyone started chanting 'ARSEHOLE'

[whatashame]

all in all, couldnt all those problems, sulking and discussing be avoided if the shows just officially started later than they did?

instead of printing '6pm' on the tickets, just say 'midnite it is', and that's all

you'd have to deal with it and Axl would have his way and never be officially late

and on an ironic note, maybe GNR would have never broken up - Slash would have lost his favorite argument on the "why I left GNR?" debate

he wouldn't have had to deal with "the late starts"

[alfierose]

If the tickets said midnight on them officially all that would happen is that Axl would arrive at the venue about 2am then get on stage about 5 am. It wouldn't solve the issue just push it into the next day, of course they could charge more for the ticket then because it would in essence have become a two day festival. I suppose they could advise on purchase you bring a tent and port- a - potty!

[Liquor & Whores]

Please tell me how many percent of people heading to a GNR concert since 1990s do not know that Axl is usually late ???

20 % ?

This guy has been doing this for 25 years and still there are some surprised ?

[Nosaj Thing]

Please tell me how many percent of people heading to a GNR concert since 1990s do not know that Axl is usually late ???

20 % ?

It is fact that most people going to the shows are casual fans, not hardcore fans like you and me. We're a very small minority.

People all over the world complained during this last tour, that's why Axl had to change his stupid super-late behavior.

[Val22]

Not a problem for me at all because I know ahead of time that Axl and GNR won't come on stage until ten or later. In Vegas, GNR came on around 11:45. In Dallas it was more like 10:00 since concerts aren't allowed to go beyond 11 or 11:30 here, but GNR still played 3 hours and I'm sure Axl paid a hefty fine to Dallas county.

I've seen many bands in my day and some of them would be an hour or so late, but once they hit the stage no one cared! It's rock and roll, so shut up and rock!