06/11/22 - Solvesborg, SE - Sweden Rock Festival

[Stay.Of.Execution]

3 minutes ago, Lies They Tell said:

Why would he play Prostitute instead of Better? Prostitute is one of the least popular songs from Chinese Democracy (unfortunately). And he certainly wouldn't sound raspy on it. So for people like the swedish reprter, it would be just another Mickey sounding song, except Better is one of the biggest hits from CD and Prostitute is one of the least popular songs from that album.

 

Plus prostitue is just not a good live song. It's a great studio song, but it doesn't do anything live. Especially for people who are not familiar with it. Better on the other hand has some intensity and groove to be a decent live song

[Towelie]

I'm usually the first to call out Axl on his shit, but I didn't think his BIB performance from Sweden was all that bad. It wasn't great, but he didn't butcher it. I've heard much, much worse from Axl in recent yrs.

[Swedish]

3 minutes ago, Towelie said:

I'm usually the first to call out Axl on his shit, but I didn't think his BIB performance from Sweden was all that bad. It wasn't great, but he didn't butcher it. I've heard much, much worse from Axl in recent yrs.

As someone who was there I must say I was pleasantly surprised by his performance on BiB, one of the highlights from an otherwise pretty highlightless show…

[jamillos]

46 minutes ago, kiwiguns said:

Did it ever occur to you, that to there ears there is nothing wrong with what they are hearing, you know those musically tuned ears of a musician. Maybe take a step back and see it from another perspective.. 

Justin Hawkins as a fellow musician and admire voiced his opinion and summarised things perfectly..Case solved.. 

 

Oh I’m all about seeing things from different perspectives, don’t worry about that. But it’s impossible not to hear Axl’s struggles in those songs if you actually take time and listen to them; maybe not live, but they have recordings. At least someone must have made and approved the Selects, no? 

[Alexmee239]

21 minutes ago, Alejandro GNR said:

BiB OK?!?! Have you listened the part he goes “Yes, I'm in a bang With a gang
They've got to catch me if they want me to hang 'Cause I'm back on the track
And I'm beatin' the flack Nobody's gonna get me on another rap So look at me now I'm just makin' my play Don't try to push your luck, just get out of my way

He sounds like he is about to choke and spit his throat....and not in a good way at all

He sounds the same in 2016 but the "choking" is masked by the rasp, otherwise he was still struggling on that part back then. 

 

Also, the Sweden gig, even if we have very few videos of it, may have been a bad night for Axl but I have watched all songs from Sevilla and he sounded good, even did ok on songs like Hard Skool, Reckless Life and Coma. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Alexmee239

[jamillos]

32 minutes ago, Lies They Tell said:

Why would he play Prostitute instead of Better? Prostitute is one of the least popular songs from Chinese Democracy (unfortunately). And he certainly wouldn't sound raspy on it. So for people like the swedish reprter, it would be just another Mickey sounding song, except Better is one of the biggest hits from CD and Prostitute is one of the least popular songs from that album.

But this is a weird topic to even discuss cause it's so subjective. What counts as Mickey and what doesn't really depends on who you ask.

Does Walk All Over You sound like Mickey? It's clean and high pitched for sure. Does the 2022 version of Back in Black sound like Mickey? I don't know. He's screaming his ass off, so I don't think it's exactly the voice that people have traditionally called the Mickey voice.

So I don't even know what the bad sounding songs and the good sounding songs are supposed to be. What songs should be replaced with what? This is all so subjective that it shouldn't be surprising that Axl doesn't sing exactly the songs that you would want him to sing.

Least popular by what, Spotify? I don’t even use that shit. 
No, he wouldn’t do it with rasp, since there’s originally no rasp in the first place, which is why I suggested this song. It sounds good as it is, plus include those few raspy seconds he’d sometimes do live at the end, and you have at least a great alternation, if not downright replacement. Better is better as a song, but not when it sounds like this (one of the worst, so why keep playing it if he struggles so much?). 
Also, I don’t give a damn about a Swedish reporter; he was clearly biased and set to hate that performance in general. This is about us here talking. 
I’m not getting into that tired old "mickey vs. clean voice". It doesn’t matter after all. It doesn't sound as it is supposed to, which is understandable with the age - and hence the need to reflect that in the setlist (which will get stale pretty soon anyway). 
I don’t care which songs exactly he sings. WTTJ/SCOM/PC is what needs to be played every night, I suppose. Plus NR and KOHD will always be played, whether we like it or not. Anything else can alternate, whether on the basis of what was played the gig/week before or on the basis of Axl’s current form. Trouble is, they keep playing the same stuff, and we're so used to it that we think anything else is impossible. Not true, look at other bands. 
But if he’s surrounded by yes-men only and Slash with Duff don’t give a shit, then I guess it’s hard to expect anything. And no, I’m not one of those ever-complaining negative Nellies, I just see how some of you keep arguing with this same old crap á la "You want some changes? Wait, so you actually want them to change everything? That’s ridiculous!" 
Their catalogue may be small, but it's not that small, and we have every right to evaluate all this, especially when they currently come off as just a professional cold money machine, ever since 2018. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by jamillos

[Tom2112]

31 minutes ago, Stay.Of.Execution said:

Plus prostitue is just not a good live song. It's a great studio song, but it doesn't do anything live. Especially for people who are not familiar with it. Better on the other hand has some intensity and groove to be a decent live song

Prostitute and a lot of CD songs are not great for a big stadiums, in door arena shows they suit. I think Prostitute is a good live song though, I just love when the chorus kicks in. One of the tracks on the album that I have warmed to over the years and now quite like.

The crowd don't know Prostitute, but a good percentage wouldn't know Locomotive or Dead Horse either. When you go deep into an album tracklist that's generally there just for the real diehards.

[6lake sa66ath]

2 hours ago, Swedish said:

A local newspapers review of the show: https://www.smp.se/noje/axl-rose-ar-dod-synd-bara-att-nagon-gravde-upp-liket-706e1c0a/

 

The headline is: “Axl Rose is dead, it’s a shame that someone dug up the corpse and put the mummy on the stage in Blekinge”

Brutal.

Surely these are the worst reviews they’ve ever received since getting back together in ‘16.

I can’t wait for the Nightrain wreck to arrive in London for 2 nights… 🥴

[vloors]

Just watched a few songs and wow shambles. Seems like the bands really slowed it down but axl just can't handle any of the vocals or keep up. 

At this point his tarnishing the legacy and should just retire. 

[Dazey]

On 6/11/2022 at 8:46 AM, jamillos said:

Not just Nordic, buddy. All Europe, since folks generally are able to count to more than 12. 

Sorry, US fellows, I had to do that. Love ya and all that. 

Unfortunately Americans run out of toes at 15. 😂

[vloors]

This is probably the worst gnr show I've seen. 

[Powderfinger]

1 minute ago, vloors said:

This is probably the worst gnr show I've seen. 

There’s a few more to go.... 

[vloors]

Just now, Powderfinger said:

There’s a few more to go.... 

I just rewatched clips from bridgeschool/rio/Berlin just to make sure and its by far the worst for me. Lisbon opening night wasn't too bad. Hopefully just a really off night.

 

[Powderfinger]

25 minutes ago, vloors said:

Just watched a few songs and wow shambles. Seems like the bands really slowed it down but axl just can't handle any of the vocals or keep up. 

At this point his tarnishing the legacy and should just retire. 

 

Id agree, time to wrap it up, it’s embarrassing as it is, and  it’s not going to improve anything. His voice is done. He can’t stay in key or in any 1 voice on every song, and he sounds weak. It doesn’t matter about the excuses anymore, the evidence is there for our own ears. Mick Jagger is touring right now at 79 and he sounds great. Axl sounds shit. If he can’t do the material justice like the Stone still can it’s time to hang it up.

 

But they won’t $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[6lake sa66ath]

I’m choosing to remain blissfully ignorant until I’m there in person, got Gold Circle for both shows, so if it’s this bad there’ll be no hiding it warts n’ all right up front 😬

[themadcaplaughs]

14 hours ago, Axl S said:

Now I'm picturing Slash having to miss a show and Axl getting on the phone to Bumble and Robin to call in a huge favour.

Funny image! Robin would not answer because he's too busy touring with a band that kills it every night on a consistent basis. 

Bumblefoot probably still harbors so many bitter feelings that he'd purposefully book a show at a 200 person capacity bowling ally the same night he was needed (six people would show up). I jest; love Ron! 

[Swedish]

42 minutes ago, 6lake sa66ath said:

I’m choosing to remain blissfully ignorant until I’m there in person, got Gold Circle for both shows, so if it’s this bad there’ll be no hiding it warts n’ all right up front 😬

I truly believe you will have a good time! I'm still glad I went to this show and don't regret it, if I had been closer to the stage I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!

[We love Axl Rose]

1 hour ago, vloors said:

I just rewatched clips from bridgeschool/rio/Berlin just to make sure and its by far the worst for me. Lisbon opening night wasn't too bad. Hopefully just a really off night.

 

 

You listened to all the bad performances, but you didn't listen to the worst (Hershey 2021) ? You have to listen to that. 

[6lake sa66ath]

34 minutes ago, Swedish said:

I truly believe you will have a good time! I'm still glad I went to this show and don't regret it, if I had been closer to the stage I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!

Cheers mate and yeah don’t want to regret missing any opportunity to see Axl and Slash on stage as GN’R considering all the years wasted.

Fingers crossed his vocals are properly warmed up by July!

[t-p-d-a]

5 hours ago, Alexmee239 said:

Lmao, listen to Live Era and even NITL Selects. 

same notes, diffrent technic. There is no mid voice. A octave lower or a octave higher. You can sing G#3 or G#2... There is no G#2,5 LOL

[Alejandro GNR]

It really makes me laugh when I read some people who say that Axl is choosing to sing like this so he can sing through all the tour. When you listen to him trying to sing a few sentences with rasp and not only not being able but also cracking the hell out of his voice, absolutely out of breath and tune...God this is very hard for us fans, we are talking about my favorite singer EVER without question, but damn this is sad.

I think they should just focus on recording whatever they can come up with in studio and stop touring. 

I hope Axl can still pull off songs in studio even if it takes weeks to record every line at a time.

[RocketTess]

1 hour ago, Swedish said:

I truly believe you will have a good time! I'm still glad I went to this show and don't regret it, if I had been closer to the stage I'm sure I would have enjoyed it even more!

I also had a good time. I had a good spot and right there I didn’t mind the sound. Looking at my vidorclips now is another story. His voice was really weak. Sadly….

[We love Axl Rose]

On 6/12/2022 at 12:51 PM, 6lake sa66ath said:

From Aftonbladet :

Guns N 'Roses kills the festival atmosphere

Sofia Bergström

Guns N 'Roses did not take revenge after the previous failure at Sweden Rock.Photo: RICKARD NILSSON

MUSIC

SWEDEN ROCK Mercyful Fate's satanic sermon the night before was certainly a cautious prelude.

It will be Guns N 'Roses that spread the biggest fear at the festival.

Guns N 'Roses

Location: Festival Stage. Audience:Really small with people. It has probably never been so sparse before a main act on Sweden Rock. Duration: Three hours. That's about three hours too much. Best: You can not complain about "I wanna be your dog", maybe because Axl Rose does not sing. Even "Knockin 'on heaven's door" and "Coma" actually sound quite okay. Worst: The rest. Question: Does the band themselves think it sounds good?

NORWAY. Guns N 'Roses need no further presentation.

However, the members are in desperate need of their own watches. Someone has to teach Americans the clock and how to keep time.

Their debut at Sweden Rock twelve years ago immediately went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Shame. Axl Rose & co was almost an hour late and was met by burop from a wet and disappointed audience.

It was not a question of whether they would be delayed this time, but by how much .

30 minutes is the right answer.

Just over half an hour after the scheduled time, Duff McKagan and Slash enter the stage and stand next to the Ukrainian flag. Then Axl Rose and the rest of the band stroll in.

The reception is fishy.

In front of him, the band has a crowd of people who are more reminiscent of a dead school of fish than a peppy audience.

However, the pulsating rhythms in "Welcome to the jungle" excite the people around me. The energy that arises temporarily certainly opens up a temporary portal to a parallel universe.

Maybe one where Axl Rose still sings well. Because he does not do that in this world.

During "Chinese democracy", "Welcome to the jungle" and "Hard school" I get such anxiety that my intestines get tangled up like a rat king (image google it if you dare).

It therefore feels like a godsend when McKagan takes over the song in The Stooges cover "I wanna be your dog".

And there will be more covers, of course, because Guns N 'Roses plays in what feels like an eternity.

Not only are they delayed - they also take over by 30 minutes. And no one in the band seems to take any notice that the audience is thinning out for each song.

There will thus be no revenge since the last time.

It feels more like you are participating in a game of Russian roulette. With constant fear that the next song will be the one that extinguishes the spark of life.

It's basically only during "Knockin 'on heaven's door", "I wanna be your dog" and "Coma" that I do not want Saint Per to pick me up and let me in through the pearl gate.

When "Paradise city" subsides and the concert hell is finally over, it undeniably feels like I have ended up in paradise.

I think everyone would write a review like this that they have to go to a concert of a band they don't like, and then wait another 1 hour for the concert to start and then wait another 3 hours for that concert to end until 1:30 AM. 

[DTJ80]

6 hours ago, Lies They Tell said:

 

Better sounds pretty much the same as most of the other songs they play. Getting rid of one or two songs won't change anything.

If your solution is that they should replace most of their songs with something else, then what would the replacement songs be? Axl sings with a high voice on most of their material.

There's like Bad Obsession and what else? Down On the Farm maybe? Sure they can replace a couple of songs, but at the end of the day what would be the difference? As long as songs like WTTJ, SCOM, PC and NV have no rasp, people like the swedish reporter will say that Axl sounds terrible. Replacing Better with Bad Obsession won't change that.

Besides, when they release new material, I'm sure that there will be plenty of songs that Axl has sung with a high voice. Should those songs never be released or should those songs never be played live? Or should Axl re-record all the vocals and sing them with a low voice instead before they release them? I certainly hope that he doesn't re-record all the great raspy vocals with some low voice shit just to please some random people on the internet.

There may be some very minor things that Axl could do with the setlist, but overall these demands are pretty unrealistic. Even if he would bring back Bad Obsession and Down On The Farm, that wouldn't be a permanent solution. People would get bored with those songs quickly and they would start complaining about the setlist. So eventually they would have to replace those songs with something else again and they don't have many songs that can be sung with a low voice. Axl always sounded good on The Seeker, but tons of people wanted him to sing something else instead.

 

I’m going next month so A) I know what I’ll be getting and B) I’m still absolutely looking forward to it and will totally rock out. But that doesn’t mean we can’t point out clear issues - Better has always been dodgy live but recently it’s plain bad….to the point it should be a one-off if he thinks he can do it justice (a special 3 song set somewhere where he could go absolutely hell for leather and rest for about 6 months 🤣).

There are others in the set too which could be rested and rotated. Bad Obsession is an obvious one which is always given as an example - yet is never played?!

The obvious thing would be to add new stuff with current vocals but we know the current situation on that.

Ive conversed with you before on this and had good chat as you seem quite knowledgeable about vocals - I personally would be quite pleased if he kept the current approach on the big guns (SCOM, NR) but completely refreshed his approach to others. It might be stark but I think it would be cool - go deep on stuff he was high on before as he still has that voice, its got real power and for the ‘non-hits’ who would really complain?

As I say - I’ll be going next month and enjoying the hell out of it as apart from a few terrors like Better - I’m absolutely used to the current approach and can still dig the overall band.

[Pedrolg]

3 minutes ago, DTJ80 said:

I’m going next month so A) I know what I’ll be getting and B) I’m still absolutely looking forward to it and will totally rock out. But that doesn’t mean we can’t point out clear issues - Better has always been dodgy live but recently it’s plain bad….to the point it should be a one-off if he thinks he can do it justice (a special 3 song set somewhere where he could go absolutely hell for leather and rest for about 6 months 🤣).

There are others in the set too which could be rested and rotated. Bad Obsession is an obvious one which is always given as an example - yet is never played?!

The obvious thing would be to add new stuff with current vocals but we know the current situation on that.

Ive conversed with you before on this and had good chat as you seem quite knowledgeable about vocals - I personally would be quite pleased if he kept the current approach on the big guns (SCOM, NR) but completely refreshed his approach to others. It might be stark but I think it would be cool - go deep on stuff he was high on before as he still has that voice, its got real power and for the ‘non-hits’ who would really complain?

As I say - I’ll be going next month and enjoying the hell out of it as apart from a few terrors like Better - I’m absolutely used to the current approach and can still dig the overall band.

It should be better next month. Axl always gets better as the tour goes on. The first 5 shows or so are usually him at his worst in any given leg of a tour.