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They come around here for two shows in my area, each within two hours by car, but I'm not going. I just don't see myself spending what they charge for reasonable seats these days to see exactly the same show again with exactly the same songs played in exactly the same order - by a drummer playing to a click, a lead guitarist going through the motions and a singer not even trying. Maybe I change my mind and attend a show when they offer something interesting, until then I say best luck to them and lots of fun to everyone going.

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Expectations are low. We're all suckers and we all really, really hoped that they'd drop a record in 2020. Then the pandemic hit and they had yet another excuse for an indefinite delay.  Any "normal" band would have a record ready to drop to coincide with the new tour. They've had nothing but time in the last year-plus. They could have started the record last April and been done by now.

Unfortunately, it looks like the time off the road was spent writing music with and for other bands (Conspirators, for example).

I'm excited to see GNR at Wrigley Field, but I don't expect any set surprises and I don't think we'll ever see a new record. Sadly, they're content to be a nostalgia act. It's abundantly clear. I wish they would just come out and say it instead of vague "we're working on Guns material" or "we have to figure out how to release a record."

Edited by GnR Chris
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At the moment I'm not bothered to be honest. That might change if Axl's on good form in the first few shows and they do something interesting with the set list but if it's just a repeat of what we've seen since the NITL tour kicked off then I'm not going to be queueing up for tickets. 

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On 7/4/2021 at 2:12 PM, Tom-Ass said:

The tour starts in less than a month.. Does anyone even care? Did any tickets sell?  I haven't even been looking. I feel like this is the least anticipated Guns tour ever.  I have tickets for the second show and could care less. I have been holding onto them for two years and it is on a Tuesday night.  The band isn't doing anything to stir up any excitement. They are all 5 years older.. I expect Axl to look and sound like shit and use the show as a rehearsal.  Ridiculous hats and elf boots included. They will still have the same half assed lineup complete with a terrible drummer and a blue haired anime bobblehead.  

I could care less if this lineup ever released a song. No interest in anything that includes Fortus, Frank or the Bobblehead. Axl sounded like crap on CD never mind now and I have no interest in any music that sounds anything like CD.

For me the highlight of the "reunion" were the live shows. They have been a blast . I could watch Slash play those classics all day long but I couldn't be more indifferent about this show coming up. You would think it would be the total opposite since Covid stifled live shows for so long. 

Is anyone jacked up about the tour?

 

I'm of two minds for these coming shows. 

On one hand there is the possibility that they simply turn up with the exact same quality of show we saw in 2020 (the lack of a warmup show makes me fear this is likely).

But... if Axl turns up firing on all cylinders, they mix up the setlist order and they play hardschool I think these shows could hold about the same excitement for me as the early 2016 shows. It's worth noting that all these changes are relatively simple, not asking for the world here.

Sad thing is I don't know how much these changes would contribute to ticket sales. The past year should have been a masterclass in getting people pumped for these shows (interviews, live stream performances, vintage show streams) but instead there's been very little quality marketing. 

 

 

 

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10 minutes ago, GNR_RNR said:

I'm of two minds for these coming shows. 

On one hand there is the possibility that they simply turn up with the exact same quality of show we saw in 2020 (the lack of a warmup show makes me fear this is likely).

But... if Axl turns up firing on all cylinders, they mix up the setlist order and they play hardschool I think these shows could hold about the same excitement for me as the early 2016 shows. It's worth noting that all these changes are relatively simple, not asking for the world here.

Sad thing is I don't know how much these changes would contribute to ticket sales. The past year should have been a masterclass in getting people pumped for these shows (interviews, live stream performances, vintage show streams) but instead there's been very little quality marketing. 

 

 

 

Trying to hold onto stadium level while playing the mystique card... but not releasing music or developing new sets and a performance level that keeps declining... I mean it's such a bat shit crazy business plan, so now when you're all talking about shit sales now, it feels like the natural conclusion. 

Plenty of people here have suggested ideas that could redirect the ship even without new music. Gnr are in denial. They think cheap billboards sell tickets. A new single sells tickets. That's excitement. A new stage with something unusual like the U2 claw or Tommy Lees rollercoaster brings excitement. A prime time interview creates interest. As far as anyone planning to see gnr knows, the show is the show they played in 2016... what is the draw? I get that some people just like seeing gnr and don't care if the band is good or bad, that's insane... but I understand there are people like that😄 I think gnr burnt their other fans... I think Mexico and Europe are going to still be sid for gnr, but America seems fairly lost.

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2 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

Trying to hold onto stadium level while playing the mystique card... but not releasing music or developing new sets and a performance level that keeps declining... I mean it's such a bat shit crazy business plan, so now when you're all talking about shit sales now, it feels like the natural conclusion. 

Plenty of people here have suggested ideas that could redirect the ship even without new music. Gnr are in denial. They think cheap billboards sell tickets. A new single sells tickets. That's excitement. A new stage with something unusual like the U2 claw or Tommy Lees rollercoaster brings excitement. A prime time interview creates interest. As far as anyone planning to see gnr knows, the show is the show they played in 2016... what is the draw? I get that some people just like seeing gnr and don't care if the band is good or bad, that's insane... but I understand there are people like that😄 I think gnr burnt their other fans... I think Mexico and Europe are going to still be sid for gnr, but America seems fairly lost.

None of that is the result of management or the result of bandmates. The lack of any information, the lack of any involvement, the lack of any publicity or progress is attributed to one mans autocracy. It’s not a GNR thing, it’s an Axl thing. Everyone is just there for the money and everyone knows it all burns to the ground in an instant. No one is ready to cross that line with Axl now.

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6 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

I mean it's such a bat shit crazy business plan, so now when you're all talking about shit sales now, it feels like the natural conclusion. 

Indeed particularly odd when they were given the relatively open goal of these being the 'UYI shows'

We should have seen interviews and old news clips from their social media talking about what an event the UYI albums were. polls for what UYI songs to play etc

As you said they are trying to play the mystique card with a rather stationary setlist/product. Baffling  

7 minutes ago, Tom2112 said:

I think gnr burnt their other fans... I think Mexico and Europe are going to still be sid for gnr, but America seems fairly lost.

I think America will continue to be a strong market, but only when they play the game correctly. 

We've seen massive oversaturation of the NA market since 2016 and the only major changes have been in the ticket price increases. 

Proper promotion, good support acts and some sane ticket prices could give GNR a bumper summer tour.

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13 minutes ago, axl666 said:

I'm pretty excited tbh.

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

they have shown that in normal year with no new material they can sell out stadiums across the world. I have seen no evidence that anything has changed about this.

My main concern is that they moved too soon. While the u.s. vaccination programme is very good, country still is not by any means totally vaccinated. I  think there are a lot of fans, myself included, who want to see gnr but will wait one more year to see how pandemic plays out before heading into such packed environment

 

The NITL tour had been reduced to small venues, festivals and arenas by 2019, not to mention the 2020 tour had been selling just as poorly as the 2021 tour... but yea, it's not GNR's fault :lol:

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23 minutes ago, axl666 said:

I'm pretty excited tbh.

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

they have shown that in normal year with no new material they can sell out stadiums across the world. I have seen no evidence that anything has changed about this.

My main concern is that they moved too soon. While the u.s. vaccination programme is very good, country still is not by any means totally vaccinated. I  think there are a lot of fans, myself included, who want to see gnr but will wait one more year to see how pandemic plays out before heading into such packed environment

Hilarious….

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38 minutes ago, axl666 said:

 

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

 

Uh ... no. They haven't stopped touring since Slash returned in 2016. They've hit the same markets multiple times now. Either present something new in the set list, drop an album to garner some buzz, or lower ticket prices. I gotta think if tickets were $150 instead of $250 for the pit, then scaled accordingly, the place would be full. 

There are only so many times casual fans will pony up hundreds to go see a show.

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41 minutes ago, axl666 said:

I'm pretty excited tbh.

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

they have shown that in normal year with no new material they can sell out stadiums across the world. I have seen no evidence that anything has changed about this.

My main concern is that they moved too soon. While the u.s. vaccination programme is very good, country still is not by any means totally vaccinated. I  think there are a lot of fans, myself included, who want to see gnr but will wait one more year to see how pandemic plays out before heading into such packed environment

You're trolling.....right?! t

If anything, the pandemic has been a blessing for them in terms of sales- people might be buying tickets because they're starved of live music. 

The shows were announced long  before the pandemic anyway. 

I'm sure you know all this though as you've SURELY got to be on the wind-up.....

Edited by allwaystired
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8 hours ago, Tom-Ass said:

Same, I still love seeing Slash playing all those classics, extended jams and solos.  

Fenway.. Boston

Tom do you collect the lithos from the shows? I’m attending Wrigley. I’m hoping these will be special shows with cool Lithos. 

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7 hours ago, downzy said:

Maybe, but who knows.  I also doubt it.

More likely he became indifferent to Guns/new music in the same way that most people become indifferent as they get older.   Financial considerations seem to be the main driver, which, again, isn't all that uncommon for people 40 and over.  

Or he’s like you Downzy and he no longer is excited by certain things that once turn him on.

Edited by Ixtlan
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57 minutes ago, axl666 said:

I'm pretty excited tbh.

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

they have shown that in normal year with no new material they can sell out stadiums across the world. I have seen no evidence that anything has changed about this.

My main concern is that they moved too soon. While the u.s. vaccination programme is very good, country still is not by any means totally vaccinated. I  think there are a lot of fans, myself included, who want to see gnr but will wait one more year to see how pandemic plays out before heading into such packed environment

Troll of the week award goes to...

But if this isn't trolling it underlines what I said about people who love GNR regardless of good/bad. GNR hit the same markets over and over again and the numbers clearly dropped. Other bands are going out and their fans are showing up, so the pandemic fear is not really there. We're not talking stadiums but it's all relative. If your hardcore fanbase is saying "nah" then you have really messed up somewhere down the line. This forum is a pretty broad collection of fans that rarely agree, but the majority seem to agree that they are not excited to seeing GNR in 2021 (even those with tickets). There's not many ways to look at that other than GNR mishandling their legacy and fanbase.

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But come showtime these shows will be at least 80% filled seats. Nu GnR shows routinely would be half empty. I saw GNR in Kansas City in 2013 at a beautiful theater. A theater that looked like the venue where November Rain was filmed. It was half empty. It was demoralizing. I swore that would be my last show. At least this incarnation has Slash on fire. 

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If they were to drop a new album, switch up the setlist and Axl/DC Axl shows up I'll be begging them to take my money. I'm happy to spend money if I feel I'm getting value. Dread to think of how many thousands I spent at the two opening Vegas shows in 2016 and that was worth every penny but I'm not paying a fortune for basically the same show 5 years on only with older and fatter band members phoning it in. 

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1 hour ago, Tom2112 said:

Troll of the week award goes to...

But if this isn't trolling it underlines what I said about people who love GNR regardless of good/bad. GNR hit the same markets over and over again and the numbers clearly dropped. Other bands are going out and their fans are showing up, so the pandemic fear is not really there. We're not talking stadiums but it's all relative. If your hardcore fanbase is saying "nah" then you have really messed up somewhere down the line. This forum is a pretty broad collection of fans that rarely agree, but the majority seem to agree that they are not excited to seeing GNR in 2021 (even those with tickets). There's not many ways to look at that other than GNR mishandling their legacy and fanbase.

Not a troll:)

i have seen gnr five times in the past ten years and would see them again with no hesitation - in a  normal year. I've been a die hard gnr fan since 1988. There's hardcore gnr fans who are obviously very disappointed with the band and won't go see them. There's other types of hardcore fans who will always see them.

However saying that, I wouldn't go see them this year. Nothing to do with new music, everything to do with the pandemic. I think a lot of much more casual fans would be the same. I think a poster above thought there might be soft sales for 4 x 25 dollar tickets. It might be overtouring is part of it but I don't think that's the main factor this year.

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1 hour ago, allwaystired said:

You're trolling.....right?! t

If anything, the pandemic has been a blessing for them in terms of sales- people might be buying tickets because they're starved of live music. 

The shows were announced long  before the pandemic anyway. 

I'm sure you know all this though as you've SURELY got to be on the wind-up.....

 

Sorry forgot to say that s a good point about pandemic effect increasing sales. That would be very interesting if that's what's happening

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26 minutes ago, axl666 said:

Sorry forgot to say that s a good point about pandemic effect increasing sales. That would be very interesting if that's what's happening

The pandemic should have helped GN'Rs ticket sales. The tour had already been downgraded to arenas in the US prior to the pandemic. So all of the US not being able to go to concerts for a year and a half should have helped GN'R. 

It didn't though. The verdict is already in on that, there's no need to wait and see. If you go to Ticketmaster and look up any show on the ticket, the amount of tickets available currently is embarrassing. 

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3 hours ago, axl666 said:

however if Sales are low, it's because of pandemic not anything to do with guns themselves.

These shows weren't selling hardly any tickets prior to the pandemic. Sales were absolutely terrible. If anything I think the "pandemic" will help them at this point because people are dying to get out..  It will also probably help them that the Def Leppard, Motley Crue, Poison, Joan Jett tour is postponed til next year.  That tour was to sell out two Fenway shows summer of 2020. I think a lot of people chose that over Guns.  

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2 hours ago, Ixtlan said:

Tom do you collect the lithos from the shows? I’m attending Wrigley. I’m hoping these will be special shows with cool Lithos. 

Nope never bought a litho.. Only thing I have bought at the 3 NITL shows I have went to was a tshirt in Vegas. 

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I really haven’t given much thought to going to area show.Being that I’ve seen them 4 times in last 5 years and seen them 5 times in their classic era it’s just kind of reached a saturation point for me.I would love to hear some new music of some sorts then maybe I’d go to another show but even then it probably be a maybe.

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