Ritz 1991 Blu-Ray Review

[StrangerInThisTown]

I'm really curious what other people think of this footage. I don't think I've ever written a review of anything before in my life, so I don't know how good this is going to be, so I'll just type out my thoughts and personal feelings, maybe it's boring, maybe it's not. I saw the Ritz 1991 in a Berlin movie theater yesterday pretty spontaneously after I won tickets for it on the day it was screened (Nov. 10th). I've been a GNR fan for about 10 years now (I'm only 28) but this was really special to me. There was nothing outside indicating this was being played tonight, so it seems it was invite only and other people who won tickets.

I have the actual photo that's in the UYI boxset of Axl with that american flag jacket printed on a T Shirt, so I decided to wear that and just finally have the peak fan-moment of my life seeing this, I didn't ever think my actual life and GNR fandom would ever collide due to me being born so late apart from maybe going to a reunion show, I don't even have a TV or a bluray player since I'm still at University so I can't spend money on luxury like that, so I was fully expecting to be watching some crappy Youtube version of this on my Laptop later sometime, but as luck would have it I got to see it in a movie theater and was pretty excited.

So I arrive at the location and it's pretty packed, I looked around and I think there were maybe 40-50 GNR fans there. The UYI albums were displayed close to the movie screen and 2 german presenter guys came out and talked a bit about GNR and how they were 14 when they first saw them during the UYI tour along with some other stuff like Axls feud with Kurt at the time, which was pretty boring to me since as a hardcore fan I knew all this stuff in and out already.

 

Nevertheless, after a while, lights out, here we go, and you hear McBobs usual announcement OF ALL THE BANDS, THIS IS ONE OF THEM. At that point I actually realized I've never seen a full show, only random clips of songs in, comparably, bad quality. From the first second of Pretty Tied Up starting (and to the end), the entire time I was constantly thinking: holy shit.. I.. holy fucking shit.. seeing something from May 1991 but it feels like it's simultaneously happening live right infront of me. It felt like from another world. Like something I was never meant to see. The crowd at the show being in the dark coupled with me sitting next to other fans in the dark at the theater made it really feel like I was actually there. The image quality and the huge sound was INSANE. Nothing even came close from anything I've seen before related to GNR. I feel like I finally saw the band I've been a fan of for so long in person, and at their peak. This is it.

I wasn't even thinking about how good the performances of the songs were, I just immediately knew nothing I would ever see again would even come close to seeing this in this setting. I just couldn't fathom what I was seeing was that LONG AGO, I wasn't even born when this was filmed, and here he is, my hero Axl at 29, still older than me, and yet it looks like it was filmed today, hearing Axl talk about random trivia and world happenings in 1991 between songs made it feel like actual time travel.

When I watched this, not like the people at the time who were there, but as a guy seeing it decades later and having all this knowledge of the history of the band and what would come in the future, it felt like you are watching gods roaming the earth, and somehow it made sense to me where all the ego came from. They didn't even appear human, it was like watching cartoon characters in some way, these people have achieved something in life not many people get to feel/experience being the biggest thing on the planet, and it was kind of inspirational to me when I realized Axl was actually older than I am right now at 28 in this footage from fucking MAY 1991. It was just mindblowing for a younger person like me really to even comprehend how much time has passed since this happened, because you feel like you are right there, right then, as it's happening.

From the actual songs, I found RNDTH and Dust N Bones the highlights of the early set. Izzy is kind of in the back the entire show (Mr Invisible of GNR) as Axl calls him at some point, but there he takes center stage and just brings swagger.

One of the best parts was during the "highlight" of the show - DRUM SOLO - people were actually laughing during Matts short "breaks", his face was like FUCK YEAH which just seemed ridiculous the entire time. It just looks cheesy and silly, but I dug Duffs basslines and Slash at the end when it turns into somewhat of an actual song. He still looked to me like a replacement part, the 30 year old professional dude hired to fill in for the other "gang member" who collapsed to drugs and had to be replaced, but it didn't change any enjoyment of the show, Izzy being there still gave it that authentic feeling of seeing that animal that ravaged the Ritz back in '88.

During YCBM you don't actually see Axl breaking his leg, I don't think I saw it, he just says after the song he thinks he did. It was kind of funny seeing him there though sitting there like "fuck", and sitting down during most of Patience. Patience was so good though, it was a goosebumps moment from the show.

Shannon came out after, and seeing this guy who has been dead for over 20 years looking like this was filmed yesterday just seemed surreal. I really like You Ain't The First, it seemed like the guys were having fun and it was a really chill moment where it seemed like Axl got really comfortable in the show. Afterwards he told Slash to just play whatever he wants. Towards the end of the show you can see that Slash is fucking WASTED when he talks for a while, which I'm sure he's not very fond of when he looks at this lol, but it was cool seeing him talk when he didn't even say 1 word during shows the entire reunion.

They closed with WTTJ and it really was an intense performance, even Axl moved around a bit more again (he was limping and not so active after the leg thing). It really works as a badass closer, and it was so great to see since they never close with anything other than PC usually.

 

In short I'll never forget this, I feel like I'm pretty done watching any low quality footage after seeing what it ACTUALLY looked like being there, they HAVE to release more pro shots and filmed shows because this is what will stand the test of time and what future people interested in the band will see when they check them out. It's new to us now, and it's mindblowing they kept this shit in a vault for 30 years, but in like 10-20 years this will be one of the defining GNR documents out there.

This was really the defining moment because (IMO) after Izzy left just a few months after this and seeing shows from 1992 it seemed like a completely different band. The attitude changed, the scene changed when Kurt came out, and this captures that exact short period of time before, when they were the biggest, you could tell they felt on top of the world and were confident in the new songs they're putting out. During Estranged watching Axl I remember thinking, yeah, I'd be an egomaniac aswell if I just wrote Estranged and that that's on my next album. Oh.. yeah and I just wrote a song called November Rain aswell.

My only critique is that Nightrain was not in the set, and that they should have shown the crowd more. Otherwise I don't see any future GNR video release competing with this thing.

You can ask me some more questions about the footage, but I think I wrote down everything that I remember.

Edited November 13, 2022 by StrangerInThisTown

[ryanf23]

Great review! I’ve been a die hard fan since I discovered them in 1988. It’s great to see younger fans like yourself who missed the band at their peak see that this band is much more than what many grew up on in the Chinese Democracy era

[Ratam]

53 minutes ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

Hey everyone, I don't think I've ever written a review of anything before in my life, so I don't know how good this is going to be, so I'll just type out my thoughts, maybe it's boring, maybe it's not. I saw the Ritz 1991 in a Berlin movie theater yesterday pretty spontaneously after I won tickets for it on the day it was screened (Nov. 10th). I've been a GNR fan for about 10 years now (I'm only 28) but this was really special to me. There was nothing outside indicating this was being played tonight, so it seems it was invite only and other people who won tickets.

I have the actual photo that's in the UYI boxset of Axl with that american flag jacket printed on a T Shirt, so I decided to wear that and just finally have the peak fan-moment of my life seeing this, I didn't ever think my actual life and GNR fandom would ever collide due to me being born so late apart from maybe going to a reunion show, I don't even have a TV or a bluray player since I'm still in law school and I can't spend money on luxury like that, so I was fully expecting to be watching some crappy Youtube version of this on my Laptop later sometime, but as luck would have it I got to see it in a movie theater and was pretty excited.

So I arrive at the location and it's pretty packed, I looked around and I think there were maybe 40-50 GNR fans there. The UYI albums were displayed close to the movie screen and 2 german presenter guys came out and talked a bit about GNR and how they were 14 when they first saw them during the UYI tour along with some other stuff like Axls feud with Kurt at the time, which was pretty boring to me since as a hardcore fan I knew all this stuff in and out already.

 

Nevertheless, after a while, lights out, here we go, and you hear McBobs usual announcement OF ALL THE BANDS, THIS IS ONE OF THEM. At that point I actually realized I've never seen a full show, only random clips of songs in, comparably, bad quality. From the first second of Pretty Tied Up starting (and to the end), the entire time I was constantly thinking: how the fuck am I seeing something from May 1991 and it feels like I'm seeing it live happening INFRONT OF ME? The crowd at the show being in the dark coupled with me sitting next to other fans in the dark at the theater made it really feel like I was actually there. The image quality and the huge sound was INSANE. Nothing even came close from anything I've seen before related to GNR. I feel like I finally saw the band I've been a fan of for so long in person, and at their peak.

I wasn't even thinking about how good the performances of the songs were, I just immediately knew nothing I would ever see again would even come close to seeing this in this setting. I just couldn't fathom what I was seeing was that LONG AGO, I wasn't even BORN when this was filmed, and here he is, my hero Axl at 29, still older than me, and yet it looks like it was filmed today, hearing Axl talk about random trivia and world happenings in 1991 between songs made it feel like actual time travel.

When I watched this, not like the people at the time who were there, but as a guy seeing it decades later and having all this knowledge of the history of the band and what would come in the future, it felt like you are watching gods roaming the earth, and somehow it made sense to me where all the ego came from. They didn't even appear human, it was like watching cartoon characters in some way, these people have achieved something in life not many people get to feel/experience being the biggest thing on the planet, and it was kind of inspirational to me when I realized Axl was actually older than I am right now at 28 in this footage from fucking MAY 1991. It was just mindblowing for a younger person like me really to even comprehend how much time has passed since this happened, because you feel like you are right there, right then, as it's happening.

From the actual songs, I found RNDTH and Dust N Bones the highlights of the early set. Izzy is kind of in the back the entire show (Mr Invisible of GNR) as Axl calls him at some point, but there he takes center stage and just brings swagger.

One of the best parts was during the "highlight" of the show - DRUM SOLO - people were actually laughing during Matts short "breaks", his face was like FUCK YEAH which just seemed ridiculous the entire time. It just looks cheesy and silly, but I dug Duffs basslines and Slash at the end when it turns into somewhat of an actual song. He still looked to me like a replacement part, the 30 year old professional dude hired to fill in for the other "gang member" who collapsed to drugs and had to be replaced, but it didn't change any enjoyment of the show, Izzy being there still gave it that authentic feeling of seeing that animal that ravaged the Ritz back in '88.

During YCBM you don't actually see Axl breaking his leg, I don't think I saw it, he just says after the song he thinks he did. It was kind of funny seeing him there though sitting there like "fuck", and sitting down during most of Patience. Patience was so good though, it was a goosebumps moment from the show.

Shannon came out after, and seeing this guy who has been dead for over 20 years looking like this was filmed yesterday just seemed surreal. I really like You Ain't The First, it seemed like the guys were having fun and it was a really chill moment where it seemed like Axl got really comfortable in the show. Afterwards he told Slash to just play whatever he wants. Towards the end of the show you can see that Slash is fucking WASTED when he talks for a while, which I'm sure he's not very fond of when he looks at this lol, but it was cool seeing him talk when he didn't even say 1 word during shows the entire reunion.

They closed with WTTJ and it really was an intense performance, even Axl moved around a bit more again (he was limping and not so active after the leg thing). It really works as a badass closer, and it was so great to see since they never close with anything other than PC usually.

 

In short I'll never forget this, I feel like I'm pretty done watching any low quality footage after seeing what it ACTUALLY looked like being there, they HAVE to release more pro shots and filmed shows because this is what will stand the test of time and what future people interested in the band will see when they check them out. It's new to us now, and it's mindblowing they kept this shit in a vault for 30 years, but in like 10-20 years this will be one of the defining GNR things out there.

This was really the defining moment because (IMO) after Izzy left just a few months after this and seeing shows from 1992 it seemed like a completely different band. The attitude changed, the scene changed when Kurt came out, and this captures that exact short period of time before, when they were the biggest, you could tell they felt on top of the world and were confident in the new songs they're putting out. During Estranged watching Axl I remember thinking, yeah, I'd be an egomaniac aswell if I just wrote Estranged and that that's on my next album.

My only critique is that Nightrain was not in the set, and that they should have shown the crowd more. Otherwise I don't see any future GNR video release competing with this thing.

You can ask me some more questions about the footage, but I think I wrote down everything that I remember.

👏👏👏👏

[StrangerInThisTown]

34 minutes ago, ryanf23 said:

Great review! I’ve been a die hard fan since I discovered them in 1988. It’s great to see younger fans like yourself who missed the band at their peak see that this band is much more than what many grew up on in the Chinese Democracy era

I'm also curious what people think who saw them back then think when they see this. Does it feel like time travel, is it as good as you remember them? This was so fucking long ago.. I can't imagine. Everything that I remember in my life, happened like 10 years after this was filmed, and I feel old approaching 30 haha. Just mindblowing

[ryanf23]

41 minutes ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

I'm also curious what people think who saw them back then think when they see this. Does it feel like time travel, is it as good as you remember them? This was so fucking long ago.. I can't imagine. Everything that I remember in my life, happened like 10 years after this was filmed, and I feel old approaching 30 haha. Just mindblowing

I turn 48 next month. To be honest, this is exactly how I remember them and that’s why the Chinese era was a little less enjoyable for me because it was always “but, you should see how they used to be!”  
Even the reunion for me has been a little lackluster (lots of reasons) but one of them was the lack of energy on stage and all the talking and rants (I get it, they aren’t 25 anymore). 

But, this will always be how I remember them 

[darkside259]

4 hours ago, StrangerInThisTown said:

I'm only 28)

you can t let love break you r heart then!!!

[ChristmasFnatic]

Now they just have to sell this separately.

[Ant000]

Hey nice review, man.

Seeing the Ritz show in a theater, and GNR at their absolute peak in perfect recorded quality, would be truly special. Especially because, as you say, there's such a lack of releases from the band. Even Tokyo is shit by modern quality standards, let alone the grainy-ass bootlegs and clips we're accustomed to -- and '92 is probably the least compelling version of the band. Why was it just stuffed in a crate for 30 years? And why is it being hidden away behind a box set with limited mass-appeal? WHAT IS UP WITH THIS BAND

I hope I can get my hands on the bluray 5.1 audio to really get to enjoy Izzy's isolated playing -- that's my last GNR holy grail.

[UncleJosh]

I am ripping the audio as we speak. Sadly the PCM track is mastered exactly like the CD but the TrueHD 5.1 mix is mastered much better.  I am doing a 2 channel downmix to see how that sounds too since it should have better dynamics.  But the downmix process may cause issues, not sure yet.  It is automated but I have had success with it before on some U2 releases where the DTS mix was far superior than the 2 channel mix IMO.

As for the video itself? This may just be the best thing the band has put out aside from the original albums.  This should have been released over the Tokyo show for sure even if it wasnt really representative of the actual tour show.  This should have gotten a theatrical release at the height of their fame to be honest. It is that good.

It is unreal we have this now but the fact that it sat for 30+ years is a shame. So many fans no longer here that would have loved seeing this.  I felt the same way when Bruce finally released the No Nukes show.  That was an even longer wait. 

Message to all bands - put your shit out especially when it is such high quality so your fans can enjoy it while they are still here.

This should get a separate release as well. Hopefully next year they can do a standalone with a 4k version too.  I dont care if it is a money grab, it needs to be seen by as many fans as possible.

 

 

 

[gabmmor]

5 hours ago, UncleJosh said:

I am ripping the audio as we speak. Sadly the PCM track is mastered exactly like the CD but the TrueHD 5.1 mix is mastered much better.  I am doing a 2 channel downmix to see how that sounds too since it should have better dynamics.  But the downmix process may cause issues, not sure yet.  It is automated but I have had success with it before on some U2 releases where the DTS mix was far superior than the 2 channel mix IMO.

I want this in my table now.

[ChineseunDemocrazy]

is it 4k or 1080p??

[ChineseunDemocrazy]

just watched the first 4 mins (pretty tied up)...peak rock n roll band live show...nothing anyone can say will convince me otherwise

[EvH]

8 hours ago, ChineseunDemocrazy said:

is it 4k or 1080p??

1080p.

[janrichmond]

Amazing show, I watched it last night. 

[jaknudsen]

2 hours ago, EvH said:

1080p.

At least it's transferred to 4K

https://i.imgur.com/uEqDVQs.png

Edited November 13, 2022 by jaknudsen

[AncientEvil80]

Beautiful camera work by the crew, absolutely top notch. The band in great spirits, Axl truly shines before he burned his voice in the coming summer tour. Duff already in trouble, floating like balloon, some funny moments 😂 Izzy still shows some interest and involvement, nice sound in the mix.  Matt (of whom I am absolutely NO FAN) actually has some swing and swagger in some arrangements/fills and doesn't have that annoying, disgusting "heavy stomp hand" that developed later on yet.

Great to see Shannon in HD and have a good time with the band. 

Overall a historically important show for the band, the lightning in a bottle magic still shows up here and there, despite a super-sober Izzy and lack of Popcorn - before it all quickly went to hell in the following months. I'm glad they released it in all its quality glory, thank you guys 🙏.

Imagine if we could see shows of such video/audio quality with Steven on it, it'd be heaven. Alas.... some things in the VAULT will never see the light of day. But hey, one can always hope.

[temte]

Part of the holy grail right here! And there are so many more hours in the vault. #keepemcoming 

[agustingloger]

The interactions between Axl and Slash ❤️

[agustingloger]

I can't believe how good this is. I'm in love again with this band 

[El Guapo]

1 hour ago, agustingloger said:

I can't believe how good this is. I'm in love again with this band 

It's really fucking awesome. Insane and very sad that they couldn't keep it going.

[h2sublime]

I felt the same watching it, like the band time traveled to the present. What a special show that captured a specific moment in time. This is gnr absolutely on fire. Audio and video are perfect. What a gift to see this footage.

[bojan]

Do you guys think that the big three actually sat down and saw the footage top to bottom (individually, of course and unfortunately)?

Been a fan since '91 (9 years old then) and this really is the holy grail, the epitomy of GNF'NRS!

Also, do they themselves realize how amazing they were and what they can do to make things sound/look better now?

Edited November 13, 2022 by bojan
To complete the comments

[darkside259]

6 minutes ago, bojan said:

Do you guys think that the big three actually sat down and saw the footage top to bottom (individually, of course and unfortunately)?

Been a fan since '91 (9 years old then) and this really is the holy grail, the epitomy of GNF'NRS!

Also, do they themselves realize how amazing they were and what they can do to make things sound/look better now?

they r different people now, im sure they feel awkard looking back at the show

[Italian girl]

How could axl finish the concert with a broken foot, walking and dancing like nothing had happened?

[t-p-d-a]

6 minutes ago, Italian girl said:

How could axl finish the concert with a broken foot, walking and dancing like nothing had happened?

Adrenaline, alcohol and drugs? But by the end of the show, you can tell he's struggling. Not that hard but he feels it.