Who Dictates the Setlist- Axl or a Group(Big 3) Decision?

[ChristmasFnatic]

2 hours ago, Frankfurt93 said:

Bon Jovi does it right and everyone who says they can't do it once on the tour 'foor this or that - lies'.

For example, I was at their Zagreb concert 2011, after Zagreb they played Dresden and changed 5 songs compared to Zagreb, after Dresden they played Munich and changed another 7...and that is what they always do.  In Lisabon, crowd  chated I Believe and they played it for them.

Who wants to go to the concert when you exactly know which song will be played and when!?  Spoils the whole experience.

I remember when GNR was here in the philippines, I was updating the thread with the setlist. Someone just said to look at the previous concert and it was spot on(or maybe 1 difference). Lol.

 

you goin to Frankfurt concert?

[guitarpatch]

3 hours ago, Frankfurt93 said:

Bon Jovi does it right and everyone who says they can't do it once on the tour 'foor this or that - lies'.

For example, I was at their Zagreb concert 2011, after Zagreb they played Dresden and changed 5 songs compared to Zagreb, after Dresden they played Munich and changed another 7...and that is what they always do.  In Lisabon, crowd  chated I Believe and they played it for them.

Who wants to go to the concert when you exactly know which song will be played and when!?  Spoils the whole experience.

95% of the audience has no clue what song is getting played next 

3 hours ago, Frankfurt93 said:

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by guitarpatch

[cineater]

7 hours ago, Rovim said:

I don't think he's a stupid dick, but in Gn'R, it's Axl's job to actually sing the tunes which are quite challenging, and most bands do have a band member (or members) who is more of the leader, or at least has more of a say and in Gn'R, that's Axl.

 

Yeah the rest of them would be stupid not to listen to what the singer tells you he can do and what he can't do.  He's the driving force and out there fronting the act.  But if your drummer is telling he can't go full bang on for more than 3 songs, you have to take that into consideration too.  You don't know that shit unless the guy is in the conversation about the set list.  Those alts you see on the set list are probably there more in case something goes wrong with presenting the main songs more then being on there if Axl feels like he wants to switch it up.  But there's probably technical issues where those songs actual fit into the set list and are doable for the crew.

Watch them on the stage.  Not only do you get the same songs, they are standing and moving the same way.  A little off your game and you have Axl and Slash running into each other.  You have lights in Axl's eyes.  More to it then a couple of guys or one guy coming up with that.

[mystery]

10 hours ago, SoulMonster said:

Just using your post as a stepping stone to post this graph that provides some granularity to the setlists and from what albums they pick their songs, and how this has changed over the years,

 

This is pretty cool, thanks, I'm wondering if the UYI albums being slightly higher than Appetite is due to them being double albums? Also do Knockin on Heavens Door and Live and Let Die fall under the UYI albums or covers?

[adamsapple]

11 hours ago, Bitchisback said:

Patience would be an awesome opener.  What hard rock band opens with an acoustic ballad lol. You need something rocking to open a show 

Opening with Patience would be a pretty cool WTF way to open a show. Just think of it, no stupid video screen intro, just lights dimmed, Axl slowly walking on stage from one side, Slash from the other, both meet in the middle, sit down on chairs and perform the song while Duff and Richard join in around the solo and one by one the rest of the band comes on stage. Instead of hearing the "Axl voice" for the first time at the end of ISE, you hear it at the end of Patience. The song is so powerful but often buried in the set, could move people to tears when done right. Next thing you hear is "You know where the fuck you are?" or a whistle (sic!) and they all rip into Jungle or Nightrain. I wouldn't mind.

[Bitchisback]

9 hours ago, adamsapple said:

Opening with Patience would be a pretty cool WTF way to open a show. Just think of it, no stupid video screen intro, just lights dimmed, Axl slowly walking on stage from one side, Slash from the other, both meet in the middle, sit down on chairs and perform the song while Duff and Richard join in around the solo and one by one the rest of the band comes on stage. Instead of hearing the "Axl voice" for the first time at the end of ISE, you hear it at the end of Patience. The song is so powerful but often buried in the set, could move people to tears when done right. Next thing you hear is "You know where the fuck you are?" or a whistle (sic!) and they all rip into Jungle or Nightrain. I wouldn't mind.

 

Idk I think it's just too slow. And that scenario you mentioned would work well at night but usually they take the stage when it is still light out so I would dislike it even more lol. 

 

I just think when you go to a big show you have an audience that is ready to go. Patience would work better as a closing song IMO.  Sometimes a nice peaceful song is good at the end, kinda like you made it, you can relax.

 

I want something that will get bodies moving and heads banging to open a show

[jacdaniel]

Make no mistake, Axl controls everything GNR. He might throw Slash the odd bone with by doing songs like DTJ/Coma and dropping the 3rd guitarist but everything else is him. 

 

[PatrickS77]

5 hours ago, Bitchisback said:

 

Idk I think it's just too slow. And that scenario you mentioned would work well at night but usually they take the stage when it is still light out so I would dislike it even more lol. 

 

I just think when you go to a big show you have an audience that is ready to go. Patience would work better as a closing song IMO.  Sometimes a nice peaceful song is good at the end, kinda like you made it, you can relax.

 

I want something that will get bodies moving and heads banging to open a show

Yeah. Just like Queen's Roger Taylor used to say "Deaf 'em and blind 'em with the first 3 songs, then you can go slow.". I wouldn't mind an extra outro after PC. Prince used to do that frequently in his later years. Ass kicking last song. Lights go on, people start to leave, then he comes back and does another quiet song. But really, I want to rock at the end. The first cords of PC brings that familiar feeling of "You made it. You can finally go to the toilet.".

[Gnrcane]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:50 AM, cineater said:

Yeah the rest of them would be stupid not to listen to what the singer tells you he can do and what he can't do.  He's the driving force and out there fronting the act.  But if your drummer is telling he can't go full bang on for more than 3 songs, you have to take that into consideration too.  You don't know that shit unless the guy is in the conversation about the set list.  Those alts you see on the set list are probably there more in case something goes wrong with presenting the main songs more then being on there if Axl feels like he wants to switch it up.  But there's probably technical issues where those songs actual fit into the set list and are doable for the crew.

Watch them on the stage.  Not only do you get the same songs, they are standing and moving the same way.  A little off your game and you have Axl and Slash running into each other.  You have lights in Axl's eyes.  More to it then a couple of guys or one guy coming up with that.

Very good point at the end.  For those who say Axl doesn't rehearse.  The entire show is rehearsed.  They don't just wander around the stage randomly.  Aside from keeping them from crashing into each other or getting whacked by the bottom of the mic stand, for the audience you don't want Axl, Slash, Duff and Richard all together on the far left or far right of the stage.  

I'm sure if we went back and reviewed video from the UYI tour, Axl's runs across the stage were in similar spots in the songs and in the same direction from show to show.  The spotlight operator has to have some clue as to where he is going to go and when.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Gnrcane

[PatrickS77]

9 minutes ago, Gnrcane said:

Very good point at the end.  For those who say Axl doesn't rehearse.  The entire show is rehearsed.  They don't just wander around the stage randomly.  Aside from keeping them from crashing into each other or getting whacked by the bottom of the mic stand, for the audience you don't want Axl, Slash, Duff and Richard all together on the far left or far right of the stage.  

I'm sure if we went backed and reviewed video from the UYI tour, Axl's runs across the stage were in similar spots in the songs and in the same direction from show to show.  The spotlight operator has to have some clue as to where he is going to go and when.

I wouldn't say it's that rehearsed where they walk. It's just a given that they try to cover the stage and not always all be on the same spot. But you see that Axl always touches whomever person he stands behind, so they don't turn around and run into him. Though it still happens, that something unexpectedly happens, like he throwing his mic stand to the back and almost hitting Slash, but who kinda expected that to happen though and stopped, so the mic stand could pass, before walking on like what happened in Munich last year, what I just noticed this weekend when I was watching my videos for the first time. Axl didn't notice. But someone in the crew and they seemed to have laugh about it.

[cineater]

People always give Axl shit for not being at rehearsals.  Maybe he doesn't need to be there.  They are rehearsing the stage production.  New crew members, stuff like that.  Does he really need to be there while the guys work out who's handling the guitar parts?  He doesn't do that.  People are hired for jobs and people are hired to supervise.  Axl not being there says he's not a micro manager.  He trusts people to do their jobs and works with the processes that run GNR.  Ultimately every business works through the processes that get to the top dog or dogs but they aren't making every decision along the way.  Do they give final approval, probably but it's probably more of an approval that all the ducks are in a row.

[Gnrcane]

3 hours ago, PatrickS77 said:

I wouldn't say it's that rehearsed where they walk. It's just a given that they try to cover the stage and not always all be on the same spot. But you see that Axl always touches whomever person he stands behind, so they don't turn around and run into him. Though it still happens, that something unexpectedly happens, like he throwing his mic stand to the back and almost hitting Slash, but who kinda expected that to happen though and stopped, so the mic stand could pass, before walking on like what happened in Munich last year, what I just noticed this weekend when I was watching my videos for the first time. Axl didn't notice. But someone in the crew and they seemed to have laugh about it.

It's not choreographed to the level of a dance routine but if you run videos side by side of the same song you will find that all of them tend to be in the same area of the stage at the same point in the song every time.

Duff only has one mic stand. If they wanted randomness he'd have 2 or 3 so he could always reach one for backing vocals.

[AxlRoseCDII]

I think Slash and Duff have a bit more of a say than is being described here. They apparently were the ones who wanted CD songs in the set, so I assume the 2016 cuts we heard: CD, Better, TWAT, TIL, Catcher, were what Slash and Duff deemed as their favorites off of the album. Stuff that came later, like Prostitue and SOD, especially with the latter being a soulless disaster by Slash, feel like they could've been more of Axl's ideas.

I have a feeling that stuff like Coma, Locomotive, Dead Horse, any UYI deepcuts really, were more of a request from them too. Axl doesn't really seem all that attached to the UYI era, when he was the one 100% calling the shots it was very underrepresented in 2001-2011, until Bumble got us Don't Cry, Estranged and Civil War.

That being said Axl does call all the final shots. How long did the band know Hard Skool before it was played- nearly 2 years? And show after show it appeared on the alt list without it being played live. With the band excitedly rehearsing it every night, it is very safe to say Axl held that one up.

I'm sure it's not that strict though. Someone mentioned Frank wanted to play WLR in 2017, and also in LA 2017 Frank asked to play OTGM. My guess is Axl calls the final shots, but is pretty nonchalant and relaxed with whatever Slash, Duff, and occasionally Frank want to do (withholding new music), as he's basically retired. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash and Duff really have shaped the setlist more than Axl actively has.

[jamillos]

13 hours ago, AxlRoseCDII said:

I think Slash and Duff have a bit more of a say than is being described here. They apparently were the ones who wanted CD songs in the set, so I assume the 2016 cuts we heard: CD, Better, TWAT, TIL, Catcher, were what Slash and Duff deemed as their favorites off of the album. Stuff that came later, like Prostitue and SOD, especially with the latter being a soulless disaster by Slash, feel like they could've been more of Axl's ideas.

I have a feeling that stuff like Coma, Locomotive, Dead Horse, any UYI deepcuts really, were more of a request from them too. Axl doesn't really seem all that attached to the UYI era, when he was the one 100% calling the shots it was very underrepresented in 2001-2011, until Bumble got us Don't Cry, Estranged and Civil War.

That being said Axl does call all the final shots. How long did the band know Hard Skool before it was played- nearly 2 years? And show after show it appeared on the alt list without it being played live. With the band excitedly rehearsing it every night, it is very safe to say Axl held that one up.

I'm sure it's not that strict though. Someone mentioned Frank wanted to play WLR in 2017, and also in LA 2017 Frank asked to play OTGM. My guess is Axl calls the final shots, but is pretty nonchalant and relaxed with whatever Slash, Duff, and occasionally Frank want to do (withholding new music), as he's basically retired. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash and Duff really have shaped the setlist more than Axl actively has.

I would perceive a difference here between them discussing the general setlist (plus alternatives) for the given leg/tour and between immediate decisions regarding playlists at individual gigs. The former is undoubtedly a collective effort (of the three guys), while the latter is pretty much about Axl and what he can handle that night, IMO. 

[themadcaplaughs]

On 3/1/2023 at 10:39 AM, AxlRoseCDII said:

 

I'm sure it's not that strict though. Someone mentioned Frank wanted to play WLR in 2017, and also in LA 2017 Frank asked to play OTGM. My guess is Axl calls the final shots, but is pretty nonchalant and relaxed with whatever Slash, Duff, and occasionally Frank want to do (withholding new music), as he's basically retired. I wouldn't be surprised if Slash and Duff really have shaped the setlist more than Axl actively has.

This would be my guess. Axl probably goes along with what other bandmates want unless he has some serious misgiving or lack or motivation to perform a particular song. When I saw them in Atlanta in 2011 (possibly the best GN'R show I've ever seen in all honesty), before they played "Better", Axl said something like (paraphrasing): "I have a button on my mic so I can talk to Tommy and ask him what song he wants to play next. He has the magical power to always choose the song I'd rather not play, but we're gonna play "Better" to make Tommy happy even though might kill me." 

[Screamin' Demon]

On 2/27/2023 at 10:09 PM, Dean said:

I loved Axl's little tidbit in his interview with TMS.

"Frank wants to play Shacklers."

"Yeah? Tell Frank nobody asked!"

Hearing this lineup play Shackler's Revenge with an actual rock n' roll sound would be badass! 

Edited March 5, 2023 by Screamin' Demon

[Nintari]

I don't know, but before they die, they need to play Get in the Ring. Please. Just once. Pretty, pretty please.

[D4NNY]

On 3/5/2023 at 4:16 AM, Screamin' Demon said:

Hearing this lineup play Shackler's Revenge with an actual rock n' roll sound would be badass! 

As much as I love Shacklers, easily my favourite off the album.. please no. 
 

There’s a certain sound/feel to it that only “newgnr” could pull off (bumble with those backup vocals and that guitar work mostly) and yeah I’m sure the current band could get through an altered performance of it but… no. Absolutely not 😅