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Cowboys Stadium 1988: GnR’s “worst gig”


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Slash has said that Cowboys Stadium 1988 was (original) GnR’s worst concert, but he doesn’t really specify why. I’ve never seen any footage or heard any audio, so always wondered what was so bad and why. I’m guessing there were probably technical issues with the PA that caused a fuck up, and maybe some other logistical problems.. anyone know anything about this?

Here’s the original quote:

 

Metro: What’s the worst gig you’ve done?

Slash: "Guns n’ Roses playing Cowboys Stadium in Dallas in 1988. It was horrific. Everything that could go wrong went wrong and the band didn’t have enough experience to handle it properly. It was a huge disaster in front of 65,000 people. We fell apart on stage. It’s stuck with me ever since.”

Edited by Nice Boy
Chronology
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Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the only gigs the band did in 1989 were the filming of the ISE video at the cat club and the four gigs with the stones at the LA Colosseum. He must be talking about 1988 instead. Pretty sure The Replacements were also on that bill (with Tommy, funny enough).

In the 1993 mini-doc about Robert John’s photo book, Slash said that after this show, a fan mailed him a cassette of AFD broken in half, as if to say “I’m not a fan of you anymore because of how bad this show was.” I’ve never heard any other specifics other than that.

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The show was in 88 opening for inxs. Apparently there's an Audio recording of this. Not sure if I have it, would have to check 

Setlist: Drift Away [Axl vocal intro], You're Crazy, It's So Easy, Mr. Brownstone, I Was Only Joking [Intro] / Patience, Welcome To The Jungle, Guitar Solo, Sweet Child O' Mine, Paradise City

19880917photo01.jpg

Source: gnrontour.com

Edited by Stay.Of.Execution
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  • Nice Boy changed the title to Cowboys Stadium 1988: GnR’s “worst gig”
10 hours ago, rocknroll41 said:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the only gigs the band did in 1989 


Sorry yes, for some reason I typoed 89, every true Gunner knows there were fuck all GnR gigs in 89 apart from those you mentioned.. Jeez I wasn’t even high when I made the post, fuck knows why I made that schoolboy error, lol 

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10 hours ago, Stay.Of.Execution said:

The show was in 88 opening for inxs. Apparently there's an Audio recording of this. Not sure if I have it, would have to check 

 


Please do! - It would be interesting to hear this, it can’t be worse than Bridge School or whatever, lol… I bet it’s actually just very ‘raw’ Rock n fn Roll..

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3 hours ago, ©GnrPersia said:

the lineup was Iggy Pop, Ziggy Marley, The Replacements, us and INXS.

Interesting to know Tommy Stinson might have had some interaction with GNR backstage in 88!

Looks like it was actually The Smithereens per the show poster in @Blackstar’s link above. 

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21 hours ago, vloors said:

I would have thought that 80s opening gig that Axl never turned up for and Izzy/Duff had singing duties would have been the worst.


Oh shit yeah! It’s surprising that they decided to go ahead and play without Axl, because there must have been similar occasions of his absence before this, and certainly there were after - so I wonder why did they choose to play without him this time?


Also which gig / set list was this, presumably that gnrontour site lists it?

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2 hours ago, Nice Boy said:


Oh shit yeah! It’s surprising that they decided to go ahead and play without Axl, because there must have been similar occasions of his absence before this, and certainly there were after - so I wonder why did they choose to play without him this time?


Also which gig / set list was this, presumably that gnrontour site lists it?

This is the gig October 23 1986

6 songs performed. Izzy did 5 and duff did Its So Easy.

Axl was extremely late and didnt arrive in time to perform leaving Duff and Izzy to sing a very short set.

Setlist

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https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/guns-n-roses/1986/arlington-theatre-santa-barbara-ca-33d0bc29.html

Edited by vloors
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3 hours ago, Nice Boy said:


Oh shit yeah! It’s surprising that they decided to go ahead and play without Axl, because there must have been similar occasions of his absence before this, and certainly there were after - so I wonder why did they choose to play without him this time?


Also which gig / set list was this, presumably that gnrontour site lists it?

OCTOBER 23, 1986: OPENING FOR ALICE COOPER AT THE ARLINGTON THEATRE BUT AXL IS MISSING

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so, i listen the whole thing.

- Awesome vocal intro before You're Crazy
- in the second verse of You're Crazy Axl changed to a lower octave because he couldn't hit the high notes but that's okay
- It's So Easy little upfuck by Axl on "See me hit you....". At the end he can't really hit the notes of "II: IT'S SO EASSSSAY! :II", to much rasp
- Mr. Brownstone is good
- Patience some lyrics upfucks for example 'Cause the lights are shinin' bright..." on the first chorus.
- Welcome To The Jungle is good but after the break "You're in the jungle baby, you gonna diiiiiiiiiiie... JUNGLE! WELCOME TO THE jungle" he can't hit the notes. he changed a octave lower? can't tell, didn't know much music theory.. but he had troubles
- Sweet Child O' Mine... troubles with the high "Where do we go now" & the last "CHiiiIIIIiiiiIIIIiiild... oooo miiiiiinne"
- Paradise City pretty good.

I can't really saying this is the worst show. Axl's voice just sounds burnt out from the constant touring, to much rasp, less control on higher notes. That's it

 

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