Adnan's Calgary review

[adnan]

This review contains opening times etc.

I got there at 6:00 PM to line up for GA floor, there were only about 20 people there at the time. Soon the line started to get full, at 7 the doors opened and I got to the very very front row, against the barriers. At 8:05 PM the Suicide Girls took the stage... I dunno why people bash them, it was a good show, this one girl set a hula hoop on fire and twirled it around herself, for quite a while, and the Resevoir Dogs reenactment was well-executed. They got a pretty good reception from most of the crowd. Not a single boo. They gave out M&M's and I caught one packet of it, which is great because I was starving already.

Helmet came on at like 8:45, give or take a few minutes. They get bashed too much. It's alternative music played pretty well and some very well written songs. I liked "I'd Rather See You Dead" a lot. They were still the weakest of the openers however.

Bach came on at maybe around 10:00? I lost track of time. He played a great set and got the crowd really fired up. It's easy for me to call him a cheeseball and make fun of him and his music from here, but standing four to five feet away from a screaming Baz going nuts, I can only say I was in the presence of a true rock star. His new songs were pretty good, actually better than some Skid Row material from the first two albums. The highlight was "Youth Gone Wild", when he left the stage after just starting the song (what a tease!), and said goodnight, but was greeted with at least 40% of the audience jeering. So he came on and did a great performance of it. He did a great job of getting the audience fired up. He finished at about 11:10.

The floor was insane during most of Bach's set, mosh pits popping up everywhere, lots of pushing, elbowing etc. And the security kicked out about 4 people during his set. Baz said: "What the fuck's the problem man?! Are you having too much fun? You can go fucking crazy for all I care! I'm a crazy motherfucker."

And throughout the wait for GN'R, the floor was equally insane, especially at the front with all the people pushing in. I'd say by the end of Bach's set the place was 98% full, and by the middle of Jungle, it was 100% full, except for maybe one or two people who couldn't make it to their seats. Anyway it was definitely a sold out show.

And then the fuckin' intro starts at around 11:55 and people go fucking insane every fucking where in the whole Saddledome. Finck comes out, then Axl, and he screams "DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE FUCK YOU ARE?" very, very well. The crowd goes more beserk. I get crushed to pieces, but it's a fuckin' rock concert, so I don't give a shit. Then they got major applause for ISE and Brownstone. Then Live and Let Die, a major vocal highpoint, as well as a great stage event, with the pyros and shit. More people sung along to this than Brownstone which was pretty weird.

Then it goes into Better, which was greeted with quite a few cheers, suggesting that there were many downloading motherfuckers in the building. I was surprised when a guy a couple of people to my right knew every single lyric (not just to Better, to EVERY new song), more than I do. I don't think he was a member of any forums. The applause at the end was good. Possibly the best received out of all the new songs.

Then Robin's solo, which was a very good blues jam. I loved it, and it got good applause. Then I started saying Sweet Child before everyone else, surely enough, Robin took center stage and went into the riff. This was a highlight. Finck's solo was FANTASTIC, among the best I've heard/seen him play. Axl was spot on with the vocals. Keep in mind that I was right by the speakers and Axl's vocals were great in the mix. I don't know if it was the same for the rest of the Saddledome. Then "You Could Be Mine", which was done very well, but the first time I noticed how much I was missing Brain. Then there was a piano jam, Dizzy solo (fuckin' fantastic, some people were bored but it was still the best received solo). Then of course they went into the Blues, which they did well, and got a decent round of applause for it.

Then it's Knockin' on Heaven's Door, a major highlight which had the crowd screaming at the top of their voices, and Axl pulling off some amazing notes. During the song Axl noticed that there were a lot of people being torn to pieces right up front. He told everyone to take a step back, and they obeyed. I didn't mind earlier, but when people were pushing and shoving during ballads, it was a bit too much to take. I was quite glad that I wasn't being crushed anymore.

During band introductions, someone yelled PITMAN! And I yelled PITMAN! and we exchanged a couple more. Axl looked right at me and Pitman looked surprised and embarrassed, yet appreciative.

Richard did a short solo then went into a Hendrix tune with Robin, which got a GREAT reception from the older crowd and some of the younger crowd. "Out Ta Get Me" was received very well and a couple of people who went too far in the pit thrown out (one guy was so high on whatever that he kept grabbing this girl's tits and ass). The piano comes back out, Axl jams, then virtually everybody got the lighter or cellphone out for November Rain, which was the single greatest performance of the night, vocally, musically, everything. Huge crowd response, of course.

By the time they went into "Rocket Queen", my voice had gone, my legs were tired, and every part of my body aching. Anyway, I still enjoyed this performance.

Then Bubbles came out, huge response for him. He gave a great performance of Liquor and Whores and got me and the crowd fired up again despite our tired voices and legs. This drunk whore next to me started grinding against me, which was both terrifying and very fitting to the song being played.

Then I.R.S., which was done very well, and probably would've gotten the best reception out of the new songs if we weren't all so tired. Then the Ron solo. Sorry, but this was the lowpoint of the show, by far. His tapping and shredding shit if for guitarists to watch on youtube, not a live show. By the time he went into Don't Cry, he got some applause, and tried to make more people sing, but to be honest I was one of those who sang only a couple of lines; simply because we were so fuckin' tired and our voices were pretty much gone. He really should drop all of it except Don't Cry.

Then Baz came out, and did a good version of My Michelle. I've always hated this song, and although they did it note for note, it certainly didn't change my opinion of the song.

Then Used to Love Her, which got a great response from the diehards and by the end had most people singing along, despite our tired voices. This certainly got me right back in the mood for a rock show. Next comes Patience. Odd choice to follow up a momentum builder. It's a great song in any setting, and this was a great performance which had the exhausted Saddledome in a frenzy. Still, at the end, people started to leave to catch the last C-Train, which left at 2:15 AM. Then they went into Nightrain, always a highlight, I actually managed to force myself to move during this song, along with many others.

After Nightrain, more people started leaving, and when Chinese Democracy started, the Saddledome was about 93% full, I'd say. The song got a good response, I loved it as usual. Madagascar was gorgeous, then along came Paradise City. Very good performance, We were all showered with confetti of course, which was pretty fun, the pyros during this song were also good.

The song got a great round of applause, then, both relieved that we could leave, and disappointed that the show didn't go on longer, we started leaving. Looking back on it, it was worth every cent, and every blow to my chest area with some random guy's elbow. Hell, it was worth having drunk whores grind up against you, and your face getting stuck in a sweaty guy's armpit.

Axl was very good, but I was right by him, so maybe I heard better than most. He was on good form throughout. He cracked a lot of jokes and spoke quite a bit with the audience, but not too much. I've become more of a Robin fan thanks to this show. He was wicked. Fortus kicked ass running all over the place slamming the shit out of his guitar, same with Ron. The Great Chris Pitman was entertaining as ever with his wiggly keyboards and magnificent speech solos. Dizzy was on great form, and proved his own as a pianist with his solo. Frank is good, but I missed Brain.

And the major conclusion I made, was that Tommy Stinson, in leather, jeans, and a black shirt, is the coolest motherfucker on the planet. I had several little 'conversations' with him, and he smiled at me a lot, which was really the best thing about the night for me. Rock on Tommy!

Overall, it was very, very good. Not quite the best show I've ever been to, but right up there. Very, very enjoyable show, and the band was on fire last night.

I'll give it a 9.5/10. .5 stars taken away for the Bumblefoot solo, and going on so late, which unlike what some believe, really does take away a lot of the energy from the show.

[Zint]

An honest review,a refreshing departure from the generic "greatest night of my life" GnR reviews.

thanks adnan..

[adnan]

Thanks

[Hejanne]

Looking back on it, it was worth every cent, and every blow to my chest area with some random guy's elbow. Hell, it was worth having drunk whores grind up against you, and your face getting stuck in a sweaty guy's armpit.

It sure is

Thanks for the review