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Review
He’s back and better than ever!!!
Toronto Nov. 29th was not good… not very good… not
even excellent… IT WAS PERFECT!!!
Nothing
went wrong the whole night and ACC was FULL – at least
14,000 people; actually Axl said at one point it was 16,000.
I could not see empty seats even in the highest and farthest
sections. To make a short summary, the set list was the familiar
one (only three “new” songs) with maybe a couple
of changes in order. Axl did not make rants about former members
but he did have some devilishly funny stuff to say about some
others (read below). By far the best show I’ve ever witnessed
– BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THIS: THERE IS NOTHING THAT I
WOULD HAVE CHANGED ABOUT TONITE’S SHOW – EVERYTHING
WAS PERFECT N’ THE WAY IS GN’R SHOW SHOULD BE.
Now
the details…
7:30
– 8:05 CKY
They were prolly better than what I expected – a couple
of songs you could actually get into (96 people and another
one). I heard no one booing them, and after each song people
applauded as they liked them. For you guys that hate this
band, trust me, there’s many much much worse opening
acts I had to sit through. Regardless, they figured out how
to get everybody in the crowd to cheer – just say something
like, “What’s up Toronto, you guys are at a motherfuckin’
Guns N’ Fuckin’ Roses concert!” (MMM did the
same thing)
8:30
– 9:05 MIX MASTER MIKE
Since by this time more people had arrived in the building,
he got a little more positive response from the crowd. His
stuff isn’t that bad, but like someone said before, “it
gets old quick”. He had some cool video stuff on the
screens so whatever… again no one booed him, and everyone
was applauding when he was done.
9:15
– 10:30 “GIRLS GET ’EM” OUT TIME
Basically sit in your chair and wait and watch some nice looking
girls flash the crowd and/or make out with other girls on
the screens. Until about 10 o’clock no one “got
‘em out”, but then one did and everyone started
doing it. A funny thing: they were showing these hot chicks,
and then all of a sudden they show this 60 year old old-school
rocker smokin’ weed. Everyone went nuts… grandpa
didn’t even realize he was on it until they showed him
about 10 times. Anyway, I was getting a little stiff as I
had been sitting down since about 7:00 when they opened the
doors (oh yeah, they did have really tight security tonite,
and made me take of my shoe cause the metal detector was beeping
around my shoe (why I have no clue). Oh yeah, they also showed
a fight between some guys on screen and everybody started
cheering – gotta love those crazy bloodthirsty Canucks.
10:35
– 12:40 GUNS N’ FUCKIN’ ROSES
The stage is amazing, the lights are awesome, the sound was
perfect, and those flames are fuckin’ out of this world.
Anytime they put the flames on, you can really feel the heat
– I have no clue how the band takes it but it’s
the coolest.
OK
1. Welcome to the Jungle – “Do you know where the
fuck you are?” the place (now filled to capacity) goes
nuts, crazy, etc. The sound of Axl’s screeching scream
is unbelievable and the band plays it with everyone in the
audience singing along. Oh yeah, the jersey thing – white
(home) Toronto Maple Leafs (hockey) jersey with NO name but
with #26. He wore this for about half the show.
2.
It’s So Easy – starts right after Jungle, and people
are still going crazy and singing their asses off. This being
one of my favourite tunes really made me enjoy it. Oh sorry,
maybe I should mention what the guys wore:
Axl – the jersey, black shiny sports pants, and white
running shoes – braided hair
Robin
– black ‘suit’ with black and white striped
socks (his pants were a little shorter than they ‘should’
be) and black shoes/boots like Dr. Marteens. His hair is quite
long, and he wore a sort of Samurai hat for the first three
songs – looked really awesome, like one of those guys
from the Mortal Kombat game
Buckethead – ‘bucket, mask, wig’ (well of course),
and a black work suit kind of thing (like a mechanic wears).
Also the small cape at the back.
Fortus – a orange/black Suzuki motorcycle ‘jersey’
– like the ones those X-Games guys wear. Black leather(?)
pants.
Tommy – exactly like in Rio – white undershirt (no
star GN’R logo, something else though) and those striped
pants
Brain – looked like a fisherman – hat, and a shirt,
pants I could not see; he still has the goatee
Dizzy – tank-top, but not the GN’R logo one –
it was black with some other logo on it, plus black jeans,
dread hair, and a chain (punk rock style) on his right hip
Pittman – “…in a suit he said he would not
get into” – Axl; so yeah a 70’s type suit –
pretty nice actually
3.
Mr. Brownstone – a couple of seconds pause after Easy;
again people were still singing and rockin’
4.
Live and Let Die – actually I was expecting Axl to say
something but they went straight into it. The first time they
used the flames, and the first time people around me were
in awe of Axl’s screaming abilities. Finck has the helmet
one for this one.
5.
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door – again, no speech
just played it straight up – the crowd took their lighters
out and waved them – looks especially cool when you look
behind (since I was on the floor, which did have seats btw,
about 50 feet from the stage) and see those guys at the very
top and far away. The crowd is into it…
6.
Think About You – great rockin’ tune (much better
than on the CD) especially after a slow one like Knockin’
– I was surprised by the amount of people that knew the
words to this song.
7.
You Could Be Mine – I think Axl says something like “Hello
Toronto” although he did say it during the songs like
in Jungle “Do you know where the fuck you are Toronto,
Canada?”. He introduces Brain by saying, “We’ll
let Brain start this one.” No screw ups btw – sounded
excellent.
8.
Sweet Child O’ Mine – introduces Finck on guitar,
and he does his solo, and starts the infamous lick –
people go nuts! Played to utter perfection.
9.
November Rain – finally a few words from Axl: he says
“We have a lot of nice looking girls out here tonite”
and then he says something about the Leafs and the Raptors,
something about how it’s hard to watch sports when there
are so many good looking women – like why watch guys,
when you can be with girls. Then he says something really
funny about David Lee Roth – like he was chosen to pick
the girls that go backstage and he does a really good job
of it, since he has nothing better to do these days. Then
it’s the “Let’s bring out the piano” line.
He sits down and starts singing this ‘folky’ song
I don’t know – a parody sort of thing. Then he starts
his ‘playing with the audience’ solo and his serious
solo, until Brain does the opening drum line and Rain starts.
Note: Richard Fortus plays the first solo, Finck the second,
and Buckethead the last solo (i.e. outro) BH is not on stage
until the conclusion of the piece, which btw includes a fantastic
rain-sparks effect.
10.
Buckethead solo – Axl takes time to introduce the whole
band, ending with BH. He also says, “You guys never expected
me to pull this (i.e. Buckethead) out my bag of tricks”
+ the alien/chicken coop thing. Great reception for a great
guitarist! First he does his nun-chucks thing, then he plays
the medley solo (nothing you haven’t heard before), and
then he gets his Foot Locker bag and gives out the toys. Some
guys around me (well me too) were really in awe of his playing
abilities. Oh and Brain and Pittman actually played at the
beginning of his solo – sound really awesome with the
three of them.
11.
Out Ta Get Me – Jersey alert #2: has a no name, no number
(road) blue Leafs jersey. First real rant: “So how many
of you were at that Montreal show (GN’R-Metallica tour
riot)? People start cheering… “I don’t know
what’s up with Canada?” referring to the two riots.
He mentioned Vancouver, and jokingly said, “so Ohio State
won, and they had a riot – so I was watching it on TV,
and I’m like, ‘Fuck, I’m late again!’”
Really cool and funny… Then he says something like, “Don’t
get me started on Montreal, I have a lot of things to say
about our friend Lars (sarcasm all the way), but we’ll
have time for that later” Actually he never got back
to it… Some guys start shouting, “Metallica sucks!”
while others laugh. The song starts and rocks… now you
can really tell the real GN’R fans apart since only they
seem to know the words.
12.
My Michelle – actually now I think I screwed up –
the above rant was before My Michelle not Out Ta Get Me. Regardless,
this song in my opinion, looked like the most rockin’
song. Everyone in the band was running around full of energy.
Sounded great!
13.
Madagascar – more audience knows this song than I thought.
Axl sounded great again, and sang all the notes/words with
perfection. Great reception! Cool videos of MLK behind and
his speeches.
14.
The Blues – piano gets out and people start cheering
“Dizzy, Dizzy,…” . He starts the song, and
not as many people know this one – I’m proud to
say that I didn’t miss one line tonite, and that I still
got my voice, so I suggest you do warm ups in your car as
you listen to GN’R. Axl sounds great (again), and this
is the only song which I heard a better version of (Rio one).
15.
Rocket Queen – Brain starts it, and they do have this 70’s
disco groove video in the background. Fortus does the solo,
but the best part of it is the second part of the song where
everyone in the arena starts clapping to that intro drum beat
along with Axl. Rocks period.
16.
Chinese Democracy – Axl rant #2: imitates (in a funny
gay voice) a recent reviewer who said that some songs sound
“dated”. “Well no shit!”, Axl says and
everyone starts cheering. He goes on bashing this guy, and
at one point says something in general about news guys, “…that’s
what you get when you can’t get a real job!” The
songs starts with all them flames. Again the crowd seems to
like the new stuff.
17.
Patience – I heard better versions but Axl did sound
great – only problem is that the two acoustic guitars
are hard to hear, so Finck sounds like he’s alone. I
don’t have to tell you that songs like this everyone
in the arena enjoys. Great atmosphere.
18.
Nightrain – well I’m beginning to feel sad ‘cause
I know the show’s about to be finished. Regardless the
crowd really enjoyed this one and the extended band only session
at the end (kinda like Paradise City’s jams). Axl says,
“Good night Toronto” and the band leaves with the
cheering fans still wanting more. All three guitarists play
solos, and for those that think Fortus is not really involved,
I got news for you – he plays on more stuff than Buckethead
who usually is featured on the solos more than on the rhythm
guitars.
19.
Paradise City – after a minute or two the band does the
encore. Axl jersey alert #3: Toronto Raptors (basketball)
(road) purple/black #15 Vince Carter. The band sounds great
again with no screw ups – actually after Finck’s
little intro, it is Fortus that does the opening chords of
Paradise City. Axl jersey alert #4: changes into a (road)
Toronto Blue Jays (baseball) grey/blue sleeves jersey with
no name nor number. Axl jersey alert #5: near the end of the
jam session Axl changes into a strange hockey jersey –
the background looks like the road green/black Dallas Stars
jersey, but this one has a different logo on it – I couldn’t
tell what it was but it looked like the Harley-Davidson logo
– no names or numbers. Show end with confetti and the
whole arena rocking! “Good fuckin’ night Toronto!”
and throws the mic down on the stage (not crowd). He actually
threw his whistle for Paradise after he used it… Oh btw,
there were several roses, and one particularly large (must’ve
been 24) of bouquet of white roses handed to Axl – I
even think some one gave him a drink too at one point.
Anyway,
it’s 3:41 in the morning here now, so I should prolly
wrap this essay up. Perfect show from start to finish! I wish
they had recorded this for a future release so you’d
know how great it was. The video screens (and the whole stage
in general) looked amazing, with those great Matrix-type effects.
The crowd was never negative and the show was sold-out for
sure. One of the greatest nights in my life and GN’R
history I’m sure. You could tell that the band (esp.
Axl) was really pleased to look up at the rafters and see
them filled. This new band does kick ass and I can’t
wait for Chinese Democracy to come out.
On a personal note, I bought the long dragon sleeve GN’R
Chinese Democracy World Tour shirt – $80 Canadian, I
think the most expensive one. Other shirts cost at least $45
Canadian, and all of them looked great so I had a hard time
picking, but I chose this one cause I knew not many people
would buy it (and I was right). BTW I didn’t really like
that rather cheap imitation of the Lakers jersey – it’s
a cool idea, but poor implementation. I didn’t find the
soccer jersey so I dunno.
I
finally got to hear/see Axl – I’ll sleep well tonite!
Have a great time at the other shows, as I’m sure you
will!
P.S.
Dizzy gave an interview with Q107 at 6:40 before the show
– I did not hear it.
By
DraganOT3 from The Bar
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