Guns N' Roses rolled through the Rose Garden arena last night here in Portland - or perhaps, more precisely, GNR rolled through the Axl Rose Garden last night. Taking the stage at 11:45 pm (after most Stones show end!) they tore through a warhorse-packed setlist of over 2 hours. (I left before the encore because I knew it was going to be probably my least favourite GNR song of them all - Paradise City!)

Axl Rose is an artist, a humanitarian, a genius, a visionary.

OK, I'm kidding. (Sorry, numberonestonesfan!) He was in good form, though: strong singing, running all over the stage, and sporting the worst hair-do this side of Lil Bow Wow. He does none of the Mick-isms that we all know and love - "are you felling good?" etc. In fact, he barely addressed the crowd at all.

As I remarked last night, however, it seems that Axl is simply fronting his own GNR Tribute band: he is the only original member remaining. Moreoever, the "new Slash" even resembles Slash physically - he was wearing the same hat and black outfit that the original guitarist wore in the November Rain video! The solos he played were all the exact same as Slash. Hey, at least when Ronnie joined the Stones, he didn't dye his hair blond and put on fifty pounds . . .

Ironically, the best songs of the night were the two covers: Live and Let Die and Knocking on Heaven's Door. I've always been a huge fan of GNR"s version of McCartney's tune, and they didn't let us down with it tonight. Complete with pyro and an audience sing-along, it made Macca look like Mr. (Mac)Rodgers!

The crowd was primarly caveman, with a few neanderthals mixed in as well. Two fights broke out near me during GNR's set. (Can't you idiots just listen to the music?) I was given a number of mean looks as well - perhaps due to my sparkly Stones shirt and flashy red scarf. Speaking of caveman, the pathetic Sebastian Bach played the opening set, and led the crowd in a rousing chant of "Tits! Tits! Tits!" (A few girls, desperately low on self-esteem, proceeded to flash theirs on the jumbotron screen - not that they weren't nice. Kinda sad, though . . .)

The Rose Garden was nowhere near full - huge sections were tarped off, and those that weren't were only about half to three quarters full. I was on the GA floor, and there was PLENTY of elbow room. I'd say a crowd of 6 r 7 thousand in an area with a capacity of about 20 . . . sad sad sad.

Anyway, I'm still glad I went!

you can't catch me!

Nice review Bongster. I'd forgotten you were a GNR fan. That sounded way cool.

Noone deserves a half empty stadium more than Axl.

Homer, upon reading JJ Flash's comment



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2006-12-13 00:23 by Lukester.

"Noone deserves a half empty stadium more than Axl."

The funny thing though with high ticket prices and only one shareholder with everyone else on salary, he is probably making just as much money if not more per gig than he was in the early 90's. But I agree this tour is a joke.

forgot to mention that the pianist played a three minute instrumental version of "Angie" (cringe!) the only moment i was embarassed to be wearing my stones shirt . . .

you can't catch me!

The idea that they are just going on-stage when most people would be home already from any other show is a reason for the tour promoter to pull the plug. Going on at 11:45pm is past curfue at most halls. An act could sort of get away with that behaviour if they were selling out and had a top ten record out.

Axl fronting a GnR cover band can only go so far.

Thanks for giving a review NIK. I am going to see them Fri. in Oak. Really dissapointed to hear they are still coming on that late. They pulled the same crap when I saw them at a little theatre in SF. That was a killer show. But the only reason I am going this time is that I won tickets on a local radio station 2 mos. ago and they are still giving away tickets. I don't know how I am going to stay up that late, without falling asleep or getting shitfaced, or both!

Holy shit, what's wrong with you bongman ?!?!? If the Brain was still around he'd slap you silly...shame on you for putting a quarter in jive ass Rose's pocket.....

sweetcharmedlife Wrote:

without falling asleep or
> getting shitfaced, or both!


most people last night seemed to select the latter method . . .

you can't catch me!

trainarollin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The idea that they are just going on-stage when
> most people would be home already from any other
> show is a reason for the tour promoter to pull the
> plug. Going on at 11:45pm is past curfue at most
> halls. An act could sort of get away with that
> behaviour if they were selling out and had a top
> ten record out.
> Axl fronting a GnR cover band can only go so far.

Somebody has pulled the plug on their show in Fresno tomorrow night. [blog.myspace.com]

Did'nt Izzy Stradlin and Dizzy Reed play? They did in Oslo anyway.

was tommy stinson on bass? the worst part of GNR is Axl keeping Tommy under contract and delaying an inevitable Replacements reunion.

normanplace Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> was tommy stinson on bass? the worst part of GNR
> is Axl keeping Tommy under contract and delaying
> an inevitable Replacements reunion.

So true. Hopefully he is putting his GNR money away so he can afford to go back to playing bars with Westerberg as the Replacements. Did you hear Paul and Tommy's song Love You In The Fall on the Open Season soundtrack? I really like that one.

normanplace Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> was tommy stinson on bass? the worst part of GNR
> is Axl keeping Tommy under contract and delaying
> an inevitable Replacements reunion.



the piano has been drinking...not me