Say the name Guns N Roses to some long-time fans and the grumbling starts: There's no Slash;
Chinese Democracy wasn't worth the wait; it’s just Axl Rose and a cover band. Anyone who attended their concert at the Saddledome on January 16th got a polished, incredible show that kicked off the big arena concerts of 2010 in style.
GN'R hit the stage at 10:15, half an hour earlier than Winnipeg’s concert a few nights earlier, and an hour and a half before their start in 2006. The title track of the new album started the show, and was well performed - but it didn't capture the crowd right off the bat. They reacted more when Axl screeched the question "Do you know where the fuck you are?" and the familiar start to
Welcome to the Jungle echoed through the arena.
At 47 years old, Rose hasn't lost a step, swaying, strutting, and sprinting around the stage like he did 15 years ago. He frequently disappeared into an offstage room, which was odd, but considering the high energy that he emitted, it was easily overlooked. When he hit the final high notes of
Knocking on Heaven's Door you couldn't help but get Goosebumps. He looks older for sure, but in most ways Rose hasn't changed.
The new GN'R is filled with talented musicians who tackled the classics with gusto. Each got a chance to do solos while Rose changed his shirt. While this gesture was appreciated, I would have gladly seen songs like
Don't Cry, Civil War or
Used To Love Her as opposed to James Bond and Pink Panther themes, and
My Generation.
The choice to do 10 songs from
Chinese Democracy would be the only downside to the show. The crowd lost some of the enthusiasm, even though some like
Shackler's Revenge and
Better are really great numbers. Things quickly rebounded with classics like
You Could Be Mine. The 1987
Appetite for Destruction album was well represented with
Rocket Queen,
Nighttrain,
Out Ta Get Me,
Mr. Brownstone and hits like
Sweet Child O'Mine (Axl messed up on the lyrics, starting with the second verse...nobody’s perfect). A surprise appearance by Bubbles of
The Trailer Park Boys for his song
Liquor and Whores was also well received.
Some technical problems and feedback hurt the encore, but Rose took it in stride; no throwing a tantrum or punching anyone, he simply worked through it. When
Paradise City wrapped the night at 1:00am, the fans and Axl still seemed like they could have kept going.
In a year that already has other 80's icons like Motley Crue and Bon Jovi scheduled to play Alberta, Gun's N Roses set the bar high with a fun, energetic three hour show. A lot of artists could learn a few things about giving value for their audience's dollar. Take away all the tabloid drama and reports of diva-ish attitude, Axl Rose remains a rock star, and knows how to send people home happy.
