Reviewed by:
soundrock31, on may 20, 2006
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Sound: On the 8th day, God created Guns N' Roses. By the 9th, they were a whole new band. Just standing at the front of the audience, shoulder to shoulder in the tiny Hammerstein Ballroom, after just hearing Bullet For My Valentine, it was probably the most surreal thing. "What band is playing again" the guy next to me said, not because he couldn't tell by the sea of GN'R t*shirts, or the "Chinese Democracy" stage set up, but because he just couldn't believe that after years of 'WTF', the ambiguous Axl was going to be seen. He was seen alright, and heard. The lights go down, the old jingling of the notorious "Welcome To The Jungle" intro start going. "You know where the f--k you are?" was probably the statement for the night, because quite frankly, I almost didn't. Axl instead of his baggy pants and Oakland Raiders Jersey came out looking a lot cooler, styling shades, button down leather shirt and jeans. Robin Fink, instead of coming out with his receding hairline hair cut, industrial black attire, and pale skin make up, was looking like a member of The Black Crowes or The Allman Brothers. He had long hair, a long beard, and black and white marching band meets pirate like outfit. Why am I making an emphasis on fashion, well, because this band was for the first time since the old days, were styled in a bad assed rock n' roll appearance, doing the GN'R sound justice. From the first sight of them, they looked like a single entity, not Axl trying to look hip-hop, and Fink looking almost nu-metal. And Buckethead and Slash, well, didn't come out at all, weren't even present in the state of New York most likely. Instead the 3rd guitar spot (yes, they have three guitar players) was graced by Ron Thal a.k.a. Bumblefoot. Was he as good as Buckethead or Slash, I can't say. Thal is about as similar in style and approach to Buckethead and Slash as Axl is to Mili Vanili. He does fast taping and fast solos, but comes from a different realm of alternative that almost blends the style of Bucket and Slash, except on steroids. His solos were fast, fashioning sweeps and taping excessively. All three guitarists (Bumblefoot, Fink, and Richard Fortus) took various solos, taking turns delivering them as only modified versions of what Slash did. The songs were played great, no, more than great. They were played excessively better than you'd expect from a Use You Illusion era Gn'R, which was probably Axl's intention. Obviously the biggest question mark lied on only one member, Axl. That question mark was erased very quickly, he kept the gritty howl through almost all of the show and did much better that he did during the '02 shows. // 10
Perfomance: Set list:
01. Welcome To The Jungle
02. It's So Easy
03. Mr. Brownstone
04. Live And Let Die
05. Bumblefoot Solo
06. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
07. Better
08. Robin Solo
09. Sweet Child O' Mine
10. Welcome To The Jungle
11. Out Ta Get Me
12. Richard & Robin Solo
13. Rocket Queen
14. My Michelle (with Sebastian Bach)
15. Madagascar
16. You Could Be Mine
17. November Rain
18. I.R.S
19. Richard Solo / Nightrain
Encore:
20. Patience
21. Chinese Democracy
22. Robin Solo / Paradise City
I thought the new songs were just phenomenal. If people can look past the fact that they aren't really bluesy fast songs like the older stuff, Chinese Democracy will save rock and roll. // 10
Impression: To say the Hammerstein is small is an understatement. I mean, the band probably hasn't done such as small venue as that since the "Appetite" Era. In a venue where the furthest person away has good seats, I was on the floor, trapped beneath a sea of GN'R fanatics (both old a new) and about 2 feet away from the man himself. I remember two days later, I wore my new t*shirt that I just got at the concert. I had to constantly look down at it, because quite frankly, I didn't believe I went to the show. It just bewilders me that it was that good. I spent $100+ on tickets that now seem like a bargain. Speaking of bargains, I just hope Axl can keep up with his end of the bargain and get "Democracy" out. What scares me, in a good way, is that the show I went to was supposed to be the worst, and that says a lot. Best day ever. // 10
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