Guns N' Roses Kick Off 'Chinese Democracy' Tour
It Happened Last Night
GNR's Axl Rose / Photo by Boris Minkevich/Winnipeg Free Press
It took Axl Rose 17 years to finish Chinese Democracy, so to only have to wait a year or so to hear it live is a relatively brief delay in the world of Guns N' Roses.
And it's not like he and his current version of the band haven't been touring. Since 2001 they've hit the road for four legs of the Chinese Democracy Tour, supporting an album that didn't really exist, with the exception of the few tracks that leaked online over the years.
PHOTOS:
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Photos by Boris Minkevich/Winnipeg Free Press
Wednesday night, the band kicked off the Canadian leg of their 2010 tour at Winnipeg's MTS Centre with a full-out rock'n'roll spectacle that requires 15 semis of equipment and eight buses for the band and crew. There are explosions and confetti, along with seven video screens and a massive mobile lighting rig.
The show itself featured more than 25 songs, covering most of the new album and almost all of the band's greatest hits over the course of two-hours and 50 minutes.
At 10:45 PM, a series of fireworks shot into the air to signal the beginning of the Gunners set before the opening chords of "Chinese Democracy" kicked in and Rose ran on stage zigzagging his way through his seven-piece band. He was in constant motion throughout the song, dressed in jeans, a white shirt and fedora, which he later removed in favor of his characteristic bandana.
More explosions marked the end of the opening number before the familiar riff to "Welcome to the Jungle" rang out and a huge roar erupted from the crowd of 7,500 as Rose screeched: "Do you know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby. You're gonna diiiiiieeee."
His distinctive nasally whine is still in fine form, as he displayed on the swaggering "It's So Easy" and the drug ode, "Mr. Brownstone," two classics from the band's 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction.
At 47, Rose looked and sounded as good as ever, relying on TelePrompters to help out in case he forgot some lyrics. He even appeared to be enjoying himself, flashing the occasional smile and offering up some between-song banter with the crowd:
"It's nice to be with you tonight. It's nice of you to turn up the heat for us while we're here," he said, referencing the freakishly warm weather the city has been experiencing, before launching into the new "Shackler's Revenge," which gave his three guitarists --- Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba--- a chance to show off some riffs ex-guitarist Slash didn't write and allowed Rose to head backstage, something he did often throughout the night.
Massive flames shot in the air and concussion bombs exploded for the band's wall-of-guitars cover of "Live and Let Die," before they slowed things down with "Sorry," "If the World," and "Street of Dreams," three new songs that show off Rose's two best-known emotions: ticked off and tender.
Then out came some more old faves, including "You Could Be Mine," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "November Rain," featuring Rose playing a grand piano at centre stage. Each song was given extra heft by the seven musicians on stage, each of whom got his own solo.
The paranoid bluster of "Out Ta Get Me," a cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," and the metal-blues drinking anthem "Night Train" finished the main 130-minute set before the band returned for a six-song encore, highlighted by "Rocket Queen," "Patience" and customary show closer "Paradise City."
Then came more confetti, and explosions, and a last bit of the genial Axl: "Have a good night, be safe. We love you and we'll see you again." Okay, but next time, don't wait so long.
25 Comments
Click here to comment- Posted By Slash Battles Jesus And Wins
07.11.10 11:54 AM
Oddly a lot of the songs on The Spaghetti incident grew on me. This happened by accident 16 years after or so after getting the CD as a kid for Christmas, while listening to shuffled songs on my iPod. When I was a kid I thought the album was ****. Then in 2009 I heard "Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory", and I was like wow... that's a pretty song, so I listened to some of the others again, and found that i kind of liked them.
For all of you that say Spaghetti Incident is ****, and really haven't given it a chance in like 15+ years try listening to "Black Leather", "Down on the Farm", and "I Don't Care About You" from a fresh perspective. Perhaps you may find that you like them, or at least they had the old Guns n' Roses feel (at least they did to me) unlike the garbage on Chinese Democracy.
Or, putting it into perspective perhaps in 1993 when TSI came out, you were comparing it to the legendary Illusion albums to which there is almost no comparison. In 2010 you have that abortion of Chinese Democracy to compare it to which TSI clearly blows out of the water.
- Posted By Anthony PIttarelli
05.20.10 12:34 AM
I just want an original lineup reuinion
- Posted By Anonymous
05.19.10 9:58 PM
I like this post! It does seem like the real rock is lost! While there have been some decent bands here and there, there is just not that same lyric writting and quality music as before. Bands are getting away with dull lyrics and no real passion in the music. Good post, maybe someone is at Spin or another magazine to pick you up as a writer! Fans love stories like this! Just hope the bands take the criticism and do something about it!
- Posted By Anonymous
05.19.10 9:49 PM
Ever heard that saying "aint nothing like the real thing"? Well there aint nothing like the original Guns -N- Roses! Oh and Chineese Democracy and Spaghetti Incident were a garbage albums! Sorry fans, there is no more hard core rock like Appetite For Destruction. Sorry we are all left with either boys in the closet or wash ups! Oh and don't even get me started on the fact that no one can put a lead in their music anymore! While Nirvana was a great band, the era that followed was pretty much foo foo.
- Posted By theumpteenthtimes
01.18.10 6:35 PM
Axl Rose Brawls with Self in Local Bar, Kicks Self Out of Guns ‘n’ Roses
CHICAGO—While on tour with the latest version of Guns ‘n’ Roses, lead singer, Axl Rose, found himself in a scuffle with himself at a neighborhood bar, after the band’s nightly performance. According to witnesses, Rose was sitting by himself in a corner, when he began arguing with himself at high volume. It... »
READ MORE at theumpteenthtimes.com/?p=1779
"Music News That's Fit to Fake"
- Posted By ranod
01.17.10 1:29 PM
Guns and roses are great.
- Posted By ohthehumanity
01.16.10 2:05 AM
Billy Bailey (aka Axl Rose), the biggest tool in the history of rock and roll. You're pushin' fifty dude, time to hang up the bandana...
- Posted By Ken from Winnipeg
01.14.10 9:18 PM
I’ve seen Gn’R 4 times; the Use Your Illusion tour in Winnipeg 1992, Chinese Democracy tour in Fargo 2002, Winnipeg 2006 and 2010, so I’ve seen plenty of the different line-ups and they only get better! The show was amazing and the fans were loud! DJ Ashba is as genuine as Slash ever was and a talented musician aswell. Bumblefoot brings a great technical aspect to there sound. Between the two a perfect balance. Axl is singing his awesome new lyrics better than ever! Tommy has a bad ass old school appeal and Frank is super posed behind the drums. Dizzy and Chris Pitman help give Gn’R their monstrous sound. For me Guns are the perfect Rock band! Hats off to Axl and his REAL band!
07.22.10 10:04 AM
Chinese Democracy is a pretty good album not as good as the original GnR. Isaw them back in the day with Metallica on a Monsters of Rock tour and they kicked ass. I'm not a biker bit not far from Sturgis (Kansas City) and the wife and I will try to be there if they aren't coming closer. Havde to do the research. Then again with AXL's history better go ASAP cause the tour may not last long. I disagree with the chicken**** Anonymous that said AXL can't sing, and I've seen most of the real rockers from LED ZEP in the 70's (twice)to George Michael on his last tour, well over 400 concerts since my first concert Deep Purple's Machine Head Tour so consider myself very well versed in rock history.