Concert Review: Guns N' Roses

Photo: @anthonya
jam! SHOWBIZ
MTS Centre, Winnipeg - January 13, 2010
By DARRYL STERDAN - QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - There might be better ways to kick off your 2010 concert calendar.

But offhand, I can't think of any. Wednesday night's Guns N' Roses show at Winnipeg's MTS Centre wasn't just the first date of the band's latest North American tour. It was also their first gig on these shores (and only their fifth performance overall) since the 2008 release of Chinese Democracy.

And even though Axl Rose kept all of us waiting nearly two decades for the album, and another year-and-change for a tour, the moment he hit the stage shortly after 10:40 PM, all was forgiven. Supported by his latest version of GN'R - guitarists Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DJ Ashba, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, drummer Frank Ferrer and bassist Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements) - the 47-year-old singer treated 7,500 fans to a fiery (in every sense of the word) three-hour set that wrapped up at 1:30 AM, and repeatedly rewarded fans (along with nearly everyone in his backing band) for their loyalty and patience along the way. Here's how it went down:

Chinese Democracy



After the intro music builds tension in the dark, one of the guitarists - I'm not sure who's who yet - is spotlit as he cranks out the opening power-chord riff. As the band kicks into gear and Axl growls the first verse, sparklers ringing the stage fire off and we get our first look at him. He's wearing a black fedora over a red bandanna, a pair of slim shades, well-worn blue jeans and a pinstripe work shirt open to his midriff to frame a large silver crucifix. Oh, and he's got a mustache! It's midway between pirate, biker, bandito and Morgan Spurlock. Kinda weird. But at least he's lost the dreads or cornrows or whatever they were. When Axl wails the final worlds, "All I've got is precious time!" there's a pyro burst and the lights fade, leaving him backlit. Two points for a killer opening.

Welcome to the Jungle

As another guitarist (still getting my bearings there) works the niggly little riff, Rose jumps the gun and does the, "do you know where you are? You're in the jungle, baybeee!" line. Actually, it's more like we're at the circus - and not just because percussion bombs and fireworks are going off in time with the music. The stage itself is a massive structure with three runways - in fact, it's so wide it overhangs the first five rows in the stands on both sides. It's covered in some sort of black vinyl or fabric and lined with glow-in- the-dark tape - from overhead, it almost looks like one of those blobby Keith Haring figures with his circular hands in the air. The circular theme is carried on throughout the set. There's a cat-eye drum riser at stage centre, with an illuminated staircase going up and around on either side. Behind that are two pods for the keyboard players. Hanging above are a series of concentric lighting trusses festooned with VariLights and wrapped in lighting curtains (or whatever you call them). More of those illuminated curtains flank the stage, hanging in half-columns in front of vertical lighting trusses and some of the several video screens scattered around the place. Say what you will about Axl, he does things big.

It's So Easy

Another Appetite for Destruction tune. So far, so good. Axl has already lost the fedora and the shades. He bolts up to the mic, grabs the stand and hurls it back the 10 metres or so to the drum riser. Just to make it clear he's not kidding around, I guess. Gotta admit, he looks fit. Sure, he's a little beefier around the middle than 20 years ago. Who isn't? But he hasn't slowed down. He's sprinting from one end of the stage to the other and pumping his leg hard enough to make Angus Young look sedate. More fireworks herald the end of the tune.

Mr. Brownstone

"Meanwhile, back in the jungle," cracks Axl as Ferrer pounds out a heavy tom-tom beat to go with the scraping guitar riff. As Rose does that snake-hip move he used to do back in the day, those circular lighting rigs dip down from the rafters at opposing angles. Interesting. Also interesting: Every time there's an instrumental break or a solo - even if it's only for 30 seconds - Rose sprints off the stage. Not sure why, though it looks like he's making sure the rest of the band get time in the spotlight.

Shackler's Revenge

After a few pleasantries from Axl -- including a simple, "nice to be here with you tonight" and a crack about the weather (which is actually unseasonably warm) - the electronica-rocker from Chinese Democracy lurches into a groove. White spotlights start twirling as if there's been a prison break, and the light trusses drift apart into arcs and tier up on different levels. Between the eight guys flying around the stage and the show, there's plenty to attract (and distract) your attention.

Richard Fortus Spotlight

After introducing Fortus, Rose takes a hike while the Izzy Stradlin-esque guitarist cranks out a twangy guitar-rock instrumental reminiscent of the James Bond and Peter Gunn themes. See what I meant about sharing the spotlight?

Live and Let Die

Flames and more grenades decorate and punctuate the Paul McCartney cover from Use Your Illusion. Axl has switched into a sleeveless shirt and the fedora is back. His rusted-siren vocals are strong and he's hitting all the notes solidly, though the PA isn't doing him any favours - if he isn't belting, you have to strain to hear him. After the song, bassist Stinson pitches a little hissy fit at some dude who apparently chucked something at him. "Don't throw shit at me, please; I'll fucking leave!" he complains. Guess he had enough crap heaved at him in the Mats to last a lifetime. Anyway, he takes off up onto the drum riser for the next song.

Sorry



This sluggish grinder is not one of my favourite Chinese Democracy cuts, but guitarist Ashba (now that I can tell him and Fortus apart, I'm good) serves up a blistering solo.

If the World

Still in Chinese Democracy land. Bumblefoot opens this slow-burning funk cut with the flamenco licks from the album. Gotta give the band credit; they're doing a decent job of recreating Rose's insanely detailed tracks. The sound is obviously nowhere near as crisp, but hey, you can't have everything.

Dizzy Reed Spotlight

A grand piano rolls out from beneath the drum riser so the stringy-haired keyboardist can throw down some solo chops. The song is familiar, but I can't place it - maybe because I'm too busy trying to figure out if that's supposed to be toes or fingernails or what painted on the piano lid. The sides, meanwhile, are covered in little mirror-ball tiles. It's like hippies broke into the Liberace museum or something.

Street of Dreams

Dizzy stays down at the piano for this Democracy power ballad. Rose emerges in shirt No. 3 - a shiny black number. No bandanna. After the tune ends, drummer Ferrer goes 'Boom, boom, boom-boom" on his bass drum again - he's been doing that between songs. Then I get it: It's so people will chant: "Guns N' Roses." Sneaky.

Better

The lighting trusses do more aerial ballet over the stage as the band works through another one of Rose's ballad-to-rocker numbers from Chinese Democracy. His right leg is kicking like Stompin' Tom on speed.

You Could be Mine

Finally, another classic. Or at least an oldie. This barnburner from Use Your Illusion II gets a solid treatment, with more concussion bombs for emphasis. And a silver-plated .45 swirling around on the video screens just for, um, I dunno, menace? Flames shoot up around the stage during the last chorus. Oh, Axl has a new bandanna: It's blue and white, FYI.

DJ Ashba Spotlight

After a few more pleasantries - including a belated, "Happy f-ucking holidays to you" - Rose vacates again so Ashba can peel off a blistering solo on his black sequined axe while the band lays down a slow, "There Was a Time"-style backbeat. Not sure which is more impressive: His playing, or his full-sleeve tats.

Sweet Child o' Mine

The crowd has been well behaved so far -- no moshing and little surfing -- but this hit brings them to their feet. While red and white lights bathe the stage, Rose debuts shirt No. 4: A red-checked V-neck pullover that looks intentionally dirty. I just noticed he also has red tape wrapped around his left hand - whether because of an injury or just because it matches his red microphone, I have no idea. Bumblefoot handles the wah-wah pedal guitar solo capably.

I.R.S.

If I were writing the set list, I might have tossed another oldie in here instead of this mid-tempo Chinese Democracy grinder. Especially since it sounds distractingly muddier than the album version.

Axl Piano Solo

That weird-looking keyboard rolls out again - all the way to the front of the stage - so Axl can tinkle the ivories. He's wearing a long-tailed burgundy coat with big buttons and a black leather fedora. You know, most people wouldn't be able to pull that off. Most people aren't Rose, of course.

November Rain

Rose stays at the 88 to lead the band through the Use Your Illusion epic. The three guitarists divide the solos, while the lighting trusses split and descend, and sparklers go off at the back of the drum riser and on the stairs. Not sure how rain and sparklers go together, but it looks nice anyway.

Scraped

Instead of the layered vocals on the album, the Chinese Democracy cut opens with tribal tom-tom drumming. The rest of the tune is pretty much the same - but Bumblefoot's solo on the fretless half of his double-neck guitar is impressive. Axl has a different blue-and-white bandanna. How many of these things does this guy own?

Bumblefoot Spotlight

The other guitarists showed off. Bumblefoot plays to the crowd - first he does a Hendrix-style version of "O Canada," then he makes with a rocked-up take on the "Pink Panther theme." Nice to see a rocker with a sense of humour.

Out Ta Get Me

Back to the oldies. More fireworks and sparklers illuminate Rose's latest ensemble: A black-and-red lumberjack number. This guy changes more often than Beyonce - and it looks like almost all of his outfits came from Mark's Work Warehouse. The spotlights do their prison-break thing again, and the concussion blast at the end of the song makes me jump. You'd think I would be used to them by now.

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

"This is dedicated to the people who hate us," is what I think Axl says before Dylan's classic. Though I'm not sure what antagonists he's referring to, or who exactly they hate. Anyway, he launches into a long shaggy-dog story (which is actually about a dog named Mojo) in the middle of the song. I only catch about half of it. I'm not sure I missed anything important. We have now passed the two-hour mark.

Nightrain

A train-whistle (natch) introduces the cowbell-rock ode to cheap wine. Bumblefoot whips off another fretless solo, the band fires on all cylinders and charges toward the end - which is marked by yet another explosion. "Good night," says Axl and bolts - as do a decent chunk of the audience (it's already after midnight on a school night).

Madagascar

The encore begins with this ambitious Chinese Democracy number, which features Rose's mid-song sonic collage of Martin Luther King, Mississippi Burning, Cool Hand Luke, Braveheart and others. The video screens show MLK graphics and footage to go with. Thankfully, I don't see any Braveheart footage.

This I Love

The piano rolls out one last time for another Chinese Democracy ballad. At the end, Rose fesses up that he: "kinda fucked that up in the beginning." I'm too tired to notice.

Frank Ferrer Drum Solo

Mercifully brief. Nothing against him; it's just getting really freaking late.

Rocket Queen

But not late enough to miss this Appetite for Destruction gem. Axl straightarms the mic below his waist and does a two-step while Ashba handles the slide solo. Just like old times. Almost.

My Generation

Bassist Stinson tackles The Who's classic for his spotlight tune. His vocals are suitably snotty - and he doesn't embarrass himself on the John Entwistle solo either. For the record, everybody but second keyboardist Chris Pitman has now had a solo. Sorry Chris; your goofy straw hat is the problem.

Patience

Rose draws cheers as soon as he starts whistling the opening. But once he begins singing the mellow part, his voice sounds a little ragged. Which is no surprise, since he's been going full throttle for more than two-and-a-half hours. Maybe they need to move this up in the set list. Oh, and he has now changed into a white T-shirt with a filthy slogan on it. I have officially lost count of his outfits. And I'm pretty sure I missed at least one in there.

Paradise City

All the stops come out: The lighting trusses dance, bombs go off, the lights are cranked, the confetti cannons erupt, coloured mini- fireworks burst forth - and as the song whams to a close with one final explosion, silver streamers are launched over the crowd. Cheapskates. "Oh won't you please take me home?" sings Rose. Well, no - but we will go home ourselves. And we'll go satisfied. And very, very tired.

Set List:

Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Shackler's Revenge
Richard Fortus Spotlight
Live and Let Die
Sorry
If the World
Dizzy Reed Solo
Street of Dreams
Better
You Could Be Mine
DJ Ashba Spotlight
Sweet Child o' Mine
I.R.S.
Axl Rose Piano Solo
November Rain
Scraped
O Canada / Pink Panther (Bumblefoot Spotlight)
Out Ta Get Me
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Nightrain

Encore:
Madagascar
This I Love
Frank Ferrer Drum Solo
Rocket Queen
My Generation (Tommy Stinson Spotlight)
Patience
Paradise City

jam! SHOWBIZ