Doors were supposed to open at 7p for the Guns N' Roses show at the Warfield. I couldn't get there until 8p and it was pretty retarded because they didnt' let people in for over an hour, waiting in the Tenderloin can be fun/colorful.. or not. The show line stretched all the way down Market, around Golden Gate and back to Taylor. That was really nuts. A lot of anxious fans went across the street on Golden Gate for some beers. The staff had another idea though, pouring out beer on the street from everyone they busted
Still, ish was worth it. I only found out Sebastian Bach (former/forever Skid Row frontman) was opening the same day so that was bonus
Anyway, get in after 9p, wait some and the show starts up around 9:30p shortly after hearing Sebastian Bach saying his trademark "mothertrucker". The former Skid Row frontman was all energy, this is on some straight up metal ish (the hair, the scream, the attitude). The big hits from "Save To The Grind" and the first album were all in great form with the new outfit Bach was rolling with (kinda older, more thrash metal/KISS looking). There were a couple of new songs including a ballad that I wasn't really feeling. One song "Stuck inside" was ok, not super melodic. Bach is a great performer though, Skid Row proper woulda been the perfect opener for the original Guns'. This was as close as it would get
The reclusive Axl Rose came out with the new Guns N' Roses at 11:10p for a crowd pleaser "Welcome To The Jungle"
This is the current lineup, courtesy of Wikipedia (in order)
- Brian Mantia (drums)
- Dizzy Reed (keyboards)
- Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (guitars)
- Axl Rose (vocals, diva)
- Robin Finck (guitars)
- Richard Fortus (guitars)
- Tommy Stinson (bass)
- Chris Pittman (keyboards)
The show actually devoted solos for everyone (but the bassist, sad), kinda killing time or allowing Axl to recuperate. That fool changed outfits like 5 times which is so not rock & roll. He sounded good on a lot of songs but then some other times it was the weakness. Sebastian Bach on the other hand has the voice he had 10 years ago, amazing. That could be seen when Bach joined Axl for "My Michelle". He outsang Axl. His voice was pretty much in and out. It's cool though, everything off "Appetite'" was the bomb. A commenter on SFist reminded me how Axl had to fix his watch after it almost came off when he shook fans' hands, he did that instead of singing his part during "Nightrain", that was lameness. Besides the random new songs (including the horrendous "IRS", I guess "Better" is kinda interesting riff-wise. ) they also played "Since I Don't Have You" which was kinda surprising, not bad. The big moments from UYI were "You Could Be Mine", "November Rain" and "Live and Let Die" and "Knocking on Heaven's Door" which was the culmination of the show for me, I felt super tired after that for some reason and enjoyed the show less as I had to watch for them mosh pit kids
The fans were pretty stoked. A lot of older people, and somehow lots of Hispanic ones. Stuff got kinda rowdy on the floor with 2-3 crowdsurfers but everything was mostly cool. Some idiots to the right kept yelling "Get In The Ring", isn't that a terrible song? I'd rather listen to "Civil War" but who can pull off those solos. Oh yeah a couple of asswipes came up at the end of Bach's set and just pushed everyone to get to the front. They were pretty uncool, I guess big people do whatever they want.
Ending the show with "Paradise City" amped everyone (nice confetti action) and it's as perfect a track to close the show as 'Jungle is to open. They gave out commemorative posters on the way out. Got home around 1:30am.. tired but stoked. GN'R, going back tonight, I'm gonna find a seat and chill
//flickr set (and pics)//
//previously//
Sebastian Bach opening for GNR
GNR to play the Warfield
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