Guns N’ Roses – Hammersmith Apollo 2006

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Rumours, doubts and accusations follow Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses around like a stray dog. The last time Guns N’ Roses were on the road resulted in an abandoned US tour in 2002. Last time they were in England fans were not pleased with the band when they took the stage for their headlining slot at the Carling Weekend Leeds Festival hours late. With the new album, Chinese Democracy having taken at least eight years to be released, and having been rerecorded at least twice, many people were starting to believe it would never come out and that GN’R would never tour again. Lead guitarist Buckethead quit the band through his frustration at the delay in getting the album out, and all seemed lost.

Then Axl started showing up places, like parties, telling everyone how the album was finished and it would come out soon. The album was played for a pair of club owners who opened their club after hours for Axl to celebrate his 42nd Birthday, and then new tour dates for 2006 started to filter through. These were mostly headlining festival appearances in Europe which included England’s Download, but around them a few stadium shows started to be added. Then four warm-up shows in New York at the Hammerstein Ballroom, and then this Download warm-up at London’s legendary Hammersmith Apollo, a venue GN’R haven’t played since the ’80s.

Prior to this show the new GN’R, with new lead guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, had played four of their European shows. Reports were scarce before the London date, but word was that Axl and Guns had taken the stage on the opening date in Spain around two hours late and since this show GN’R were also over an hour late on stage in Budapest. If they were here, I was personally expecting the band to come on at 21:00, and when support act Avenged Sevenfold left the stage at 20:40, and the GN’R stage set-up was complete just before nine, I thought it was certain. I have since learnt that the planned stage time was 21:30. As you’d expect, 21:30 came and went with no sign of Guns N’ Roses. So did 22:30. By this point several fans had walked out, presumably to catch trains home (although if 22:30 was their deadline for trains, they shouldn’t have come anyway, since almost all gigs finish at 23:00).

With many certain that front-man Axl Rose hadn’t turned up, but hanging on in sheer hope, the lights finally dimmed at 22:40 and the opening bars of Welcome To The Jungle rang out following an ominous intro tape. I don’t think anyone truly believed it was actually happening until that all-too-familiar scream of “Do you know where the f**k you are?” reverberated around the Apollo. At least he was here.

Axl came running out on cue and instantly started spinning and dancing around just like the old days. He looked good, in shape and above all, he sounded superb. Reports of his requirement for an oxygen mask between songs to get through each show are flying around at the moment, but if that’s what it takes for him to sound that good, be in such good spirits and put on such a good show, so be it. For the next two hours and ten minutes the sweltering Apollo crowd were treated to a full stadium show, complete with pyro, explosions, confetti cannons and big screens. An impressive display in the tight confines of the old London theatre.

Amongst the classic hits, mostly culled from the band’s iconic debut Appetite For Destruction, we were also given four new songs from Chinese Democracy. Two of these had been heard before because they were played on the 2001/2002 tours (the magnificent Madagascar and the piano-led The Blues), but Better and IRS had not been played before this tour. Better is a guitar heavy rocker with a Korn-like intro and a killer, grooving chorus. By contrast IRS has an acoustic guitar opening before another rocking chorus with impassioned vocals and lyrics.

Aside from the simply amazing performances of the old and new songs, with towers of flames at the back of the stage, catherine wheel fireworks in the lighting rig, explosions at key moments, the stunning raining sparks effect during November Rain and the spectacular confetti cannons coupled with an excellent light show during the Paradise City finale, the thing that really stood out is the remarkable level of musicianship in the band. Each of the three guitarists in particular are phenomenally talented players and put former GN’R hero Slash’s current displays to shame. All fears that the new players are no match for the other Slash/Stradlin and Slash/Clarke partnerships should be laid to rest permanently, because the new line-up of Thal, Richard Fortus and ex-Nine Inch Nails man Robin Finck is outstanding. Each of their solo spots were impressive and the guitar duet between Fortus and Finck before My Michelle was breathtaking. I believe it’s been christened Beautiful, and with very good reason.

My Michelle, incidentally, was an undoubted highlight because it featured a guest appearance by ex-Skid Row front-man Sebastian Bach duetting with Axl. The appearance of Bach seemed to surprise most, even though Seb actually announced it himself a couple of days prior on his website. Seb is also set to appear in Dublin and Donington with GN’R before joining his own solo band and opening for Guns on the majority of their forthcoming non-festival European dates.

So many things can be taken from this show. The excellent shape and voice Axl was in. The ability of the three guitarists. The quality of the new songs. But most of all, the show was stunning. If only they put that much effort into getting there on time.

“ amazing ”

Setlist: Welcome To The Jungle / It’s So Easy / Mr Brownstone / Live And Let Die / Robin Finck guitar solo / Sweet Child O’ Mine / Madagascar / Better / You Could Be Mine / Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door / Jam / Dizzy Read piano solo / The Blues / Ron Thal guitar solo / IRS / Out Ta Get Me / November Rain / Richard Fortus guitar solo > Richard Fortus & Robin Finck guitar duet / My Michelle (w/ Sebastian Bach) / Patience / Nighttrain // Robin Finck guitar solo / Paradise City

Written by Andy Lye
More: Gigs, Hard Rock, Guns N' Roses