The Ritz...20 Years Later

[14 Yrs Of Silence]

February 2nd, 1988 - GN'R plays at The Ritz in New York, NY. MTV is there filming, and an edited version of the show is later broadcast on the channel.

Just happened to pop out my DVD of The Ritz '88 show that was aired on MTV, looked at the box and noticed that the show was performed on February 2, 1988.  This performance changed my life.  I had been a fan of the band for quite a few months by the time this aired (can anyone tell me the date it first aired?), but watching them live for the first time engrossed me into their music and identity for life.  I have a passion for few things like I do GN'R.  Aside from my love of my family and friends, I love my Mets (hell yeah on the Johan Santana acquisition!), I love my Giants (still can't believe they're in the f'in Superbowl!), and I love G'n'F'n'R!  The pure rawness of the band was unmatched by anyone at the time, and in my opinion, since.

[Naupis]

I didn't even realize that, hard to believe that was 20 years ago. You just inspired me to goto Youtube and watch it.


It is really striking how big a party that show seemed like. During Paradise City you had Axl diving out into the crowd trying to crowd surf with Slash literally passed out playing the outro on his back all while still sounding totally killer.

The other thing I never fully appreciated is how fuckin awesome a rythm section Adler, Duff and Izzy were. In the shadow of Axl/Slash I don't think they have ever been truly appreciated for just how much they brought to the GNR sound. Watch this show and Popcorn was a beast on the drums, as he has a groove to his playing that never really came back after he left. He was kind of like the Slash of drummers, hardly a virtuoso in terms of talent, but his style of play seemed to fit so perfectly with the sound of the band. Duff's baselines sound awesome, and Izzy may be the coolest looking guitarists to pick up the axe.

It is also not surprising how GNR became the biggest band on the planet when you see how much charisma Axl and Slash had. Axl's voice was a fucking monster back then. Watch every song on that show and he had album quality grit and aggression in his voice through out every song. I am not sure if being on TV pumped him up, but he sounded amazing from start to finish. Same thing with Slash, I don't remember him playing as well at some of those shows in the early years, but his guitar tone and sound is bad ass.

The final observation is how different they sounded in that period compared to later years and especially now. There were no keyboards, effects 3rd guitarists, orchestras or whatever else came into play once the Illusions started. With just drums, bass and 2 guitars you heard all of their instruments so clearly. It had a raw kick ass rock vibe to it. They showed up looking like a bad ass rock band, played the shit out of their instruments and it turned them into the biggest rock band on the planet. When you look at how amazing their chemistry was it is amazing to think things would be the way they are now, but I guess that is a testament to how special it was that even 20 years later they were still on the cover Rollingstone and have a general public still fascinated in a story they have heard a thousand times.

It might not have been the best show they ever played (I like Paris in 92) but it certainly captured the essence of the band for that time period as well as one could. If you could only show people one video of a GNR concert to give them an idea of what the band was like this would be it. When they weren't busy bickering/fighting or being petty they were a pretty good fuckin rock band.  

[Cooker]

 Thats a pretty fucking elegant observation. Naupis.

[Olorin]

Every Christmas day I pull up a chair, fire on the Ritz 88 dvd, crank it up in surround sound and pop open a bottle of whisky. Sheer bliss!!

Its mabye not technically their best performance ever captured on film, although much of it is hard to beat. But the raw power, sheer energy and bullet proof attitude is spine tingling. Every time I watch it I get goose bumps. I watched it with a friend who had never seen any footage of GN'R live and he was blown away, mostly by Axl. He said - "If you could plug that guy in there is enough energy coming off him to power the whole show!"

I remember waking up on a Sunday morning in 1988, I was 8 years old, and my dad said " We taped something off the TV last night for you and your brother..."
Stuck in the video and low and behold it was this concert, Channel 4 in the UK had aired it. Me and my brother were GN'R daft at that time. The thing I remember most is when Paradise City came on, my dad had his head in his hands saying "Oh God! I think we know this one."

My brother had a cassette with Paradise City copied on it, not once or twice but for a whole 60 minute tape, Paradise City on repeat.
He had this wee mini ghetto blaster which he took everywhere with this bloody tape going night and day. Man I hated that song for years after that

[doooodickiebr]

I love this show too!   I know that KOHD was never aired on MTV until years later, but did they play don't cry at this show too?  For some reason I think I remember hearing or reading that somewhere!

[Olorin]

No it was at the Ritz 87 show, and it was a brilliant performance

[Gunner80]

I didn't even realize that, hard to believe that was 20 years ago. You just inspired me to goto Youtube and watch it.


It is really striking how big a party that show seemed like. During Paradise City you had Axl diving out into the crowd trying to crowd surf with Slash literally passed out playing the outro on his back all while still sounding totally killer.

The other thing I never fully appreciated is how fuckin awesome a rythm section Adler, Duff and Izzy were. In the shadow of Axl/Slash I don't think they have ever been truly appreciated for just how much they brought to the GNR sound. Watch this show and Popcorn was a beast on the drums, as he has a groove to his playing that never really came back after he left. He was kind of like the Slash of drummers, hardly a virtuoso in terms of talent, but his style of play seemed to fit so perfectly with the sound of the band. Duff's baselines sound awesome, and Izzy may be the coolest looking guitarists to pick up the axe.

It is also not surprising how GNR became the biggest band on the planet when you see how much charisma Axl and Slash had. Axl's voice was a fucking monster back then. Watch every song on that show and he had album quality grit and aggression in his voice through out every song. I am not sure if being on TV pumped him up, but he sounded amazing from start to finish. Same thing with Slash, I don't remember him playing as well at some of those shows in the early years, but his guitar tone and sound is bad ass.

The final observation is how different they sounded in that period compared to later years and especially now. There were no keyboards, effects 3rd guitarists, orchestras or whatever else came into play once the Illusions started. With just drums, bass and 2 guitars you heard all of their instruments so clearly. It had a raw kick ass rock vibe to it. They showed up looking like a bad ass rock band, played the shit out of their instruments and it turned them into the biggest rock band on the planet. When you look at how amazing their chemistry was it is amazing to think things would be the way they are now, but I guess that is a testament to how special it was that even 20 years later they were still on the cover Rollingstone and have a general public still fascinated in a story they have heard a thousand times.

It might not have been the best show they ever played (I like Paris in 92) but it certainly captured the essence of the band for that time period as well as one could. If you could only show people one video of a GNR concert to give them an idea of what the band was like this would be it. When they weren't busy bickering/fighting or being petty they were a pretty good fuckin rock band.  

Slash most diffinity is a virtuoso! Just because he doesn't play a thousand notes a second doesn't mean he's not.

[Irish gunner II]

Even though I was only just three yrs old when this show happened, and Ive been a true GNR fan for seven years( I knew the band after T2 in 1994), this is the gig I feel best shows the band in the right way. True, It might not have been the best show from a sound point of view and set up but I couldnt care less.

[draguns]

This show took place when I was 11 years old. My dad let me stay up to watch the show. I had just started to become a fan of the band
as a result of Welcome to the Jungle. I watched the show and it sealed the deal.  The band was really tight. I have to buy it on DVD.
Btw, LETS GO NY GIANTS!!!!  Next Super Bowl Champs!!!!:) Sorry, I  had to say it.

[misterID]

I remember the night it came on MTV and the build up all day for it. I was nine or ten at the time. It was a killer show. That was the first time I saw the band outsde an interview or video. When Axl introduced Slash to the crowd and he told them to shut up when they chanted his name, I thought that was the coolest thing I had ever seen.

[PolarBearWitchHead]

nice post and great show~!



edit:  SPEAKING OF ANNIVERSARIES, i missed my 5 years anniversary a couple months back of registering!!11 

[Ed Rose]

It was twenty years ago today
Axl Rose told the band to play
They've been goin? in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years
Axl Rose and his newly formed band

We're Axl Rose?s newly formed rock n? roll band
We hope you will enjoy the show
Axl Rose?s newly formed rock n? roll band
Sit back and let the evening go
Axl Rose?s newly, Axl Rose?s newly
Axl Rose?s newly formed rock n? roll band
It's wonderful to be here
It's certainly a thrill
You're such a lovely audience
We'd like to take you home with us
We'd love to take you home

I don't really want to stop the show
But I thought that you might like to know
That the singer's going to sing a song
And he wants you all to sing along
So let me introduce to you
The one and only Axl Rose
And Axl Rose?s newly formed rock n? roll band

What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you sign on and flame the shit out of me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, I get high with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans
What do I do when my love is away
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
How do I feel by the end of the day
(Are you sad because you're on your own)
No, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, get high with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans

(Do you need anybody)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody)
I want somebody to love

(Would you believe in a love at first sight)
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
(What do you see when you turn out the light)
I can't tell you but I know it's mine

Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, get high with a little help from my fans
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my fans

(Do you need anybody)
I just need someone to love
(Could it be anybody)
I want somebody to love

Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans
Oh, I get high with a little help from my fans
Yes, I get by with a little help from my fans
With a little help from my fans

[Brundle25]

It was twenty years ago today
Axl Rose told the band to play
They've been goin in and out of style
But they're guaranteed to raise a smile
So may I introduce to you
The act you've known for all these years
Axl Rose and his newly formed band

We're Axl Roses newly formed rock n roll band
We hope you will enjoy the show
Axl Roses newly formed rock n roll band
Sit back and let the evening go
Axl Roses newly, Axl Roses newly
Axl Roses newly formed rock n roll band
It's wonderful to be here
It's certainly a thrill
You're such a lovely audience
We'd like to take you home with us
We'd love to take you home

I don't really want to stop the show
But I thought that you might like to know
That the singer's going to sing a song
And he wants you all to sing along
So let me introduce to you
The one and only Axl Rose
And Axl Roses newly formed rock n roll band

What would you think if I sang out of tune
Would you sign on and flame the shit out of me
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key
Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, I get high with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans
What do I do when my love is away
(Does it worry you to be alone?)
How do I feel by the end of the day
(Are you sad because you're on your own)
No, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, get high with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans

(Do you need anybody)
I need somebody to love
(Could it be anybody)
I want somebody to love

(Would you believe in a love at first sight)
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
(What do you see when you turn out the light)
I can't tell you but I know it's mine

Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, get high with a little help from my fans
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my fans

(Do you need anybody)
I just need someone to love
(Could it be anybody)
I want somebody to love

Oh, I get by with a little help from my fans
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my fans
Oh, I get high with a little help from my fans
Yes, I get by with a little help from my fans
With a little help from my fans

thats crap dude.

[greekmule]

Naupis you hit the nail on the head man with that post

i agree 100% with everything you say about the rhythm section, slash and axl.

back then they were the best fuckin rock and roll band in the world. its a fucking shame they exploited only a very small percentage of their potential

[Kaleigh]

I fucking love that show... Rocket Queen from that one is such a classic.    And hell, it was exactly one year before my birthday!

[Johnnyblood]

A lot of us old school fans keep waiting (hopelessly) for a recurrence of the magic of that night. And really, if you look at the bootlegs from that era, most of their shows were thrilling in some way and went along similar lines. The difference about the Ritz show was that 1) they had just established a mainstream presence, 2) they were ON MESSAGE the whole fucking night --- from Browstone to Paradise City, and 3) it was all captured and broadcast on national television. This show gave the band a mythical aura ... they were a perfect rock n' roll band, they had three perfect singles, amazingly the album was better its component parts (just like the band itself), they had elements that attracted different types of fans for completely different reasons, and they could bring it live to the extent that it took people's breath away. Really their high point for purists like me.

[Limulus]

this 02/02/1988 ritz mtv show performance-wise was an average 80s gnr show....axl's got voice trouble and the band performance was "so so" only. people of 80s knowledge should know there have been much better ones, for example if they would have captured/televised

August 02nd 1988 - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, IN

now THAT would have been killer on tv broadcast worldwide. the audio master source of this was released on dime last year or so, go and check please.

still.....we just had this 02/02/1988 ritz - 02/02/2008 20th anniversary....where is the official MTV dvd release??

[cyllan]

A lot of us old school fans keep waiting (hopelessly) for a recurrence of the magic of that night.

Just missing out on seeing GNR as I did when they toured the UK in '88 and having to wait what seemed like an agonising eternity for them to start touring again, before seeing my first show in Germany in May '91, I'm not sure if I come under the banner of 'old school fan' or just merely 'old'.   

Nevertheless, the shows I attended in 2006 were something incredibly special and, dare I say it, even magical too.  I feel that the current era of GNR is every bit as dynamic and indispensable as any of the previous incarnations, and if you or anyone else hasn't seen this latest line-up perform live yet and are still feeling dewy-eyed about the good ol' days, I urge you to go and see them as soon as possible - I think you may well find that the magic returns.

As for the pivotal moment in GNR history, although AFD and the shows of that era were undoubtedly a powerful concoction that swept away all the competition, and acted as the centre from which GNR launched their claim to rock dominance, I feel the unleashing of CD upon the listening masses (and the supporting tour) will prove to be a focal point of equal magnitude for the GNR of today.  And naturally, at the heart of both occasions, will be the one person who, for me, is the true lynchpin of GNR, Axl Rose.

[Ulises]

A pillar in Guns N' Roses' History...

For me, personally, is not the coolest show but it means a lot....

[lost in the garden]

I love this show too!   I know that KOHD was never aired on MTV until years later, but did they play don't cry at this show too?  For some reason I think I remember hearing or reading that somewhere!

the only song cut from the MTV telecast was "Mama Kin", KOHD was in the broadcast fromm day one, and damn MTV played the shit out of that concert. KOHD was also on a european 12" single of WTTJ, it was live from the Marquee in '87 and slowly began getting radio play after the MTV concert.