Here Today... Gone To Hell!

Since there's no summer tours this year, due to the global pandemic... Life is slowly getting back to some kind of new normal in many places. But concerts aren't happening this summer... So why not take a moment and look back?



So what's your GN'R related highlight(s) from the past four plus years? Is it a show? A specific moment in a show? A trip to a show? Meeting someone at a show? Or something completely different?





/jarmo

Seeing them at Lincoln Financial in Philly on July 14 2016, first time seeing Axl, Slash n Duff together since 1992.  From Looney Tunes intro, to opening bass riff from Its So Easy, to Coma to Paradise City, it was something I'll never forget.  Also hot as balls that night!

Flying to Stockholm in 2017 and having a feeling that the whole band and crew would be in the hotel next to the venue.After 2-3 hours in the lobby that feeling went away.
That show was the 1st on that leg with 5 songs on the encore.

We were.  :hihi:



That was a great show. Nice weather too. As far as I remember.




/jarmo

I have had bad luck, lost my job in 2016, so I didn't go to see GNR then and now in 2020 the concert was cancelled due to the pandemic.  Hopefully next year will be a better year and I will finally see GNR. :beer:

Oh no. :(

Where were you gonna go see them, if you don't mind me asking....



/jarmo

Hands down COMA at NRG in Houston with my 8 (now 11) year-old... his first concert, and my first time seeing Slash, Duff, and Axl together live.   :peace:

MetLife stadium for both concerts :beer:

Nice place! Great shows there in 2016.

So you also missed the NYC area shows on the arena leg in 2017.... ?




And Skrillex? :D



/jarmo

Wow what  a ride it has been the NITL, first of all scoring tickets to both nights in Las Vegas back in 2016... the excitment of the reunion, partying at the Rainbow and Canters Deli (meeting Marc), rocking to LV seeing both shows and drinking all the bars I could find after! Lol I even met Eddie Trunk and one bar. Those two first shows were surreal!

I saw them twice more, one in my city Lima, Peru and the other with The Who in Santiago, Chile!  :smoking: :smoking: :beer:

Flew to America to see Coachella, it was crazy to see Slash and Axl on stage together.
Also Sydney 2017, despite the 40+ degrees (Celsius) it was a great show.

Bad luck I guess but I'm hoping 2021 will be a better year for everyone :beer:

When I was a teenager, I had the Paris pay-per-view recorded on a tape and always thought it would be so cool to see GNR in a huge stadium in the very front row. 25 years later, I was front row at AT&T stadium in San Francisco next to Duff’s kids.

Oh also, running into Axl in the Palladium parking lot at 4am after a crazy night walking through Hollywood.

Vegas 2016 both nights - I flew out from the UK by myself to see the shows - I had to be there!!   :hihi:

Then London 2017 - great show and went VIP for the first time.

The locker leaks from last year - sorry but it's true!

For me clearly the first reunion shows, so, so exciting (and if we include Axl/DC in this then the anticipation and finally hearing Axl sing with them  AND NAILLLLLL IT)

For me, despite going to London 2017 first night and the emotion of seeing them together again, it has to be Kuala Lumpur in 2018. Travelling from England for my first show abroad was so cool.
To have the access I had I will never get again. Going to the waterpark in the morning where the gig was being held, being able to stand in front of the stage because there was nobody around, then going back to my hotel room and watching the hour sound check from my balcony just blew my mind.
And then being right at the front for the concert and Axl looking me in the eye and waving (my girlfriend still buzzes off how excited I looked!). And of course meeting Jarmo!

https://youtu.be/Nk3w1isTYSA

View from my balcony!

That might've been the hottest show on the tour. 45°C or something that day....




Ha!


Kuala Lumpur was one of the weirdest (?) venues. The stage was on the beach and the fans stood on the bottom of the "sea"....




San Francisco was chilly.... Great coffee though. :D




/jarmo

Yes.

Speaking of MetLife... We went back there in 2017. Or next door. We were at the old arena before the arena leg of the tour. That arena is where I saw my first GN'R show in the USA back in 2006.




/jarmo

The Meadowla.....I mean, MetLife show.

Just an awesome show, start to finish.  My wife and I are big Lenny Kravitz fans, so it was cool to get him as an opener.

We bought seats sorta blind at onsale and found out we had gotten seats in "the coaches club", which got us some neat views, our own "cafeteria" and bathrooms, and easy in/out of the venue.  THAT was an experience in itself.

And the show....my favorite GnR show, to that point, was GnR, Metallica, Faith No More at Foxboro Stadium.  This harkened back to (and surpassed) that show.  It was equal parts amazing show and nostalgic call back.  It was the first time my wife had seen Axl, Slash, and Duff share the same stage.  It was goosebumps pretty much every song.

I have to say: A close second was when the collectors edition of the AFD Anniversary package mysteriously showed up on my doorstep.  Still, to this day, nobody in my family has owned up to this...it's a running joke in the house.  It took me about a week to dig up a cassette player after it arrived. ;)

I'm hoping GNR tours next year and I get to see them at Metlife :beer:

Yeah. Me too



I remember reading comments about how GN'R should stop this "cash grab" touring. And look what happened! Now we dream of being able to go to shows....





/jarmo

Imola 2017. Great day even if it was pretty destructive.

ME TOO!!!!

 :peace: :beer: : ok:

It will be nice next year to see Axl, Slash and Duff for the first time.   I saw the new GNR in 2002 at MSG in NY and in 2012 at the Fillmore in silver spring MD. :beer:

As a fan of Formula 1, that place holds a lot of history.....

Destructive?


I just remember that there were a lot of fans there!



/jarmo

In 2016 I went with my wife to the shows in Mexico City, April 19 and 20, the best: Axl, Slash and Duff together, the first day from the front row and the next day from the stands, it may sound naive to My 40 years, but they are two of the happiest days of my life, the painful thing was while we were walking to the forum, my wife slipped on the track and hurt her ankle, she gets angry every time we remember those moments  :-[, it was curious to see Axl most of the show sitting on that throne, when he usually moves around the stage.

 :peace:

Well it was the biggest european show (90 k people or something like that)

I was in the pit since i dont know when ...maybe 9 am..very hot and long day...I'm just too old for this kind of shit  :hihi:

Ha!

Yeah, long hot day....






I remember the hail storm before the one of the shows....




/jarmo

I got to the see the very first show on the NITL tour in Detroit, MI  in 2016.  I'd seen them twice previously but this was the first time with Slash.  What a great show!

Yeah! As you mentioned, it was the first real stadium show on the tour. Exciting times.




/jarmo

It was insane! I was in the pit it was like a sauna. I  can remember the sweat pouring off Slash’s fingers. Yet Axl and the guys played for over 3 hours :peace:

From the winter in Japan, to stormy weather in New Zealand and then the heat in Sydney. Just within a few weeks.




/jarmo

It's madness eh :) Live and breathe it all while it's still going on though. I have always enjoyed people living and doing random things, and there are you out with GN'R. I bet you never thought that would happen 20 years ago. It's brilliant :)

If the band allow it, you should write a book later in life. It'd be a good read.

No, the thought never entered my mind.  :hihi:

Seeing the band in 2006 was amazing. And everything that came after that has been pretty unbelievable....  8)




/jarmo

You should think about it later on. It's a unique perspective on the life of a band, and an unusual story

Wait till it's all over though. I am on about when the band are long split up and gone. It's just a cool story to tell

It's definitely not the kind of story I was ever expecting when I started the site.... :)




/jarmo

Where you at the New York shows in May of 2006? Those shows were amazing. I was there for the Friday and the Monday show. Since this reunion has happend, i've been lucky enough to have seen them five times. The 2nd Vegas show in 16, then Houston and I actually won tix to the San Antonio show which was my favorite since the reunion. Two more times for Austin City limits music fest, 2nd wkend was the better show.

No, I went to a bunch of European shows in the summer though. Including Hammersmith Apollo. I did see them at the Meadowlands arena and Madison Square Garden in November 2006 though.






The second one was the cooler one right? It was hot the first weekend and then like a different season the next!



/jarmo

Hard to pick. First night at Metlife was memorable. I loved Gothenburg, both the city and the gig. Axl was on top form in London 2017 with his union jack hat.
Vegas last year was cool as the stage was super close & well it's Vegas. Not been one bad show that I've attended. Oh...and AC/DC in Marseilles, Prague & Manchester was amazing as well. Slash at the Hammersmith apollo was awesome- much prefer it now they don't do many GN'R songs.
2016 - Foxborough, Metlife nights 1 & 2
2017 - Lisbon, Madrid, London nights 1 & 2
2018 - Gothenburg
2019 - Caesars Palace Vegas nights 1 & 2

Here's to 2021. Waiting for London & Scotland to be rearranged.

I went to Hammersmith. That was an exciting gig. A late night I remember. and Avenged Sevenfold opened. They'd be a good opener now in big stadiums. Were you working for them then? When was your first gig as a employee?

Yeah. Exciting indeed.




No, I was just going to as many shows as I could...... Making up for missing them in 2002 and 1993 I guess.  :hihi:





/jarmo

Bangkok 2017

The story begins in early 2015, I was in Pattaya Thailand (i have some friends and family there. and often i played drums with local rock bands that i knew from years back)
Bumblefoot was in town to play some charity gigs. I found my way backstage at his gig, im a huge fan of both his solo stuff and GNR. Met him and the local band that was backing him.
The gig was great, later that same evening i was playing drums at the local rock bar near the venue where Bumblefoot had just played. Im on stage and Bumblefoot and his wife walks in the club while IM ON STAGE!  Ive never been so nervous in my life on stage.

Anyway we meet again, he invites me and my dad to come to the soundcheck for his next big festival gig.
We went, it was cool. I was invited to the side of the stage to watch the show. And for the encore without telling me anything in advance They INVITE ME ONSTAGE TO PLAY SWEET CHILD! I was in cloud nine.

Next two years 2016 and 2017 he was playing the same charity gigs again. I was there in Thailand too, this time he invited me to play a few songs with him.

So fast forward to February 2017. I had just played Pink Panther, Little Brother Is Watching, Don't Know Who to Pray to Anymore and Paradise City in front of this pretty huge audience With Freaking Bumblefoot. Hanging backstage ect. I was living the dream 100%.
 
About 1 week after this, GN'R was playing in a stadium in Bangkok, i was there of course, pit tickets. My first reunion show. Weather was HOT, i was super close to the stage. It was totally dark so the stage lights were at their full potential.  The show was pure magic. The crowd was great, the band was on fire. I was sweating like never before.
Directly After the gig a had a morning flight back to Helsinki. Back to reality. Still on cloud nine. What a trip.

That's quite the story! :D

Yes, that show was pretty sweaty.... I remember walking outside the venue as doors were open and saw a bunch of drunks. I listened to some of them speak and surprise, it was Finnish. I think one of them might've been passed out already.



/jarmo

That was not me ;D

I went to the gig alone and sober. (So no finnish speaking there)
After the gig  i met some friends who were also there for a beer, and someone recognised me from the gigs the week before. That was extra special cool too.

Haha!


It was just a funny coincidence, being a Finnish speaker myself and seeing these people there.

Just reminded me of the fact that GN'R brings people from all over the world to their shows. Holidays and GN'R, perfect combination!



Three years ago we were in Hanover Germany. That was another surreal show, and not only because Angus Young was there. The show was outside in a convention center area. Once the thunderstorm moved in, the show was stopped for over an hour.People moved to get cover from the storm. Once it passed, the fans came back and the band continued the show in the rain...




/jarmo

Mine would have to be in the pit in Cincinnati in 2016.  First time seeing Axl, Slash and Duff share the stage.  It was really cool and exciting when Axl introduced Steven Adler and he joined for 2 songs.  Just a great beautiful night!  A few days later, I went to the show in Nashville.  Another great one.  One of my favorite weeks of my life!

That was a surprise.  :D

I mean, the guest appearance in Los Angeles was less of a surprise. Because it's Los Angeles....



On this day, four years ago. The first show of the summer tour was in Detroit, MI. That was pretty surreal. The first real tour with Axl, Duff and Slash since 1993 was starting. The shows in April were more like a little warm up... But this was the real deal. Two months across the USA and a stop in Canada.

Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHskHCWCmK




/jarmo

I couldn't get a ticket for those Hammersmith shows, much to my annoyance!

I can't remember why they did them now. Were they warm ups for something?

Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC in 2006 was a kinda like a warm up for the summer European tour.




/jarmo

So were the Hammersmith ones just 'one offs' then? I believe they came before the summer 2006 European tour right?

May 12th, 2006 - New York City, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
May 14th, 2006 - New York City, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
May 15th, 2006 - New York City, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
May 17th, 2006 - New York City, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom


Start of European tour: May 25th, 2006 - Madrid, Spain @ Auditorio Parque Juan Carlos I

Hammersmith Apollo show: June 7th, 2006 - London, UK @ Hammersmith Apollo

End of European tour: July 30th, 2006 - London, UK @ Wembley Arena





/jarmo

Thanks!

Four years ago, we were in Philadelphia loading in at the Lincoln Financial Field. I remember before going to work, I took a walk do see the Rocky statue.  :)

Three years ago, we were traveling to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Two years ago were in Moscow. Show day at the Otkritie Arena, also known as Spartak Stadium.




/jarmo

I'm going to break my self imposed rule of not talking to you Jarmo
What do you do for work? I assume the website was and always has been a labor of love but being fairly omnipresent and spending so much time with the band I have always wondered how you actually make a living?

You kinda answered your own question.

Was fortunate enough to be part of the group of people who traveled around the world with GN'R until the pandemic hit.




/jarmo

As evasive as I expected . Simple question Jarmo......When someone asks me i say I'm an office manager for the RAA my basic responsibilities are......

So you are employed by GNR in what role,? Surely you cannot be fully employed moderating and defending Axl to a group of 10 people online?

Mostly office work. Things people don't necessarily see.

Also done everything from shooting confetti to helping with VIP package customers.





/jarmo

Why do you have a self imposed rule of not talking to him?!

Seems a little odd to me.....

Not really odd. I don't talk to anyone that has religious views and unable to compromise and meet in the middle. I feel his views are so tainted by employment  that there is no point in engaging in an open an honest discussion as a fellow fan. Much in the same way as i don't talk to religious family members. They have a pre conceived outcome and no level of logic will sway them. Why talk to anyone that will never concede a point?  That's not a discussion.

Jarmo is the dictionary definition of why fame has a dark side. I love my brother like...well...a brother. But If I'm asked about where i disagree with him I'll freely offer you examples. jarmo not only won't do the same but ask him to nominate a show where Axl's performance wasn't 10/10 and he will only offer examples where there were technical glitches. In Jarmo's world the boss cannot ever be anything other than prefect. This is why I call him Kelly Anne Conway

I recall as a teenager watching the Don't Cry making video and being shocked by the butt kissing that happened with Axl. I had always viewed Axl as really relatable and down to earth and it made me sad that his hangers on were so clearly disingenuous. Something mentioned by Slash and Duff in their books. I view Jarmo as one of the hangers on to fame and money that lacks integrity...as does 99% of the GNR fanbase. We long term fans can pin point when he signed an agreement with GNR as his whole demeanor towards the online fans changed overnight.

If you or Jarmo can point me to a single post where he has admitted someone has a good point of view and said yep, fair point was wrong.....or a single post where he has said yeah GNR/Axl made a poor move there then I will delete my membership. But you won't....and the reasons above explain why

This is an man that has been bought  Hence why i don't engage with someone with no integrity or ability to reason, compromise or engage as anything other than a shill.

With all due respect, what a load of rubbish.

You know nothing about me.....


Maybe the biggest difference is that I have no problems defending my opinion, and where I'm coming from, to anyone,

What I've learnt over the years is that it's easy when you can be anyone on the Internet. But then when you have to defend your view in person, things can sometimes change.....

Your infatuation with me is flattering though. :)

---

For everyone else, here are some photos I took at the show in Moscow on this day in 2018: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmfeoCuu





/jarmo

Tell me a performance where Axl kind of sucked and one example where GNR have kind of messed up then

simple test

And as I said show me one example of a post where you have compromised? You will not find an example because you aren't here to have open discussions you are here to defend and contort. you are a political operative rather than a genuine contributor and we all know it.

Look at my views on BLM in the  other thread, I repeatedly acknowledged other peoples views, thanked people for offering alternate points of view that differed from mine, backed away from points, and stated where I'm wrong I'll openly admit it. You NEVER do this.

here's another challenge. Put up a poll with the online GNR community. Do you view Jarmo as a person of integrity? In all honesty do you think you will get anything over 5%???

Do ANY of these things and I'll delete my account Mr Integrity.

One example where you think Axls performance was sub par (excluding tech issues or sickness)
One example where GNR have erred? (GNR, no external forces)
One time where you have compromised a point and said yep, fair point I was wrong (Any will do)

 How simple is that? Unless of course I have fair points???

For all the talk in the other thread, the one thing that fixes the world is to teach people to be decent and kind to one another.

At this moment in time, you are no better than all the people causing all the problems in the world.

Hold on, why would you delete your account?

Also, what is the list of things I didn't like gonna accomplish? I'm curious.... Thanks. :)


/jarmo

Just offering incentive to meet the Pepsi challenge (Is that even the correct challenge?? I'm not American :)
See above

Ahh the cavalry has arrived :)
Never said cashing in critical faculties was part of that. And I'm no better than people that cause the problems in the world because I openly and honestly answered why i don't engage with an online forum moderator because I view him as lacking integrity......why don't you start a few JLM rallies then buddy :) Poor Jarmo......someone call the cops. Oh No hang on don't do that, they are evil now. Harden up sunshine :)


Being offended is not a valid argument . As I said where I can be shown to be wrong I'll openly admit and apologize. I have made a very open and reasonable offer to Jarmo.

BTW do you have any form of financial interest in GNR mate?

None at all, never did. Our family run a mental health charity in England, and I also work in care in Scotland. My life is far and distant from anything music based  :peace:

You're offer comes across as juvenile, and carries no purpose. If Jarmo wants to see the good in everything, then why is that a bad thing.

Hey if he see's the good in things prior to $$ being involved then that's one thing. Even the most positive person can compromise and admit to any other human or situations failings. Where they can't it implies lack of integrity. Do you know anyone in your life that you think does not have flaws? Do you know anyone that engages in conversation on topics and will never compromise?

That is juvenile. One of the key indicators in maturity is being able to honestly and openly admit flaws, engage in adult conversations where you can compromise debating point's, discuss ideas in good faith and yes......sometimes admitting a friend or benefactor is not Jesus reincarnate.

Name it what you want. I just don't see the point.

I'm not after you deleting your account, nor am I after approval from strangers on the Internet.
You know nothing about me, yet you think you have cracked some kind of mystery and figured it all out. I guess everyone likes to feel like they know.



I saw 174 shows on the Not In This Lifetime tour. Unfortunately I don't remember all of them and every single detail... I don't spend my days on Youtube dissecting clips looking for missed notes, drum sounds that aren't prefect or wardrobe malfunctions. Sorry.

I've seen shows that have sucked and they weren't by GN'R.

I've seen the band play in freezing weather, at high altitude, Axl having a fever, with a broken foot, being sick with food poisoning and yet he didn't "kind of suck".


Edited to add: I'm fully aware that for some people the default regarding GN'R is that everything sucks (they toured too much, played the wrong songs, don't release new music etc etc). Which explains the obsession with that and how it makes one credible and having integrity.....




LOL

First I "sold out" for the mythical after party passes and now it's cash....  :rofl:





/jarmo

You are making judgements based on knowing absolutely nothing about Jarmo, his personality, his life, everything about him. I think your questions are probably fine, but you can go about it in many ways.

It just reads, not nice.

I think it's a good thing to have Jarmo out there with the band, sharing photos and experiences. And, for me, he is there because he is a nice and decent person, and that is what gets you places in life.

That's some pretty intense stuff right there!

I've not really any interest in trawling the forum looking for quotes for him, but don't you think you might be over-cooking things a little?!

Pretty mad that you'd care this much about him! I've never met the guy, but I'd happily go for a beer with him as I would most GNR fans. I don't see any evidence of him lacking 'integrity' whatsoever. He's always up for a debate on here and has his point of view.

I'm sure there are a few things I disagree with him on, but isn't that entirely normal? Isn't that part of a forum - sharing differing views without resorting to insults and being offensive?

I don't care, it doesn't affect my life but I was asked a question about why I don't engage with him and I explained it is because of his lack of integrity and inability to engage in open and honest discussion. Then it unraveled a bit from there. My point remains why would anyone talk to someone that has pre-conceived outcomes that are financially influenced? Why chat to any human that can't or won't concede points or compromise in discussion?

Debate is only good where 2 parties approach it in good faith and are both open to compromise. If one isn't then it's hitting a ball up against a wall hence my disinterest in talking to him

If in the last 3 days you have not conceded a view , said ahh yes good point, apologized for an error or admitted a failing then that's a worry. When you haven't done any of those things in the last 10 years it's dead set weird.

Pepsi challenge still stands Jarmo

Yes you are correct I wasn't approaching this as politely as i could have. The general thrust of my points remain and I do not back away from the assertions. Perhaps the bravery of being out of range. I would however say the same things to Jarmo's face but moderate it a bit. I have watched Jarmo's interactions with GNR fans for 15 years and I will just say that there are legitimate frustrations with objectivity, berating fans and general integrity. Feel free to discuss futher I'm out on this one and know already Jarmo will not take up my challenge.

Politeness goes a long way  : ok: And, the challenge is still juvenile.  :hihi:

I still don't see the point.

You want me to answer your challenge while you keep going on and on about how what I say is motivated by money. Silly.


Edited to add: I think it's a bit ironic that you have a problem with my so called lack of compromise and yet you're the one making claims about me... How is that being able to compromise?



/jarmo

Thank you! :)






/jarmo