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http://www.newgnr.com/newgnr.html09-16-06 | Hard Rock Hotel - The Joint Review 2
by Rex
I believe that show (at least to those of who were there) may very well go
down in history as the best concert that Las Vegas has ever seen, or any
town has ever seen.
I have been to more concerts than I care to county by many different
bands, but this was sick, just sick.
Axl lost the botox, and sounded like he just finished Appetite for
Destruction'. Better if you can imagine it. The scream was back, his
range was actually better, and
the energy was insane.
They did triple lead guitar on several songs, and from the moment the
concert burst out with "Welcome to the Jungle" to 2+ hours later when
it ended with "Paradise City", everybody ... the band, the crowd,
security ... everybody was ready to collapse.
That show was like a crystal meth enema. It was like the band was shot
out of a cannon and they torn through nearly every GNR song (plus a
little new material) like it was 1988 ... but their wore more band
members and every single member was completely at the top of their
game.
I heard a bunch of bad shit from the music press. I head some bad crap
from Europeans. I heard he would be three hours late and do a half-assed
show. I almost didn't go, because I expected to be disappointed. But .....
Holy Shit. Just .... Holy Shit.
I talked with people in the crowd who had seen them 20+ times since the 80's
remarking that this was far and away, the best GNR show they had ever
seen. It was the best concert of any kind I have ever been witness to.
I'm still speechless.
Some guys were there after the show who had seen them at Hammerstein in NYC
and they said "Manhattan has nothing on Las Vegas, the greatest shows are
always here. This show was way better than Hammerstein."
The fed of the crowd who was giving as much back to the band as they were
getting, and you can sense the band saing in their heads "We are finally home".
Seriously, if you have never seen GNR in Las Vegas, then you may not have
seen GNR's best live work.
There was a good deal of crowd interaction, the whole band seemed to be
thrilled that they were in Las Vegas, and Axl even laughed when some
dumbass was kicked out for throwing things instead of having a hissy
fit. The place was packed, and every single person sang every word to
every song from start to finish. They just tore the place apart.
Seriously, I don't know how that show could possibly be topped by and
band in any place.
Richard was on fire screaming "fuck yeah!" as he was hammering out the
rhythm section of "Jungle", Robin had me thinking "Slash Who?" This guy is
second to nobody, and this is coming from someone who got into guitar
playing because of Slash. I emulated Slash in my early playing years, and
this was the guy who I always took as the greatest player of all time. I
saw Velvet Revolver last year simply to watch Slash play. And here I was
feeling like a complete traitor when I was standing their saying "Holy
Shit, this guy plays Slash better than Slash". But what can I say? He
does. I never thought I would EVER say that, but this guy plays GNR leads
that make you think he had to have written the songs himself. And his
energy and stage presence is, dare I say it, more dramatic. He's all over
the stage, going nuts while not missing a note. He collided with Axl with
one point, hit the deck, and still didn't miss a note!
Robin came out into the audience at one point. These guys were psyched
beyond belief.
Richard's (who I thought was playing RHYTHM and not lead) took the lead
solo on "November Rain" that damn near brought a tear to my eye. When your
rhythm player can play lead better than most lead players, you've got an
untouchable band.
I got right in front of the stage. Almost got hit by Robin's guitar neck
at one point. Axl laughed at my huge Pocket PC cellphone when I held
it up in leui of a lighter for "Patience". My phone looked less like a
lighter and more like a frigging stage light.
Anyway, greatest ... concert ... ever. Seriously, ever. Since the
invention of the amplified sound, this was the best single set by any
particular band in the history of rock music.
At least from near the stage. The celebrities and rock critics who
were preening and licking each other's nuts in the balcony so as to be
isolated from us riff-raff may have a different story, but who gives a
damn?
This was one to tell your grand kids about. It was one of the classic
"great" shows. I don't think it can be topped. And whether you like Axl,
hate Axl,
it became apparent very quickly why he is arguably the best front man
in the last 20 years. Maybe he's an ass, maybe he's insane, but when
he's on, he cannot be topped. Period.
I think that was the show against which all others will be judged. And I
think it will be king.
I tried to put it into words the best I could, but it's really not
possible. You had to be there to understand what I mean.
I really hope the rest of you get a show 1/2 as good as this one. Because
if you do, it will still be the best show you have ever seen. I make very
few promises, but I promise everyone this ... if they are anywhere near
where they were last night, if you ever seen one show in your entire life,
this would have to be it.
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