One of the better VR Reviews You'll See - Technical Reasons plus PA, NJ, NY

Velvet Revolver 2004 Tour Review by GUNSNROSES.US? EDIT ::? I decided to just post in here since my forum is down.

Roseland Ballroom NYC, Electric Factory Philadelphia PA, & Starland Ballroom in Sayreville NJ Combined Review. 3 Shows in 3 states over the first tour. It?s now September 26, 2004 & I although my review is late, I did promise one. After seeing the ?Falling to Pieces? Video, for the first time tonight, pushed me to say what I?m going to say tonight with excitement.

I don?t think I have to state twice how my reviews work, but to the newbie?s I present straight up facts. From working within the industry & more importantly from being a hardcore fan from age 13 Appetite days does help. I lay down facts when I can ? Please correct or respond if anything ?factual? is off. Bear with me for I?m now typing off the top of my head from memory.

I did get to spend a little time with everybody in the band. Mostly back stage during the Philly show & I?ll touch base on that a bit more.

Technical:For the NYC show (Roseland Ballroom being a big show for press) I was ?Front Row? between Slash & Scott. Slash was sporting 3 Full Stacks on his backline. Anthony (younggunner who I met up with) suggested to me that vocals were muddy. I came to the conclusion this was because Slash had 3 Marshall Full Stacks in our line of direction. As many of you know, Marshall Cabs are extremely directional. This is not to say that there was a vocal issue at all whatsoever, but simply my standing location.

Philadelphia PA ? The Electric Factory: Slash was set up with 2 Marshall Stacks opposed to 3. Venue size was about the same. I was side stage most of the night looking over Slash?s Guitars & Amps. Slash sports 7 guitars on his rack, mostly Gibson/LP, of course, & I think 2 BC Rich (Black N? Red). Memory serves me correct, there were 4 JCM 800?s (2 for backup I believe or might use one for talk box) in Slash?s Rack ? The Marshall Stacks get split up half each >> 1 JCM for the Dirt & 1 JCM for the cleans. I hooked up with Slash?s long time tech Adam Day & Slash about this setup to confirm. But the one specific question I had for Adam was why 3 Stacks in NY & 2 in Philly. He says NYC was a bigger venue. More on that in a bit ?

Starland Ballroom NJ ? This was a smaller venue than NYC & PA, but now Slash had back his 3 Marshall Stacks! I?m not sure if it led to the overall shit sound that night in New Jersey. Not the playing?? Just bad sound to where many experienced tapers blamed ?VR?s Shitty Soundman? Shocked

on shows.

Thanx to Adam for the info & for one of Slash?s Dunlop Tortex ?VR? guitar picks.
Dave was using ?. I believe the vintage looking Marshall checked cabs. I think Dave told me he is using Celesion Vintage 30 Speakers which I think is the BV Cab (not sure if that is the exact cab he was using). There was an article I read saying Slash was using a ?Greenback? speaker. I wanted to clear that up. Slash tells me he still uses the V-30?s.

oK Now:? These guys are diesel! Persona all pro presence will make the average fan buckle at the knees. These guys got in mega shape for the tour >> Slash, Dave, Duff, & Matt were straight up cut.
Scott looked fine in my eyes in an expressive rock kind of way of what he is & has been going through. Scott on stage gives it his all >> something you just have to see & hear!! Simply Awesome & I?m appreciative. I talked to him briefly after the show before he told me he felt really sick. & then his wife called him.

Philly to me sounded the best ? The guys were more loose & not so fucking tense to throw a fashion show like they did in New York. Scott?s vocals with this setup seemed to become much more articulate & was not drowned out by the other guys.
>> Especially ?Fall To Pieces? sounded great! & the sound on ?Set Me Free? this night shocked me for overall tightness. The closer of the night, ?Negative Creep?, Duff, Slash, & Dave opened up in a sweeter energy jam kind of way than the fashion show at NYC. More focused on the music. ---? Yes Slash did have some words for Axl for not doing the Philly show >> not really worth mentioning >> Just commenting on how VR Showed up for Philly & a certain somebody didn?t make it. Back Stage Slash gave another statement to a fan, but the fan kind of provoked it & Slash just raised his hands, looked around & said ?was Axl suppose to be here? I don?t see him? sarcastic type of thang. No biggie > let the boys play.

** On a personal note: Talking to Duff really lifted a heaviness off of my shoulders. Duff & I got to reflect about a mutual friend that we both lost >> Lori Lepper (Duffs Previous Webmaster) that I worked with. Duff is simply awesome & in a weird caring motherly way haha. I?m good judge of character I think?.? & it?s just hard to explain.

*** Personal Note 2: I seen the ?Fall To Pieces? video tonight for the first time. & I wanted to tell you all to watch it!! The video reminds me of what I seen when meeting the guys during this tour. This is a real rock n roll band?..? ?The songs are actually real. The words & music are devastating real. The emotion & everyday fight of living is 1 driving force behind this particular band. I think many of you fans when you get from year 20 & up, your insides build up, you see/feel some weaknesses expressed within the ?fall to Pieces? song video & relate more ? or maybe not. Well this is why I decided to do this review tonight of those shows. Because I myself am still fighting, I myself has had my body hit the floor in pain, I myself has had to be picked up by a friend. I myself has stopped praying. But I think I?m winning some battles thanks to realistic music such as my own playing & right now tonight, bands like VR. I can go on & on & I?m shutting the fuck up now.

Any questions, let me know. This review is half-assed

Keep it real!! ?Sean (Bi Polar or BP) admin@gunsnroses.us