The name is apt: “Not in this lifetime!” I agreed because I never thought I’d see my favorite band as a kid back together, Guns N’ Roses. But I did!
This is my review of Friday night’s Guns N’ Roses show at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, CA.
No cheap seats at Dodger Stadium.
My wife surprised me with tickets shortly after GN’R announced a tour with Axl, Slash and Duff back at the helm. Call it nostalgia or a yearning for simpler times, but the tour announcement alone made me very happy.
I immediately reloaded my phone with Appetite, Illusions, Lies and even Chinese Democracy. I proceeded to tear through their complete catalog, stopping every now and then to appreciate something that I missed during one of the myriad of times that I’ve heard those songs before.
I had already seen the retooled Guns N’ Roses at The Forum a few years ago. Axl led that group, which featured DJ Asbha, Bumblefoot and Richard Fortus on guitars, Tommy Stinson on Bass, Dizzy on keys and Frank Ferrer on drums.
Since I played a little guitar when I was younger, I especially appreciated the guitar virtuosity of all those axe men. I even enjoyed seeing Axl Rose live, semi-strutting and even hitting the high notes at times.
It won’t get better than that, I thought. The quality of the music convinced me that I did not need to see Slash and Axl on stage together. Boy was I wrong!
This Guns N’ Roses featured: original
members Axl, Slash and Duff, joined by long-time member Dizzy Reed on keys, Frank Ferrer on drums, Richard Fortus on guitar and new member Melissa Reese also on keys.
First, let me state this (eye rolls to follow): Slash is the Jimi Hendrix of my generation. Now let me state why I think that.
The man, the myth, the legend: Slash!
I’ve seen Slash play live before, but never with Guns N’ Roses. Seeing Slash on stage rip through every song, including songs from Chinese Democracy, left me with a newfound appreciation for our long-haired, top hat wearing real guitar hero.
Slash’s blues influence is unquestionable, but when I saw the trio of guitar axe murderers Axl hired for the retooled GN’R, I convinced myself that Slash would not be able to match their finger dancing skills. All three guitarists blew me away and their featured solos were technical and amazing. I even told myself that yes, those are Slash’s songs, but these guys are doing an amazing job covering them. And they did.
However, missing was the genuine ring of Slash’s playing. His take on the GN’R catalog is amazing and inspiring. Slash began the night ripping and did not stop for almost 3 hours. I was exhausted for him and talk about guitar virtuosity!
What I saw Friday left me in awe. Slash blew away any and all doubters because he was a force to be reckoned with. Axl may be a great front man, but Slash is the real heart of GN’R. I felt like the night was a coronation of sorts, with Axl having no choice but to defer to Slash and the music as the true stars of the show.
Every note Slash played was perfect, even when it wasn’t. Slash’s guitar solo to the Godfather theme song featured long bending notes, impossibly fast picking and playing, thunderous chords and impetuous timing from the band.
However, what is also featured was soul. I felt every dizzying note being generated by Slash’s furious fret work. I felt the tempo changes, the note bends and even Slash talking through his guitar. This was especially true during the highlight of the night for me, the musical interlude the band added to Rocket Queen.
I was glad Richard Fortus took a solo during Rocket Queen and displayed his guitar brilliance. But, almost on cue, Slash reentered the spotlight and would not be relegated 2nd to anyone.
Slash used a voicebox, which is a device that transfers the sound from the guitar amp to a tube that goes into Slash’s mouth. The sound then travels to the mic and creates a strange and awesome effect that further amplified Slash’s playing. See it below (Sound isn’t great, but Fortus’ solo starts at 2:35, Slash’s at the 4 minute mark).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjS0PdX0Jqk
All this praise I’m showering on Slash doesn’t take anything away from the job Axl, Duff and the rest of the band did. They were all amazing in their own accord, with every member getting a moment to shine a bit through the night. Duff even took over mic duties for an old punk classic.
My wife and I were both especially complimentary to the job Axl did. I will confess that this was something I was afraid would detract from the nostalgia. When I saw Axl and the retooled GN’R a few years ago, Axl was a bit heavier and his voice was not really up to par at times. I understood that he was not 25 anymore, but I was still pleasantly surprised by his performance and the aggressive way he approached singing; I just couldn’t say it was the same ol’ Axl as before.
Slash and Axl Rose, August 19, 2016, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA. YES, 2016!
However, this was a different and better Axl. I think he got motivated at the site of Slash and Duff because both still look amazing in their 50s. This surely made Axl step it up a notch.
First, he looked thinner than when I say him. He also had the old energy back, as he raced like a mad man up and down and from side to side of the stage all night. Most importantly, his voice was on point. At times it even sounded like the records, which just made me smile.
I was also pleasantly suprised when Steven Adler, the original GN’R drummer, joined the band and played a few Appetite classics. The whole crowd joined me in a roaring approval.
Watching Adler, Slash, Duff, Axl and the rest of the Guns N’ Roses members lineup for a final curtain call made me really happy and thankful that I got to see one of my all-time favorite bands back together.
Besides a few bands / musicians that I know I’ll never see live (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, SRV, Sublime), this fulfilled my concert-going bucket list.
This was Guns N’ Roses and I got to see them live.
