1992.10.06 - Kingdome, Seattle, USA

Testing Their Metal -- After Some Missteps, Gn'r . . .

By Patrick Macdonald

Guns N' Roses came on like the saviors of rock 'n' roll when the band made its debut five years ago. With its hard-driving sound, uncompromising stance and wild ways, it seemed a worthy successor to such nasty rock heroes as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and the Who.

But while GN'R has largely lived up to its musical potential, it also has shown itself to be most self-indulgent, egotistical band in rock, which is saying a lot. The group's inner turmoil and battles with drugs and alcohol were almost to be expected, but its shabby treatment of fans - making audiences wait for hours on end and stalking offstage at the slightest provocation - is a new wrinkle in rock arrogance.

The concert Tuesday in the Kingdome is, unfortunately, a symptom of that cynical side. The show isn't about rock, it's about money. The Dome may be a good place for football, but it's a lousy place for music. The sound bounces off all that concrete, creating echoes that continue several seconds after the music stops. And the round configuration places the majority of the audience so far from the stage that all they can see are stick figures. Of course, there are a couple of giant video screens, but the picture is slightly behind the sound (but ahead of the echoes) and, besides, it's like watching TV rather than a concert.

The view of the stage from parts of the main floor is OK, and if you can get close enough to the speakers it can even sound good. But parts of the 100 seating level, and all of the 200 and 300 levels, are certainly not worth the $27.50 ticket price.

Of course, for most of the audience it's not the music that's so important, it's the spectacle. And the show will provide that in spades. In addition to headline-length sets from both GN'R and Metallica (approximately 2 1/2 hours each), and a 45-minute opening set from Motorhead, the GN'R portion will include two giant inflatable monsters during "Welcome to the Jungle," a grand piano played by Axl Rose that rises from beneath the stage during "November Rain," some 900 spotlights, and 150 pyrotechnic effects, including a big-bang finale.

The six-man band will be augmented by three women who double as backing singers and a horn section, two additional backing singers and a harmonica player - a total of 12 musicians.

But no matter how much the show is tricked out, it will have to go a long way to beat the band's last performance here, in July 1991 at the Tacoma Dome. Not only did the group start its set early (and Axl stalked offstage, briefly, only once), it played for more than three hours and delivered a near-perfect set, highlighted by Axl's powerful vocals and brilliant guitar solos by Slash. It was one of the greatest concerts I've ever seen.

Guns N' Roses has come a long way - literally. It's little known that the band's first show ever was here at the long-gone Gorilla Gardens in the summer of 1985 (bassist Duff McKagan, a Seattle boy, got them the gig, which they drove from California to do). The site, now a parking garage, is in the shadow of the Dome, two blocks from Tuesday's extravaganza.

Guns N' Metallica Show: Yes, It Was Loud And Long

By Tom Phalen

Looking down at the Kingdome floor during anything but a sporting event always feels like "When are the RVs going to get here? Where are the monster trucks? Are the sportsmen coming? Is this the Home Show?"

Last night, no. It was the rock show. 37,000 fans showed up for it. What they got was roughly 7 1/2 hours of lights, cameras, some action, long waits, portable cans, big-screen television, fireworks and music. Some of it great music, some of it not.

The Guns N' Metallica show began with an on-time 6:30 p.m. starter by Motorhead, the reality-based band closest in spirit to Spinal Tap.

If lead singer and bassist Lemmy isn't the godfather of metal he must certainly be the evil stepmother. He and the Motorhead roared and rumbled through their set like a alcohol garbage truck. Low, mean, fast when it had to be and ultimately comic. Dumpster destroyers.

At one point Lemmy told the crowd "I want you to go out and buy this album because I want your money." The evening's one true moment of solidarity was when Slash joined in for a song.

Motorhead's humor went out the window when Metallica came on at 7:50. The band-in-black turned in the most consistent set of the evening: 2 1/2 hours of intense, in-your-face energy. A sandbelt grinder on super-speed assault.

Lead singer James Hetfield, still on the injured list from the burn he received in an on-stage accident, performed all but the final encore without his guitar. Hetfield is no Mick Jagger, or for that matter Axl Rose, but he got around pretty well.

The band reached all the way back to its first album during the set, highlighting the title cut "Kill 'em All" when Hetfield jumped into the pit between the stage and the front barricade, slapped hands and stuck his microphone into the mob as they sang the song's "search and destroy" chorus. It was almost the only intimate factor in the concert. The Dome is so big, it allows for little true contact. Anyone close in was looking at the back of someone else's head. The rest watched the big screens.

And the sound was dismal. What highs there were were hideously distorted. Even the best playing, both Kirk Hammett's in Metallica and Slash's with GN'R, was often lost in the thunder. Fortunately there wasn't much echo. Having the sound return would have been unbearable.

Metallica wrapped up with the spectacular visual battlefield of "One" and the final encore "Enter Sandman." It was a good close. Unfortunately, the band didn't seem to know how to get off stage.

An hour later, after the P.A. sounded Queen's "We Will Rock You," then the "Perry Mason" theme, Guns N' Roses roared out with "Night Train." After hearing Metallica, you realize just how pop GN'R can be. But it galvanized the crowd. The reaction was unanimous. Every one was ready and willing to scream. This show was on fire.

But it started fading after three songs. There were flashes of light to come, some white-hot. "Live and Let Die" got immediate Bic response. "Civil War" had way more kick than expected. "Welcome to the Jungle" was great, despite the giant inflatable bugs in the 300 level. "You Could Be Mine, "Sweet Child of Mine" "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and the final "Paradise City" were stellar.

But Slash noodling away on "Wild Horses" to Axl and Duff's vocals was awful. "November Rain" is an overblown production piece, although mighty popular with those ballad lovers, and "Patience" didn't gel. The playing was at times stellar and then just as quickly slop. Rose taking on the lumber industry, the candidates, Tipper Gore and Nirvana was lame.

As were his costume changes. We already have a Diana Ross. There were times when it was easy to see why this group is justifiably considered one of the all time great rock-'n'-roll bands. But there were as many moments when this huge entertainment purely smacked of Vegas. As much as the audience loved them, a lot didn't make it to that 2 a.m. closing.