1993.03.21 - Fargo Dome, Fargo, USA

Guns N’ Roses coming to Fargo

Heavy-metal rock band Guns N’ Roses starring Axl Rose has scheduled a March 21 concert at the new Fargodome.

It is the first full-house concert announced for the new complex.

“We expect a big crowd,’’ said Roger Newton, Fargodome’s executive director.

“It’s too early to see how sales are going to go. The fact that we’re doing the (ticket) lottery tells you we think we’re going to have a huge crowd.”

To provide for more fair distribution of tickets and to combat scalping, buyers will take part in a ticket lottery and will be limited to eight tickets per person.

Lottery numbers will be distributed at 8 a.m. Saturday, tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. Tickets will be $23.50, with all seats reserved.

Newton said seating capacity for the concert will be about 25,000. The Brian May Band, fronted by the former guitarist for Queen, is scheduled to open for Guns N’ Roses.

Guns N’ Roses books Fargodome date

By BOB KEYES
Argus Leader Staff

If for no other reason than good tunes, Sioux Falls music fans should add Fargo to their list of cities worth watching.

The 28,000-seat Fargodome opened last week, and its managers hope to attract the same big-name entertainers who now play at the Target Center and Metrodome in Minneapolis.

The first coup: Guns N’ Roses on March 21. Tickets go on sale through TicketMaster at 9 a.m. Saturday for $23.50. There will be a lottery at Sioux Falls outlets beginning at 8 a.m.

Tickets will also go on sale at 9 for a GNR concert in Ames, Iowa, on March 20.

Modeled after the Tacoma Dome in Washington, the Fargodome was to have cost $30 million, but the final price tag was closer to $50 million.

Fargo is about the same distance from Sioux Falls as Minneapolis — roughly 250 miles.

“We’ve got a good situation up here,” said Mike Lucas, a former Sioux Falls Arena employee who now works in the marketing department at the dome. “There’s really no facility within a 250-mile radius that we’re competing with. We won’t really compete with Sioux Falls, and Minneapolis is the same.”

Ogden Entertainment Services manages the Fargodome, the same folks who manage the Sioux Falls Arena.

The dome opened with less than a bang. The only other show of note is a Dec. 20 concert with the Oak Ridge Boys and Marie Osmond.

►FARGO

Dome prepares for big concert

Fargodome officials are preparing for the dome’s biggest event so far — a March 21 concert by the group “Guns N’ Roses.

“We’ll have several hundred security people here in the building, and we're already making plans and continue making plans for that event,” said Roger Newton, the Fargodome executive director.

Newton expects 20,000 tickets will be sold for the concert. No alcohol will be served at the event.

Preparation is the key, Newton added.

“We have a situation which we want to stay on top of,” he said.

— Associated Press

Rock's Top Guns

LA’s ‘Bad Boys’ promise unforgettable night

By BRYAN SANDE, For the Tribune

May 24, 1991 may seem like a long time ago for most people, but the world’s largest reigning rock ’n’ roll band — Guns ’N Roses — has been out on the road since starting their present tour in Alpine Valley, Wis. Selling out arenas and stadiums for the past 22 months, the Los Angeles bad boys will bring their first North Dakota visit to Fargo on March 21 at the new Fargodome.

It was only last April that Guns ’N Roses opened up for Queen, at the Freddie Mercury tribute concert in London, before 75,000 fans. A little less than a year later, ex-Queen guitarist Brian May will be taking his new solo band out as the Gunners’ opening act.

This leg of the tour is concentrating on the nation’s smaller markets. Last summer, Guns and Metallica played 25 selected stadium dates in one of the largest concert billings of all time. The band has set attendance records in virtually every country they’ve played in the past two years, playing to over 3 million people.

During a phone interview from New York, new guitarist Gilby Clarke called this leg of the tour the “Skin ’N Bones” part. Starting Feb. 23, the band has pared down its stage show to the “official” six members: Clarke, drummer Matt Sorum, bassist Duff McKagan, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, and the bands coleaders — guitarist Slash and the notorious Axl Rose. The female backup singers and horn section, plus handyman Teddy Andreias will not accompany the band.

Clarke says fans can still expect around 2-1/2 hours from Guns’ four megaplatinum albums which have sold more than 46 million copies worldwide. While the band will continue touring into the summer, fans can also expect many upcoming Guns ’N Roses releases. McKagan has a solo album completed, the band has an EP of punk cover tunes ready to release, plus there’s a double home video release which interprets the band’s intense and confusing videos.

“I have no idea what they mean. I’m waiting for the movie myself,” joked Gilby.

The band doesn’t have a prescribed “set list” and could be prone to playing any song on any given night. In fact, at a L.A. show, the band performed a 4-1/2 hour show playing every Guns 'N Roses song, so be prepared.

Supposedly, the controversial band has mellowed. The early slice of the tour was riddled with problems, including incredibly late arrivals for shows, drugs, egotism, and riots created in St. Louis and Montreal from Rose leaving the stage. Yet, their antics also have helped cement the band’s larger-than-life image. Axl has apparently mellowed, and the focus can now be placed on their incredible energy.

It is not very often that a band of this magnitude ventures into North Dakota. Still, the newly opened Fargodome, with its 25,000 seating, will play host to one of the world’s best-known bands this Sunday. And remember, a legend in his own right, Brian May of Queen, will be opening the show to make it a night of unforgettable rock ’n’ roll.

Guns N' Roses show isn't that far north

By MATT CECIL
For the Argus Leader

Preview
■ WHAT: Guns N’ Roses with the Brian May Band.
■ WHERE: The Fargodome.
■ WHEN: 8:30 p.m. Sunday.
■ TICKETS: $23.50, available through TicketMaster.
■ INFORMATION: 701-241-9100 or 334-8181.

FARGO, N.D. — Spare us your North Dakota jokes.

Those sturdy enough to survive up here have heard every NoDak quip there is, and many think it’s time cocky South Dakotans realize a few things.

It’s not that much colder up here.

It’s not that much flatter up here.

It’s not that much emptier up here.

But it’s about to get a whole lot louder.

That’s because Guns N’ Roses will present their noisy blend of speed metal, rootsy rock and bizarre ballads in the nifty new, 25,000-seat, $48 million Fargodome on Sunday. The show begins at 8:30 p.m.

That’s Fargo. F-A-R-G-O.

Remember that kid who sent the national media into satellite-feed spasms by sending President Clinton $1,000 to pay for a nanosecond’s interest on the national debt?

That’s the place.

Axl worshippers with $23.50 to bum, take heart. It’s not that far from the Sioux Empire, or KELO-Land or whatever, to the Fargodome.

Just find the way to Interstate 29 and head north. Fargo is 232 miles from Sioux Falls, which means at 65 miles an hour, the drive should take 3-1/2 hours.

One warning, though. Be sure to start with a full tank of gas and plenty of soda and cheese-flavored snacks. There are no filling stations along the 75-mile stretch of I-29 between Sisseton and Fargo. North of Sisseton, the only hope for pit stops or goodies is Wahpeton, which is 10 miles off the interstate to the east.

Once in Fargo, take Exit 67 and head east on 19th Avenue North. You can see the Fargodome from the interstate. In billiard-flat Fargo, you can’t miss the thing.

Most Fargoans gazing at the Fargodome see a beautiful monument to their selfless, civic spirit.

More callous observers might suggest that the dome resembles an enormous, $48 million brick and tin Quonset.

The steel-roofed dome seats 25,000 for mega-concerts, 11,000 for CBA basketball and 19,000 for North Dakota State University football, including several $100,000 luxury boxes.

Sunday’s concert will be the first full-house event since the dome was finished late last year. That means those going should be ready for nit-picky problems.

For instance, if 25,000 fans show up, there will be a parking shortage, since there are fewer than 8,000 on-site parking spaces.

The Fargodome’s managers — Ogden Entertainment Services, the same company that manages the Sioux Falls Arena—have come up with a shuttle bus system to bring people from the university’s parking lots.

“We’re encouraging people to car pool, or to just have somebody drop them off, but we will have shuttle buses running,” says Ogden sales and marketing director Burt Lyman.

Lyman recommends that concert-goers call the Fargodome at 701-241-9100 for shuttle bus schedules and parking locations. Security will also be beefed up. Fans can expect the usual concert routine of pat-down searches and opened satchels at the door.

Those seeking a relatively quiet place to soothe their post-Axl tinnitus while spending cash will find plenty of bars and restaurants in Fargo. The selections are similar to those in Sioux Falls.

The options range from neighborly Laurman’s, which has great chili, or trendy Old Broadway, both downtown, to familiar T.G.I. Friday’s or more singles-oriented Rock N’ 50’s, both near the mall in the southwest part of town.

Sadly, Fargo shares Sioux Falls’ painful shortage of grungy rock ’n’ roll joints, but ask a native at the show and you might find something to your liking.

As for the impending visit by Axl and his pals, these sober, quiet Fargoans aren’t quite sure what to think.

After all, the band’s songs often touch on taboo topics like bondage, murder and drugs. And members of Guns N’ Roses have grabbed headlines for everything from urinating in an airplane galley to swearing on a nationally televised music awards show to inciting riots.

Ken Koehler, a church youth director in West Fargo, was one of several angry taxpayers who took time to write letters to the local newspaper, The Forum, griping about the band’s visit.

Koehler offered a selection of lyrics from a Guns’ song that included the words “grind” and “panties” and then suggested those weren’t the sort of things the impressionable youth of the greater Fargo-Moorhead metro area should be exposed to.

The Forum, normally known for its slightly stuffy GOP slant, surprised some when it published its own selection of lyrics from one of Axl’s recent ballads and then concluded in an editorial, “there is more to Guns N’ Roses than a bad boy reputation.”

Come see for yourself.
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Matt Cecil has learned to defend both Dakotas. A Brookings native and former Argus Leader reporter, he now is a political writer and columnist for the The Forum in Fargo.

Guns N' Roses concert brings out law in force

FARGO, N.D. (AP) Police were out in force in North Dakota and Minnesota in advance of the Guns N' Roses concert Sunday in the Fargodome.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol issued 279 tickets - most for speeding — between noon Friday and 6 a.m. Monday, said spokesman Al Salvatore.

No accidents were reported in the Fargo area, which is unusual for a weekend, Salvatore said.

About 20,000 people turned out Sunday night for the first rock concert in the Fargodome, which opened late last year.

The Minnesota State Patrol, using nine cars and an airplane, issued 199 tickets during a six-hour period Sunday, said Lt. Bruce Hentges of Detroit Lakes. Most were for speeding.

Hentges said the concert in North Dakota was the one of the reasons for the crackdown on Interstate 94.

At least one arrest was reported, for disorderly conduct inside the dome.

Guns N’ Roses appear in Fargo

FARGO, N.D. — About 20,000 screaming fans greeted Axl Rose and his bandmates Sunday night as Guns N’ Roses performed the first full-scale concert in the Fargo-dome before the largest indoor gathering in North Dakota history.

Hours before the doors opened Sunday, anxious fans were lining up outside the dome. When the doors finally opened, shortly after 7 p.m., a number of concertgoers had their first experience with patdown searches.

“I’ve never really frisked anybody before, so you’ll have to excuse me,” usher Shana Hulst, stationed at one of the front doors, told her first female subject. A male usher stationed at the same door—who declined to give his name — took care of the male ticketholders. “Do you have any guns, knives, hand grenades, bottles?” he asked one after another.

A young man with a pierced nose was startled by the thoroughness of the search. “Man, I’ve been to 10 concerts, and I’ve never been frisked this much,” he said, as his cowboy boots were peered into.

Axl wows Fargodome

About 20,000 screaming fans greeted Axl Rose and his bandmates Sunday night as Guns N’ Roses performed the first full-scale concert in the Fargodome before the largest indoor gathering in North Dakota history.

Axl and the boys got a standing ovation before they even set foot onstage. Rose wore a black T-shirt with a picture of Charles Manson on the front and the words “Charlie Don’t Surf" on the back. Concession workers, having been temporarily abandoned, crowded in to get a glimpse. “Wow!" said one of them, summing up the feeling of the crowd.

A young man with a pierced nose was startled by the thoroughness of the patdown searches at the gate. “Man, I’ve been to 10 concerts, and I've never been frisked this much," he said, as his cowboy boots were peered into.

Police in North Dakota and Minnesota issued nearly 500 traffic tickets — most for speeding — in the area over the weekend.

Guns ’ N Roses concert lived up to fans’ expectations

By BRYAN SANDE, For the Tribune

Sunday’s much anticipated concert featuring Guns ’N Roses lived up to all anticipation as the band continued on their marathon tour. The 18,000 fans there were less than expected, but it still became the most heavily-attended indoor show in North Dakota’s history.

Rock legend Brian May opened the show at approximately 8:30 with an hour’s worth of material from his former band Queen and singles off his debut solo release “Back To The Light." Opening up with the title track, May and his band were in splendid form as they followed up with their initial single “Driven By You.” After the show, May told me he was disappointed to learn MTV had rejected the video, as they deemed it inappropriate.

"Love Token” followed and included a staged tirade between May and his backup singers. The first Queen tune, “Tie Your Mother Down,” was next and it seemed to wake up the laid-back crowd. It wasn’t until the second single “Resurrection” that the newer fans got involved. Following Cozy Powell’s drum solo, midway through the song, May segued into the final stanza of "Bohemian Rhapsody,” raising the entire crowd to its feet. Finishing off the show with a double dose of the classic “We Will Rock You” - first the more traditional version and then a speed version — had everyone pumping their fists along. Afterward, May said he never realized how difficult the song, which he’d written for Freddie Mercury, was to sing. “Sometimes I need to gasp for air,” said the congenial May, after the concert.

May, in fact, was so cordial that he took time to talk to every person who came backstage to meet him. He was wowed by a fan who had saved his ticket stub from a Queen concert... years ago, then enthusiastically agreed to autograph it.

Now it was time for the band the majority showed up for, Guns ’N Roses. At 10:36 p.m., the intro started and Axl Rose screamed “You know where you are? You’re in the jungle baby!” as they blasted into “Welcome To The Jungle.” A G’NR spokesman informed me the song was purposely moved to the opening number “to kick everyone in the face from the start.” It seemed like a typical G’NR show as they rocked through old faves "Mr. Brownstone,” plus newer hits, like “Double Talking Jive” and “Live & Let Die.” It wasn’t until a couch and table were moved to center stage and the show became Guns ’N Roses “Unplugged,” that we realized this isn’t the typical show they’ve been doing for the past 23 months. Among the many acoustic songs were the top 10 hit “Patience,” "I Used To Love Her,” and, surprisingly, “Knockin' On Heaven’s Door.” In keeping with the cozy atmosphere they created, two area female "dancers” served the band drinks on stage and a Domino’s pizza was delivered to them.

“November Rain” followed with Rose on his customary grand piano, accompanied only by guitarist Slash and drummer Matt Sorum. At the song’s apex, bassist Duff McKagan, guitarist Gilbey Clarke, and keyboardist-percussionist Dizzy Reed joined in to electrically rock the finale.

Another surprise was Rose brandishing an acoustic guitar himself for the beginning and ending of “Dead Horse,” one of the new songs added to their set list. The solo from Sorum, the former drummer of The Cult introed into “You Could Be Mine,” and the band ended with their No. 1 hit “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” But before anyone even considered leaving, the band encored with “Paradise City,” finishing with a blinding strobe light display, as fans thrashed throughout the new arena.

The self-proclaimed “Skin ’N Bones” tour was exactly that. Limited lighting, no pyrotechnics, and Rose shockingly wearing the same outfit the whole show (an interesting choice of Charlie Manson T-shirt and shorts). These were all a far cry from the bands 1992 summer megashows with Metallica. The press generally snipes about their image, but Sunday, Guns ’N Roses proved to all why they are the world's top band.