2006.05.17 - Hammerstein Ballroom, New York, USA

IZZY STRADLIN REJOINS GUNS N' ROSES — FOR THREE SONGS DURING NEW YORK GIG

BAND CLOSES OUT FOUR-SHOW NYC STINT WITH A BANG.

ARCHIVE-CHRIS-HARRIS
05/18/2006

Leave it to Axl Rose to save the best for last.

On Wednesday night, during the band's fourth and final warm-up show at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom, the much-rumored reunion of Axl with erstwhile GN'R guitarist Izzy Stradlin finally came to pass.

Izzy's appearance led many in attendance to believe that former lead guitarist Slash, who was similarly touted by insiders as a possible guest performer before the band's first New York gig on May 12, wouldn't be far behind — but no joy.

Stradlin, who quit the band mid-tour in late 1991 and has since released five albums (solo or with his short-lived group, the Ju Ju Hounds) joined GN'R for three tunes: "Think About You," "Patience" and "Night Train."

The concert, which concluded shortly after 2 a.m., also featured guest vocalist Kid Rock on "Night Train." The four sold-out shows acted as a warm-up for GN'R's European festival appearances this summer. No other North American dates have been scheduled so far.

Rose introduced Stradlin before "Think About You" — although his comments were almost immediately drowned out by screams from the audience as the guitarist strutted onstage. The two hugged before launching into the number, and one eyewitness reported seeing Stradlin's eyes welling with tears during "Patience."

Various online GN'R messageboards have been buzzing with speculation of a full-band reunion since word of Stradlin's arrival reached fans via text message. "There's going to be a reunion for sure," wrote one fan. "There's too much money involved for it not to happen. Izzy will bring the rest of the guys around, you watch."

Dan Gross wrote:THERE WE were at 30th Street waiting for the Amtrak to New York Wednesday night to see Guns N' Roses (more on that in a minute) when we spot the hard-to-miss Dikembe Mutombo. [...]

As for the show, it ruled. It took us long into the 140-minute set to get past the fact that it wasn't the real Guns N' Roses, meaning no Slash, nor Duff McKagan who were in the band when we saw them three times between 1991-1992. But to our delight, Axl Rose and his hired guns played all but two songs from the classic "Appetite for Destruction," and were joined on three songs by original Gunner Izzy Stradlin. Kid Rock came out to sing "Nightrain" and Skid Row's Sebastian Bach also helped Axl out on "My Michelle ." We were glad they showed up for the Hammerstein Ballroom gigs, which they failed to do at a 2002 show at the Wachovia Center, which inspired a melee.

Axl still sounds great but he should really lose the crazy-looking cornrow weave he's rocking. His locks, as it happens, are now in the hands of Liz Jacobs, a local hair makeup artist who'll tour Europe with the band as Axl's hair stylist through July. Jacobs, a CAPA grad, says her friend Michael Kuhn, of Salon Thalia, who styles Daryl Hall's hair, hooked her up with the gig.