2013.03.24 - Sepang International Circuit, Selangor, Malaysia

Appetite for more
By CHRISTINE CHEAH Photos by Shahrul Fazry Ismail
entertainment@thestar.com.my

Legendary rock act Guns ‘n’ Roses kept the engines revving at F1’s post-race party.

They say good things never last, but on Sunday night, 51-year-old Axl Rose blasted the tracks off the helipad at the Sepang International Circuit with his effervescent vocals giving the indication that Guns ‘n’ Roses might actually be around until the end of time.

The Guns ‘n’ Roses lead singer, who has been known for his tardiness, arrived on time (8pm sharp!) for his band’s headlining slot at the F1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix 2013 post-race concert at the Sepang International Circuit. No hitches, no delays.

For a two-and-a-half hour long set, it seemed as though Guns ‘n’ Roses might have beaten the Red Bull team (Sebastian Vettel won the race earlier in Sepang) to the top of the podium in terms of endurance as the fired-up group unleashed a crowd-pleasing set with an Appetite For Destruction and saving the powerful and demanding best bit, Patience, for last.

Back in 2010, former Guns ‘n’ Roses guitarist Slash and his band played to 8,000 fans at Sunway Lagoon in Selangor.

On Sunday in Sepang, the same number of fans thronged the helipad circuit (as early as 5.30pm) to experience the other side of Guns ‘n’ Roses – Axl Rose in his full glory.

For many hardcore followers, it was like putting pieces of a puzzle together since the Guns ‘n’ Roses legacy is now broken into two camps – the Axl Rose half and the Slash (and gang) half.

Despite the number of vintage GnR T-shirts seen at the venue (from the Lies ‘newspaper’ T-shirt to Use Your Illusion tour T-shirts), the dream of watching the band’s classic 1986 line-up is not going to happen any time soon.

Instead, Malaysians got a taste of Axl’s Guns ‘n’ Roses powered by guitarists Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus, bassist/backing vocalist Tommy Stinson, drummer Frank Ferrer and keyboardists/backing vocalists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman.

It wasn’t so bad on stage as the band cranked up the volume from the start, with Chinese Democracy, Welcome To The Jungle, It’s So Easy and Mr Brownstone aiming for the jugular.

After a recent Australian tour, Guns ‘n’ Roses looked the part as a lean and mean machine. Guitarists DJ Ashba and Richard Fortus got the opportunity to strut their strings on solo as well, showing that they too were on par with their ‘boss’.

To make it slightly controversial, Ashba was spotted with the Slash-like hat and if you think he did not earn the strings to grace that stage with Rose, he certainly defied those Rose bashers with his electrifying stunt of finger filigrees.

With five video screens featuring high definition graphics with endless pyrotechnics accompanying Rose’s penchant for a perfect performance, the audience which comprised of a good mix of foreigners and Malaysians were definitely seduced by 1980s rock nostalgia (too bad Civil War wasn’t included in the set).

The band’s favourites from the early 1990s were also dispatched with You Could Be Mine, Live And Let Die (the Paul McCartney & Wings classic) and Don’t Cry reminding us that in these K-pop and indie-centred times that a bit of showbiz spectacle and stadium rock can be rather refreshing.

Back to the white heat of the show, there was a crowd-connecting moment as Malaysians stood and sang when the familiar chords of Negaraku were respectfully delivered by Bumblefoot during his solo act.

The level was just brought higher after that bit of patriotism when Rose tamed the raging fans with Sweet Child O’ Mine sending his voice skywards and almost shattering the chandeliers hanging from the VIP tents.

Despite the Rose’ portrayal to critics and fans as being a troubled man with tantrums, the frontman showing his soft side when he sat down for the piano-laden November Rain, which brought a twinkle to the night.

It was a sombre moment when Knocking On Heaven’s Door came about as Rose dedicated the song to a member of the tour entourage who lost her father the night before the Sepang show.

A cover of The Who’s The Seeker carried the band to the last stretch, before a blistering version of Paradise City reminded the fans that work on Monday could wait!

As the last remaining original Guns ‘n’ Roses member, Axl had to run the show and he did it well on stage. Sporting shades and a wide-brimmed hat throughout the concert, Axl also brought in the humour of the hot and humid weather here by saying: “I am from Indiana in the United States and I think we have the weather in common.”

Though there was this slight quirkiness of Rose lollygagging back and forth as if he had an itchy bum and the rest of his troupe all dressed up to the theme of post-armageddon, the visuals, vocals and showmanship lived up to the expectations proving that Slash-less does not make Guns ‘n’ Roses any lesser than before.

SHOWBIZ: Night of the Gunners
By Zaidi Isham Ismail |  xydee@mediaprima.com.my

Guns N’ Roses brought the house down with an electrifying performance at its recent show in Sepang, writes Zaidi Isham Ismail

BACK in 1987, a catchy guitar riff caught the attention of rock fans all over the world.

It was the guitar introduction to the global hit Sweet Child of Mine, which also signalled the arrival of Guns N’ Roses.

Needless to say, that song (which former guitarist Slash said was “too happy sounding”) catapulted the band more affectionately known as Gunners into international stardom.

The band (which has been described as the world’s most dangerous band due to the stage antics of its vocalist Axl Rose) rocked diehard fans on Sunday as part of the post party Petronas Formula One Grand Prix in Sepang last week.

At 8.15pm, the Los Angeles-based band assaulted the crowd with Chinese Democracy and all-time favourite Welcome To The Jungle. The eight-piece band then belted out It’s So Easy, Mr. Brownstone, Estranged, Better and Rocket Queen to the 8,000 crowd.

Only after that did the 50-year old Rose greet the crowd, saying “This humidity and heat remind me of Indiana.”

Lead and rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus, who resembles former guitarist Izzy Stradlin, then launched into his guitar solo before the band blasted the crowd with Live And Let Die and This I Love. It then took a breather with a solo performance by keyboardist and pianist Dizzy Reed.

Complete with pyrotechnics and three large screens, the band dished out Catcher and You Could Be Mine before Thin Lizzy’s former guitarist DJ Ashba wowed the crowd with his one million notes per second guitar solo backed by four-string man Tommy Stinson, skinsman Frank Ferrer and keyboardist Chris Pitman.

The hoi polloi, already reeking from burnt tyres and high octane fuel, then went into a frenzy when Ashba played the all-too-familiar intro to Sweet Child O’ Mine followed by the hauntingly beautiful November Rain (No, Rose did not climb and fall off the Baldwin piano this time).

I disagree with the critics who describe Rose as a has-been, balding, pot bellied ageing rocker.

On the contrary, Rose, in his element that night, has not lost the angst, tortured-tinged ridden wail that he is known for since the band’s formation in 1985.

Rose crooned the hit single, Don’t Cry, Used To Love Her, Bob Dylan’s remake Knocking On Heaven’s Door (a crowd favourite) and Nightrain before hinting the end of the two-hour show with Good Nite.

Third lead and rhythm guitarist Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal caught the audience by surprise with his original rendition of Negaraku a la Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner. He also said “Terima Kasih”.

Before the band’s ugly bickering in the 1990s, the group comprised Slash (no doubt one of the world’s best guitarists), Duff McKagan, Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler.

But credit must also be given to the new lineup who delivered GNR classics their own way.

It brought the house down with Patience, The Seeker and Paradise City.

All in all, it was a good show.

I went to the concert with an open mind and thoroughly enjoyed the finger-twirling Sweet Child lick.

The sound system was okay although the venue at the track’s helipad was inconvenient.

For aspiring guitarists, learning the Sweet Child intro riff is a must.