2013.06.06 - Brooklyn Bowl, New York, USA

Guns N' Roses Blow Through Brooklyn Bowling Alley
Axl Rose and Co. play an intimate Brooklyn gig ahead of Governors' Ball headlining slot.
By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ)

Guns N' Roses played a bowling alley in Brooklyn last night.

That sentence says all you need to know. Was the Gunners' pre-Governors' Ball gig at Brooklyn Bowl particularly revelatory? No. Were there moments when the throngs of diehards who shelled out $150 to witness the spectacle looked bored? Absolutely (mostly during the Chinese Democracy songs). Did Axl Rose — who wore a fedora that made him look like Van Helsing, and didn't take his sunglasses off once — seem to care? Have you been paying attention for the past two decades?

So, yes, GNR tore through Brooklyn on Thursday, shutting down the lanes for the night (bowling is not permitted when Axl is doing his thing) and powering their way through a set meant for stages far larger that this one. The hits came fast and furious — "Welcome to the Jungle" was the second song they played, and they made sure to do "Mr. Brownstone," "Sweet Child O' Mine," and "Paradise City" too — and there were showcase solos for all three of the guitarists (former Replacements man Tommy Stinson even got to do a couple of tunes). But the most fascinating thing about their set was how resolute Axl was. Simply put, he wasn't going to let a tiny room stand in the way of delivering an arena-sized set.

That's not exactly surprising. But once the initial thrill of seeing a band so huge in a venue so small wore off, well, there wasn't much left to get excited about. Every instrument on the stage — and there were a lot of them; GNR now rolls 8 dudes deep was cranked to soccer-stadium volumes, which not only made for a muddy mix, but almost totally drowned out Rose's famed pipes. And rather than just delight fans with an off-the-cuff, one-night-only set, GNR made sure to play songs from Democracy ("Better," "This I Love"), which sent masses to the bathroom or the bar. This was a Guns show, circa 2013, for better or worse.

It bears mention that Rose was in pretty decent form; sure he disappeared for long stretches of the set, and his serpentine wasn't on display, but on songs like "Live and Let Die" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" he wailed, and, for a second, you were transported back to the Sunset Strip. And anyone hoping for one of the mercurial frontman's patented tantrums went home disappointed; aside from a few comments ("I'm having a good time, but it's taking a lot of focus,") Axl was punching the clock, ready and somewhat willing to rock. Shoot, he was even punctual; Guns were supposed to take the stage at 11 p.m., and by 11:15 they were midway through "Jungle."

This was, in short, a professional rock show. Did it feel like Guns N' Roses were going through the motions? Sure. There were long stretches — a three-song run of "Civil War," "Better" and "Estranged," for instance — where you couldn't help but check your phone, but that was probably to be expected. If the past 20 years have proven anything, it's that Axl only does things his way, and regardless if he was paying Brazil or Brooklyn, you were going to get the same thing: a long-running, somewhat befuddling set, super-sized with all the trappings and none of the sentiment. Guns N' Roses played a bowling alley last night; and they did it on their own terms. That's all you need to know.

Axl Tries Not to Barf at Intimate Guns N' Roses Brooklyn Bowling Alley Show
June 7 2013, 11:36 AM ET
by Christopher R. Weingarten

"Truck stop revenge" meant a relatively tame Governors Ball warm up show

Last night, the beloved mess that is Guns N' Roses invaded Brooklyn Bowl, a 600-capacity venue/restaurant/bowl-a-rama, for an intimate warm-up gig to anticipate Saturday night's Governors Ball Music Festival, which they are co-headlining with Kings of Leon and Kanye West. For lucky fans quick enough on the draw — and willing to pay $150 — this was a unique chance to catch the one-time Biggest Band in the World play a room that's about to host Toad the Wet Sprocket. But anyone hoping to see the scrappy, gloriously sloppy, alcohol-fueled dervish that shimmied its way across the Sunset Strip club scene in the late '80s would be disappointed.

Dealing with a case of what he deemed "truck stop revenge," frontman Axl Rose apologized — sincerely, for what it's worth — to the crowd for his lack of energy. "I'm just trying not to throw up," he said. "It's literally the most fucked time I've ever had on stage." He skulked the stage like a rapper (probably not a coincidence from the dude who used to wear an N.W.A hat on stage), wearing three or four chains. Some dark sunglasses, a studded Diceman-style jacket, and an Indiana Jones hat never left his person for the nearly two-hour duration of the show, giving him the feel of a screaming shadow that wandered on and off stage during guitar solos.

The current eight-member incarnation of the band (including Use Your Illusion keyboardist Dizzy Reed, Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson, stunt guitarist Bumblefoot, and some other guys) was as professional as a Beyoncé show, showing the dependability of a band that just did a 12-date Vegas residency. (It's an odd feeling to be relieved and disappointed that the notoriously tardy band was ready to play a mere 20 minutes after their scheduled showtime). They are more Vegas sleaze than L.A. sleaze these days: You can see it in their neatly trimmed beards and neck tattoos, in guitarist DJ Ashba's post-Navarro steez. I wouldn't be surprised if the leather in their coats was from some other animal besides "cow." At one point, Ashba had a change of hat. Adding to the Vegas vibes, the crowd (we're wagering old and responsible enough to pay Brooklyn rent and still have $150 to blow on concert tickets) was receptive but polite, barely even hoisting camera phones. But did they ever sing along. Loudly. They shouted back "Mr. Brownstone," "Estranged," and "Live and Let Die" and were, naturally, loudest for "Sweet Child O' Mine." Stinson at least was a good throughway to their sloppy roots, leaning into "Used to Love Her" (which is basically a Misfits song anyway), and taking the lead on his own "Motivation" (which was the only time this sounded like a band you would hear at a Brooklyn club).

But fuck all that, because no matter what happens, Axl Rose was still Axl Rose. He sleazily fingered the microphone stand, mumbled something about not even having a drink, did that trademark sway even if it was muted. He added extra screams in "Live and Let Die" that sounded well rehearsed, well harnessed, well controlled — but they were still that Axl scream. Of all the massive hits they played on that stage, the most important Rose moment was during the comparatively quiet Chinese Democracy deep cut "This I Love." Without the bluster of his band, you could hear the voice of Axl Rose, 26 years past its breakthrough moment, almost unadorned. You could hear the cracks and faults of time, you could hear the moments of sheer perfection that never left, you could hear the Joplin-meets-alleycat mewl that it's hard to believe was somehow the voice of rock radio and MTV next to honey-dripped stuff like White Lion and INXS. You could hear Axl Rose, a guy who could headline a music festival if he was backed by a Discman and a sparkler. We overheard one dude saying, "Worth every penny."

Guns N’ Roses Roll Big at Brooklyn Bowl Gig
by Spencer Kaufman June 7, 2013 11:53 AM

Fans never quite know what they’re gonna get with a Guns N’ Roses gig, and when the setting is a bowling alley / rock club in Brooklyn, N.Y., there’s truly no telling what could happen. On Thursday night (June 6), Axl Rose and company rolled (pun intended) into the Brooklyn Bowl and scored big with the fans who were lucky enough to attend such an intimate GN’R gig.

Walking into the club and seeing people bowling at about 10 or so lanes at one side of the venue was a bit surreal. Was this really happening? Were the mighty Guns N’ Roses really about to play a bowling alley? In fairness, the Brooklyn Bowl is also very much a rock venue, but still it was a wonderfully odd setting for a GN’R show.

Hitting the stage at 11:20PM (don’t worry, we were told it would start after 11PM), GN’R tore into ‘You’re Crazy’ and followed it up with three more ‘Appetite for Destruction’ songs — ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ ‘It’s So Easy’ and ‘Mr. Brownstone.’ Right from the get-go, it was clear that Axl Rose’s voice was in top form and that the audience was in for a special show.

Following the four-song ‘Appetite’ opening, GN’R launched into the ‘Use Your Illusion II’ track ’Civil War,’ an epic performance that was one of the highlights of the evening.

Throughout the night, fans were treated to old favorites like ‘Use to Love Her,’ ‘Rocket Queen’ ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ and ‘Nightrain,’ as well as select cuts off ‘Chinese Democracy,’ including ‘Better’ and ‘This I Love.’ And when the band performed ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ and ‘Live and Let Die’ with Rose’s signature vocals on each tune, one almost forgets that they were originally recorded by a couple of little known musicians named Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney, respectively.

As great as Axl sounded, he was apparently a bit ill. At one point he apologized that he couldn’t put 100-percent of his energy into the show, citing a stomach bug from a meal he had from a food truck. That may have led to the band dropping a couple of songs from the set. There was no ‘November Rain,’ and when the guitarists started reaching for their acoustic six-strings for what probably would have been ‘Patience,’ Rose called them off and they instead launched into the set-closer, ‘Paradise City.’

Sure, it would be amazing to see Axl reunite with Slash, Duff, Izzy and Steven one day, but credit goes out to the current members of GN’R. These guys can shred with the best of them. The band basically has three lead guitarists in DJ Ashba, Richard Fortus and Bumblefoot, with each one given moments to shine during the set. Meanwhile, bassist Tommy Stinson gets his own spotlight during the show with a performance of his tune ‘Motivation.’

Purists who refuse to see this incarnation of Guns N’ Roses certainly have a good argument, but there’s no denying the talent of the current members of GN’R. And when Axl Rose brings his A-game, which he did on Thursday night in Brooklyn, he’s one of the most captivating performers in all of rock ‘n’ roll.

Guns N Roses Knock 'Em Down At Brooklyn Bowling Alley Gig
07 June 2013

Guns N’ Roses are usually known for two things these days: playing really really large places and turning up really really late to play them. So a bit of a surprise then to discover that Axel Rose and the gang turned all those pre-conceptions on their head in a Brooklyn Bowling Alley by, um, playing it.

It wasn’t quite the perfect game from Rose and co, as they turned up 15 minutes late on stage – but heck even that’s pretty excellent by their standards. The band played a special event at the Governors’ Ball gig at the Brooklyn Bowl to punters who’d paid $150 for the privilege and Rose was in his usual detached, holier-than-thou mood, wearing a fedora on stage that might possibly have been ill-advised.

No matter though because Guns N’ Roses brought the hits! Oh boy did they, including Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child O’ Mine and –well – you don’t need us to write out their list of hits, you know them all. The room was tiny but that didn’t stop Guns N’ Roses attempt to make the same amount of noise as if they were playing one of the country’s largest stadiums, the reverberations probably giving them a whole score board’s worth of strikes without even bowling a ball (and there was none of that allowed either while they were on stage.) According to MTV, the biggest surprise was how professionally it all ran, the band ripping through their set, in spite of all the solos (all three guitarist got one.) Impressive stuff.

Axl Rose leads Guns N' Roses through Brooklyn rock 'n' bowl party

Surprise show tunes the band up for Governors Ball gig this weekend
By Kristopher Tapley Friday, Jun 7, 2013 1:53 PM

NEW YORK - Concert reviews aren't my beat. Need to know about the Oscars? I've got you covered. Music, however -- handled by our Katie Hasty and Melinda Newman with class and style -- isn't my journalistic forte. But I can tell you when I had a blast at a concert, and this one ranks up there.

Axl Rose and the current Guns N' Roses line-up played a surprise show at the Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg last night. The gig was an extension of a series of intimate performances by the band over the last year that included a send-off show for the Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea and a return to the Lower East Side's Webster Hall (formerly The Ritz) for the first time in 24 years.

Side note: This was overdue for me. I had a shot at seeing the band back in 2006. Over two hours of waiting for Axl to show up was enough so my friends and I bounced. Once we got to the car, we heard the distant tickling of "Welcome to the Jungle" on Buckethead's guitar and, well, BUMMER. It was a missed opportunity. So when tickets suddenly went on sale for the Brooklyn Bowl show Tuesday evening, I jumped.

And let's face it: this kind of a 600-capacity experience was way better than the view from the lawn of Hyundai Pavilion would have been, even if it cost a whopping $150, and even if there was a bowling alley involved. (And some damn fine fried chicken, too -- no, really, the Brooklyn Bowl is a fantastic venue for these reasons, let it be known.)
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Hitting the stage at around 11:15 (only 15 minutes late!), Rose and his line-up -- consisting of keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, former Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson, guitarists DJ Ashba, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer -- launched into a rowdy rendition of "You're Crazy" from the band's debut album "Appetite for Destruction." Looking a bit more svelte than anticipated (or was the leather jacket just concealing the extra padding?), Rose didn't appear to have lost much of a step. And his vocal range was certainly in tact enough for a fan looking for an awesome club set from the legendary rocker.

We got "Welcome to the Jungle" next and it was awesome. Ashba handled the guitar pulse well and Rose had the pipes. Most of what you'd want to hear was offered up, from "Mr. Brownstone" (my favorite "Appetite" track) to a 10-minute "Estranged" to an epic "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." Ashba seemed to be slowed down a bit by the guitar lead-in on "Sweet Child o' Mine" (he's no Slash, but who is), but they crushed that, too.

The band has added The Who's "The Seeker" to their repertoire as of late and it's pretty stellar, but I didn't get my absolute favorites, "Yesterdays" (which they don't seem to be breaking out on this tour) and "November Rain" (which has been played at pretty much every other show). Who can complain, though? I was 20 feet from Guns N' Roses. Well, "Guns N' Roses."

Apparently Rose was fighting off something he dubbed "truck stop revenge," apologizing to the crowd for his somewhat muted stage energy. "I'm not trying to be a pussy but it's literally the most f*cked time I've ever had on stage," he said. "I'm just trying not to throw up." It became a running gag throughout.

The close was "Paradise City" and a great way to send the crowd out into the drizzling rain of Williamsburg. I overheard two guys walking at a clip, energized after the show, saying "that was so worth it." And indeed, while the show didn't quite reach the two-hour mark, it felt jam-packed and rare. The sheen of professionalism (locked-in after a recent 12-date Las Vegas residency at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, no doubt) may have precluded spontaneity, but it was great to finally check the item off the bucket list, and an awesome way to make up for that missed opportunity seven years ago, to say the least.

Guns N' Roses will be one of the headlining acts at the Governors Ball Music Festival on Randall's Island Saturday night. Other acts performing include Kings of Leon, Pretty Lights, NAS, Animal Collective and Kanye West.

Guns N' Roses Perform Short, Hits-Filled Intimate Concert in Brooklyn
Axl Rose's stomach virus can't stop the band from a killer show
by Brian Greene / June 7, 2013

Is this really what it's come to? Guns N' Roses—my favorite band of my lifetime—performing in a bowling alley? Technically that's what happened, but it was much more exciting than it sounds.

As a warm-up for their headlining slot at this weekend's Governors Ball Music Festival, Axl Rose & Co. played a last-minute gig at Brooklyn Bowl. It's an intimate venue that holds just 600 people, making this one of the smallest audiences GnR has played for in the past 25 years. So going in, I knew this would be a memorable night.

But it was also memorable for another reason. Four songs into the set, Axl told the crowd that he was under the weather… or in his words, suffering from "truck stop revenge." An hour later, during a relatively subdued version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," he apologized for his lack of energy, claiming he's "never felt so f-cked up onstage" (which, given the band's reputation in their heyday, is a highly dubious statement) and saying he was doing everything in his power "not to throw up." His sickness led to an abbreviated set: 20 songs in an hour and 45 minutes, pretty short by Gunners' standards. It also may have finally given a logical excuse for Axl's frequent trips offstage during every instrumental break.

Given his condition, you might expect that the concert was a bust. Well, you'd be wrong. Haters often complain that this line-up can't touch the original. But Axl is no dummy. He's surrounded himself with master musicians—seven of them, barely fitting on stage together—and they attacked every song with an intense ferocity that kept the audience screaming for more. They also rewarded long-time fans by focusing on older material: eight songs from Appetite for Destruction versus just two from Chinese Democracy. As for Axl, stomach issues or not, his voice sounded amazing. He hit every high note, screeched every screech, and even found the power for a patented snake dance or two.

This isn't to say the concert wasn't without its faults. Axl insists on giving every guitarist their own mid-show solo (Richard Fortus' was the best of the night), which wreaks havoc on the pacing. His stomach issues led to some glaring omissions to the setlist, including "November Rain," "You Could Be Mine," and "Don’t Cry," which are live staples. And his fiery temper briefly bubbled to the surface during the encore when the stage crew couldn't find an acoustic guitar, forcing the band to skip "Patience."

But overall the show was an undeniable success, and when the band closed out the night with a frenzied version of "Paradise City," every single body in the room was thrashing along. All anyone could ask for was a few more songs.

Assuming Axl is back to full health by Saturday night, anyone going to Governors Ball would be a fool to miss GnR's set.

On a final note, one of my clever co-workers inspired me to come up with a Truck Stop Revenge-themed Guns N' Roses playlist. Did I miss any?

- Mr. Brownpants

- Paradise Shitty

- Poo Could Be Mine

- Knockin' on Bathroom's Door

- It's So Queasy

- Chinese Demo-crappy

- Live and Let Diarrhea

- Welcome to the Bunghole

Guns ‘N Roses – Brooklyn Bowl (Brooklyn, NY)
Live Show Reviews
ElmoreMagazine.com | June 7th, 2013 by Elmore Staff

Guns ‘N Roses played a semi-surprise show at Brooklyn’s most interesting bowling alley, packing the joint with thirty-somethings almost—but not quite—in ecstasy.

Obviously, the band isn’t used to playing “small” joints, and with all the running back-and-forth in an attempt to keep the energy flowing, the crowded stage resembled a bunch of lab rats in a box, looking unsuccessfully for a spot to hide. Amid studious Rock God posturing by Rose and his guitarist sidekicks, the band rolled out their hits one after another in a lengthy, well-orchestrated, very professional show.

If Bill Monroe defined the “High Lonesome” sound, Axl Rose defines “High Scratchy.” Rose, wearing shades, a hat and enough crosses to ward off Count Dracula and Sting was in good voice throughout, nailing “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Live and Let Die” and “Knocking on Heaven’s Door.” Rose disappeared from the stage a number of times, allowing his three replacement guitarists (DJ Ashba, Tommy Stinson, Richard Fortus) to each take a solo number. I found that Ashbus (who wore a neo-Slash top hat throughout the show) played the most interesting set: it concluded with a hard-rock version of “Fly Me To The Moon,” and actually worked.

A good show for those who’ve never seen the band live, but for most of us, an out-of-body experience. I felt I was watching sci-fi clones of a great band. I heard the music, but I didn’t feel the heat.

- Suzanne Cadgene

Guns N’ Roses Bring the Classics to Brooklyn
by Chuck Armstrong June 7, 2013 3:13 PM

There was a lot of excitement leading up to Guns N’ Roses‘ intimate performance at Brooklyn Bowl in North Williamsburg.

After all, the show was announced with just a few days notice and fans were already gearing up for the band’s headlining gig at New York City’s Governor’s Ball Music Festival on June 8. Even with a big festival show on the horizon, it didn’t take long for 600 fans to pack Brooklyn Bowl — a bar-turned-bowling alley — for a sold-out rock and roll show.

Opening with ‘You’re Crazy’ from the band’s debut album, ‘Appetite for Destruction,’ Axl Rose and company set the stage for a night full of classic tunes. As guitarist DJ Ashba played the iconic opening to ‘Welcome to the Jungle,’ the packed house got just a little crazier as fans were jumping up and down and singing along with Axl. Perfect renditions of other tracks like ‘Estranged’ and ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ made for a night packed full of fan favorites.

Throughout the evening, Axl sounded spot-on, doing justice to all Guns N’ Roses songs, new and old. It was somewhat surprising he sounded so good because he admitted to the audience that he was suffering from “truckstop revenge,” an illness he acquired on the trip from Buffalo, N.Y. to Brooklyn. Every once in awhile he would duck behind stage for what we can only assume were vomit sessions, but he’d be back in no time rocking with his comrades. He was very honest with the crowd, claiming his lack of energy was due to him being sick, but likely there were no fans in the house who thought the performance was anything but on-point.

While there will always be critics out there who claim the current line-up is not the “real” Guns N’ Roses, Axl has surrounded himself with highly talented musicians, all of whom have killer stage presences and an obvious admiration for their fearless leader. It’s also apparent that Axl is quite pleased with the band he’s assembled. He never hesitated to let the musicians have the spotlight, whether it was a guitar solo or a full-blown jam session; he even gave a slot on the set list to bassist Tommy Stinson, who sang a fun, punk-fueled tune called ‘Motivation.’

With one of the most recognizable voices in the history of rock and roll, Axl and his crew of A-list musicians put on a fun, intimate show in Brooklyn at a unique venue (did we mention it’s a freaking bowling alley?).

puddledumpling wrote:I want to hear them play You're Crazy - haven't found it in YouTube.

Soulmonster wrote:

[Live Take]: Guns ‘n Roses at Brooklyn Bowl

It’s surprising to say that the first time I saw a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame perform live, it was at a 600 capacity bowling alley in Williamsburg. A couple of days before their co-headlining set at Governor’s Ball, the Slash-less Guns ‘N Roses hit Brooklyn Bowl for an intimate — and expensive (tickets were $150) — sold-out performance.

The 17-song set was a taste of their greatest hits and the mostly older crowd fervently sang along. Lead singer Axl Rose, the only original member of the LA-based hard rock band, led the reformed eight-piece through gems like “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Live and Let Die” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.” The vibe was a little stale throughout as Axl was sick with what he called “truck stop revenge.”

The wear-and-tear of the 51-year-old Rose showed through, especially on the pared-down piano number “This I Love.” Though technically savvy and experienced, solos by guitarists Richard Fortus and recently added DJ Ashba felt forced at times. Regardless, Axl definitely still had his signature scrawl and even broke out his bizarre snake dance a couple of times. Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal played the part of Guns ‘n Roses’ lead guitarist, wielding a double-necked guitar, without missing a beat.

They last released an album in 2008, the ridiculously belated but well-received “Chinese Democracy,” played a 12-date Vegas residency in the fall and will release a 3D concert DVD of those performances later this year through Interscope. So long as Axl wants to continue performing as Guns ‘n Roses, fans will surely flock.

Coming from an indie rock background, it’s just as surprising to say that hearing glam-metal-meets-blues rock was a refreshing musical experience. Then again, hearing “Welcome to Jungle” and the encore finale “Paradise City” live is something a rock fan just has to admire.