2010.01.13 - MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Guns n’ Roses Bring “Chinese Democracy” to North America With Marathon Winnipeg Gig

By Darryl Sterdan

Sometimes with Axl Rose, all you need is just a little patience. Other times, you need a little more than a little. Guns n’ Roses’ Wednesday night concert in Winnipeg, Canada — their first North American date (and fifth show overall) since the release of Chinese Democracy in 2008 — was, thankfully, a case of the former.

After making the world wait nearly a generation for his sixth studio album, and then keeping fans on hold for more than a year for a tour, Rose wasted little time getting down to business in the Great White North. The frontman and his septet took the stage shortly after 10:40 p.m. — practically a matinee for the notorious Rose. And once they got down to business, they certainly made up for any lost time, treating 7,500 fans at the city’s MTS Centre to a high-energy three-hour marathon of new material and classic G n’ R hits.

Following the basic template laid out on the band’s Asian dates in December, they kicked open the doors with the title cut from Chinese Democracy, followed by the one-two-three punch of “Welcome to the Jungle,” “It’s So Easy” and “Mr. Brownstone” from 1987’s Appetite for Destruction. From the moment Rose opened his mouth to scream, “You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baybeeee!” it was clear his corroded air-raid siren of a voice had lost little of its range, rage or power. Likewise, the rest of the band — guitarists Richard Fortus, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and DJ Ashba, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, drummer Frank Ferrer and bassist Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements) — hit the ground running, tearing through most of Appetite and Democracy, with a few cuts from the 1991 Use Your Illusion albums (including covers of “Live and Let Die” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”) sprinkled in for good measure.

Although he appeared to be in good spirits, between songs Rose kept fairly quiet, offering little beyond the usual thank-yous and how-is-everybody banter. In fact, for a guy who wields such a commanding musical presence, he spent much of the evening shining the spotlight on his bandmates, bolting from the stage during every instrumental break and introducing nearly every player for a solo segment (best of the bunch: Stinson’s suitably snotty bash ’n’ pop version of the Who’s “My Generation”). Rose also posted a backstage photo on his Twitter, and wrote, “Excited 2 get this rolling. In r off time we’ll b helping Mounties flush out Al Qaeda. (What’s that aboot, Eh? jk)” in one of his first three tweets since the new year began.

The gigantic three-runway black stage and high-tech production — which included all the requisite video screens, moving light trusses, pyro, percussion bombs and confetti cannons — also commanded plenty of attention. But not enough to overshadow Rose’s and co.’s triumphant return to North America. Now, you just have to wait for them to make it to the States. All you need is just a little … well, you know.

Set List:

“Chinese Democracy”
“Welcome to the Jungle”
“It’s So Easy”
“Mr. Brownstone”
“Shackler’s Revenge”
Richard Fortus Spotlight
“Live and Let Die”
“Sorry”
“If the World”
Dizzy Reed Solo
“Street of Dreams”
“Better”
“You Could Be Mine”
DJ Ashba Spotlight
“Sweet Child o’ Mine”
“I.R.S.”
Axl Rose Piano Solo
“November Rain”
“Scraped”
“O Canada” / “Pink Panther” (Bumblefoot Spotlight)
“Out Ta Get Me”
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”
“Nightrain”

Encore:
“Madagascar”
“This I Love”
Frank Ferrer Drum Solo
“Rocket Queen”
“My Generation” (Tommy Stinson Spotlight)
“Patience”
“Paradise City”

Guns N' Roses show a massive rock 'n' roll spectacle

By: Rob Williams

WINNIPEG — Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses toured in support of Chinese Democracy four times before the album was finally released in November, 2008, 17 years after the last album of GNR originals.

Then nothing. No tour to support the album and only one promotional media interview from the reclusive frontman.

At least a bunch of people in America got a free Dr. Pepper.

A year later Rose announced he was ready to hit the road in support of the long-awaited album with four shows in Asia and 13 in Canada, the first in Winnipeg at the MTS Centre on Wednesday where they last played in December, 2006.

Why they chose to tour Canada in January, and start in Winnipeg, is anybody's guess, but the 2010 live version of Guns N' Roses is a sight to behold. The show is a massive rock 'n' roll spectacle as 7,500 fans witnessed Wednesday during a two-hour and 50-minute show featuring most of the new album and the band's greatest hits.

The unofficial over/under betting line on the band's start time was 10:30 p.m., and anyone who knows anything about GNR would have had their money on over. The group took the stage at the perfectly decent time of 10:45 p.m., 75 minutes earlier than in 2006, but still more than an hour after opener Sebastian Bach left the stage.

A series of fireworks encircling the stage exploded to start the show before the opening chords of Chinese Democracy kicked in and Rose ran on stage zigzagging his way through his seven-piece band. He was in constant motion throughout the whole song, looking a little like Kid Rock in jeans, a white shirt and fedora, albeit with more facial hair.

More explosions signaled the end of the opener before the familiar riff to Welcome to the Jungle rang out and a huge roar erupted from the crowd as Rose screeched: "Do you know where you are? You're in the jungle, baby. You're gonna diiiiiieeee."

He dumped the hat to reveal a red bandana (and no cornrows!) during the song and showed off his two favourite dance moves -- that weird serpentine slither and a series of herky-jerky bounce steps -- which would be repeated numerous times throughout the night whenever the 47-year-old wasn't running around on the massive stage shaped like the top half of a chalk outline of a body with fluorescent orange tape providing the piping. The circular "head" jutted out from the main body and two "arms" extended out on either side, curving slightly when they hit the seats. The drums were on a riser on the stage's torso flanked by two sets of stairs which ran up behind it while a set of circular lighting rigs with its own LED system moved vertically above it.

Rose's distinctive nasally whine is still in fine form, as he displayed on the swaggering It's So Easy and the drug ode, Mr. Brownstone, two classics from the band's 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction, that help open the show. He looked and sounded as good as ever, but still relies on TelePrompTers to help out in case he forgets some lyrics.

And he even appeared to be enjoying himself, flashing the occasional smile and offering up some between song banter with the crowd.

"It's nice to be with you tonight. It's nice of you to turn up the heat for us while we're here," he said, referencing the warm weather, before launching into the new Shackler's Revenge, which gave his three guitarists --- Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba--- a chance to show off some riffs Slash didn't write and allowed Rose to head backstage, something he did often throughout the night.

Massive flames shot in the air and concussion bombs exploded for the band's wall-of-guitars cover of Live and Let Die before they slowed things down with Sorry, If the World and Street of Dreams, three new songs that show off Rose's two best-known sides: ticked off and tender.

They got back into the hard rock boogie with Better, before pulling out some more old faves, with the caustic You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O' Mine and November Rain, featuring Rose playing a grand piano at centre stage. Each song was given extra heft by the sheer amount of musicians on stage, each of whom got his own solo.

The metal-blues drinking anthem Night Train finished the main 130-minute set before the band returned for a six-song encore, highlighted by Rocket Queen, the ballad Patience and customary show closer Paradise City, climaxing with confetti being shot into the audience and more explosions.

"Have a good night, be safe. We love you and we'll see you again," Rose said after he and his band mates took a bow.

Knowing Rose, anything is possible.

Thank God For Axl Rose

By John Ostronomy

Thank God for Axl Rose. Say what you want about him – that he worked on “Chinese Democracy” for too long, that you don’t think his band should be called Guns N’ Roses, or that you think he goes onstage too late – but this is rock 'n' roll, and I like Axl even more for doing things HIS way. Whether it’s defending his entourage in an airport scuffle on the way to a tour date in Taiwan or reportedly exchanging a Twitter barb with a former bandmate over reunion rumors and the Haitian earthquake, right or wrong – it’s not my or anyone else's business to decide – Rose is one of the only rock stars that hasn’t lost what made me love them in the first place.

On Wednesday night, Guns N’ Roses performed what Rolling Stone magazine called a “marathon gig” in Winnepeg, Canada in support of their platinum selling 2008 release, “Chinese Democracy.” Although I loved Guns since I first saw them from the front row at Boston’s Paradise rock club in September ‘87, the current band lineup is as cool, talented, and interesting as any I’ve ever seen.

This supergroup has spent so much time rehearsing in Los Angeles, that they can knock out three-plus hours of new and old GN’R classics at a moment’s notice. Lead guitarist, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal is like no other musician I’ve ever heard. You can literally detune every tuning peg on his Gibson Les Paul headstock, and he’ll instantaneously transpose his fingerings on the fretboard. Bassist Tommy Stinson is someone I admired since my high school band covered the Replacements’ version of KISS’ “Black Diamond,” and between keyboard players Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, guitarists Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba, and drummer Frank Ferrer, I’d be hard pressed to assemble a better band. Sure the classic lineup including Axl, Slash, Duff, and Izzy were, as Slash recently described it, “a real force together,” but that was in the past, and the new Guns members are more than qualified to keep the name Guns N’ Roses alive. In an open letter to the fans, Rose quoted Stinson as saying, “We're not lettin' what took so much blood and heart get turned to shit and dust.”

Guns’ “marathon” Winnepeg concert, their first North American date since the release of “Chinese Democracy,” contained over twenty songs in addition to extended solos and member spotlights. The mix of staples like “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City” with new “Chinese Democracy” cuts like “Shackler’s Revenge” and my personal favorite, “Better,” proved to satisfy even the most critical of fans.

After the KISS reunion in 1996, I hadn’t felt more excitement surrounding an artist until ten years later when Rose was rumored to be recording “Chinese Democracy” in New York City in the Spring of 2006 and Talking Metal began our series of “Guns N’ Roses Stakeout” podcasts. Who would have thought that the stakeouts would lead to a special thanks on “Chinese Democracy” for lending the band a Marshall amp and a Les Paul? Only in rock 'n' roll…

Concert Review: Guns N' Roses

MTS Centre, Winnipeg - January 13, 2010

By DARRYL STERDAN - QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - There might be better ways to kick off your 2010 concert calendar.

But offhand, I can't think of any. Wednesday night's Guns N' Roses show at Winnipeg's MTS Centre wasn't just the first date of the band's latest North American tour. It was also their first gig on these shores (and only their fifth performance overall) since the 2008 release of Chinese Democracy.

And even though Axl Rose kept all of us waiting nearly two decades for the album, and another year-and-change for a tour, the moment he hit the stage shortly after 10:40 PM, all was forgiven. Supported by his latest version of GN'R - guitarists Richard Fortus, Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and DJ Ashba, keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman, drummer Frank Ferrer and bassist Tommy Stinson (formerly of The Replacements) - the 47-year-old singer treated 7,500 fans to a fiery (in every sense of the word) three-hour set that wrapped up at 1:30 AM, and repeatedly rewarded fans (along with nearly everyone in his backing band) for their loyalty and patience along the way. Here's how it went down:

Chinese Democracy

After the intro music builds tension in the dark, one of the guitarists - I'm not sure who's who yet - is spotlit as he cranks out the opening power-chord riff. As the band kicks into gear and Axl growls the first verse, sparklers ringing the stage fire off and we get our first look at him. He's wearing a black fedora over a red bandanna, a pair of slim shades, well-worn blue jeans and a pinstripe work shirt open to his midriff to frame a large silver crucifix. Oh, and he's got a mustache! It's midway between pirate, biker, bandito and Morgan Spurlock. Kinda weird. But at least he's lost the dreads or cornrows or whatever they were. When Axl wails the final worlds, "All I've got is precious time!" there's a pyro burst and the lights fade, leaving him backlit. Two points for a killer opening.

Welcome to the Jungle

As another guitarist (still getting my bearings there) works the niggly little riff, Rose jumps the gun and does the, "do you know where you are? You're in the jungle, baybeee!" line. Actually, it's more like we're at the circus - and not just because percussion bombs and fireworks are going off in time with the music. The stage itself is a massive structure with three runways - in fact, it's so wide it overhangs the first five rows in the stands on both sides. It's covered in some sort of black vinyl or fabric and lined with glow-in- the-dark tape - from overhead, it almost looks like one of those blobby Keith Haring figures with his circular hands in the air. The circular theme is carried on throughout the set. There's a cat-eye drum riser at stage centre, with an illuminated staircase going up and around on either side. Behind that are two pods for the keyboard players. Hanging above are a series of concentric lighting trusses festooned with VariLights and wrapped in lighting curtains (or whatever you call them). More of those illuminated curtains flank the stage, hanging in half-columns in front of vertical lighting trusses and some of the several video screens scattered around the place. Say what you will about Axl, he does things big.

It's So Easy

Another Appetite for Destruction tune. So far, so good. Axl has already lost the fedora and the shades. He bolts up to the mic, grabs the stand and hurls it back the 10 metres or so to the drum riser. Just to make it clear he's not kidding around, I guess. Gotta admit, he looks fit. Sure, he's a little beefier around the middle than 20 years ago. Who isn't? But he hasn't slowed down. He's sprinting from one end of the stage to the other and pumping his leg hard enough to make Angus Young look sedate. More fireworks herald the end of the tune.

Mr. Brownstone

"Meanwhile, back in the jungle," cracks Axl as Ferrer pounds out a heavy tom-tom beat to go with the scraping guitar riff. As Rose does that snake-hip move he used to do back in the day, those circular lighting rigs dip down from the rafters at opposing angles. Interesting. Also interesting: Every time there's an instrumental break or a solo - even if it's only for 30 seconds - Rose sprints off the stage. Not sure why, though it looks like he's making sure the rest of the band get time in the spotlight.

Shackler's Revenge

After a few pleasantries from Axl -- including a simple, "nice to be here with you tonight" and a crack about the weather (which is actually unseasonably warm) - the electronica-rocker from Chinese Democracy lurches into a groove. White spotlights start twirling as if there's been a prison break, and the light trusses drift apart into arcs and tier up on different levels. Between the eight guys flying around the stage and the show, there's plenty to attract (and distract) your attention.

Richard Fortus Spotlight

After introducing Fortus, Rose takes a hike while the Izzy Stradlin-esque guitarist cranks out a twangy guitar-rock instrumental reminiscent of the James Bond and Peter Gunn themes. See what I meant about sharing the spotlight?

Live and Let Die

Flames and more grenades decorate and punctuate the Paul McCartney cover from Use Your Illusion. Axl has switched into a sleeveless shirt and the fedora is back. His rusted-siren vocals are strong and he's hitting all the notes solidly, though the PA isn't doing him any favours - if he isn't belting, you have to strain to hear him. After the song, bassist Stinson pitches a little hissy fit at some dude who apparently chucked something at him. "Don't throw shit at me, please; I'll fucking leave!" he complains. Guess he had enough crap heaved at him in the Mats to last a lifetime. Anyway, he takes off up onto the drum riser for the next song.

Sorry

This sluggish grinder is not one of my favourite Chinese Democracy cuts, but guitarist Ashba (now that I can tell him and Fortus apart, I'm good) serves up a blistering solo.

If the World

Still in Chinese Democracy land. Bumblefoot opens this slow-burning funk cut with the flamenco licks from the album. Gotta give the band credit; they're doing a decent job of recreating Rose's insanely detailed tracks. The sound is obviously nowhere near as crisp, but hey, you can't have everything.

Dizzy Reed Spotlight

A grand piano rolls out from beneath the drum riser so the stringy-haired keyboardist can throw down some solo chops. The song is familiar, but I can't place it - maybe because I'm too busy trying to figure out if that's supposed to be toes or fingernails or what painted on the piano lid. The sides, meanwhile, are covered in little mirror-ball tiles. It's like hippies broke into the Liberace museum or something.

Street of Dreams

Dizzy stays down at the piano for this Democracy power ballad. Rose emerges in shirt No. 3 - a shiny black number. No bandanna. After the tune ends, drummer Ferrer goes 'Boom, boom, boom-boom" on his bass drum again - he's been doing that between songs. Then I get it: It's so people will chant: "Guns N' Roses." Sneaky.

Better

The lighting trusses do more aerial ballet over the stage as the band works through another one of Rose's ballad-to-rocker numbers from Chinese Democracy. His right leg is kicking like Stompin' Tom on speed.

You Could be Mine

Finally, another classic. Or at least an oldie. This barnburner from Use Your Illusion II gets a solid treatment, with more concussion bombs for emphasis. And a silver-plated .45 swirling around on the video screens just for, um, I dunno, menace? Flames shoot up around the stage during the last chorus. Oh, Axl has a new bandanna: It's blue and white, FYI.

DJ Ashba Spotlight

After a few more pleasantries - including a belated, "Happy f-ucking holidays to you" - Rose vacates again so Ashba can peel off a blistering solo on his black sequined axe while the band lays down a slow, "There Was a Time"-style backbeat. Not sure which is more impressive: His playing, or his full-sleeve tats.

Sweet Child o' Mine

The crowd has been well behaved so far -- no moshing and little surfing -- but this hit brings them to their feet. While red and white lights bathe the stage, Rose debuts shirt No. 4: A red-checked V-neck pullover that looks intentionally dirty. I just noticed he also has red tape wrapped around his left hand - whether because of an injury or just because it matches his red microphone, I have no idea. Bumblefoot handles the wah-wah pedal guitar solo capably.

I.R.S.

If I were writing the set list, I might have tossed another oldie in here instead of this mid-tempo Chinese Democracy grinder. Especially since it sounds distractingly muddier than the album version.

Axl Piano Solo

That weird-looking keyboard rolls out again - all the way to the front of the stage - so Axl can tinkle the ivories. He's wearing a long-tailed burgundy coat with big buttons and a black leather fedora. You know, most people wouldn't be able to pull that off. Most people aren't Rose, of course.

November Rain

Rose stays at the 88 to lead the band through the Use Your Illusion epic. The three guitarists divide the solos, while the lighting trusses split and descend, and sparklers go off at the back of the drum riser and on the stairs. Not sure how rain and sparklers go together, but it looks nice anyway.

Scraped

Instead of the layered vocals on the album, the Chinese Democracy cut opens with tribal tom-tom drumming. The rest of the tune is pretty much the same - but Bumblefoot's solo on the fretless half of his double-neck guitar is impressive. Axl has a different blue-and-white bandanna. How many of these things does this guy own?

Bumblefoot Spotlight

The other guitarists showed off. Bumblefoot plays to the crowd - first he does a Hendrix-style version of "O Canada," then he makes with a rocked-up take on the "Pink Panther theme." Nice to see a rocker with a sense of humour.

Out Ta Get Me

Back to the oldies. More fireworks and sparklers illuminate Rose's latest ensemble: A black-and-red lumberjack number. This guy changes more often than Beyonce - and it looks like almost all of his outfits came from Mark's Work Warehouse. The spotlights do their prison-break thing again, and the concussion blast at the end of the song makes me jump. You'd think I would be used to them by now.

Knockin' on Heaven's Door

"This is dedicated to the people who hate us," is what I think Axl says before Dylan's classic. Though I'm not sure what antagonists he's referring to, or who exactly they hate. Anyway, he launches into a long shaggy-dog story (which is actually about a dog named Mojo) in the middle of the song. I only catch about half of it. I'm not sure I missed anything important. We have now passed the two-hour mark.

Nightrain

A train-whistle (natch) introduces the cowbell-rock ode to cheap wine. Bumblefoot whips off another fretless solo, the band fires on all cylinders and charges toward the end - which is marked by yet another explosion. "Good night," says Axl and bolts - as do a decent chunk of the audience (it's already after midnight on a school night).

Madagascar

The encore begins with this ambitious Chinese Democracy number, which features Rose's mid-song sonic collage of Martin Luther King, Mississippi Burning, Cool Hand Luke, Braveheart and others. The video screens show MLK graphics and footage to go with. Thankfully, I don't see any Braveheart footage.

This I Love

The piano rolls out one last time for another Chinese Democracy ballad. At the end, Rose fesses up that he: "kinda fucked that up in the beginning." I'm too tired to notice.

Frank Ferrer Drum Solo

Mercifully brief. Nothing against him; it's just getting really freaking late.

Rocket Queen

But not late enough to miss this Appetite for Destruction gem. Axl straightarms the mic below his waist and does a two-step while Ashba handles the slide solo. Just like old times. Almost.

My Generation

Bassist Stinson tackles The Who's classic for his spotlight tune. His vocals are suitably snotty - and he doesn't embarrass himself on the John Entwistle solo either. For the record, everybody but second keyboardist Chris Pitman has now had a solo. Sorry Chris; your goofy straw hat is the problem.

Patience

Rose draws cheers as soon as he starts whistling the opening. But once he begins singing the mellow part, his voice sounds a little ragged. Which is no surprise, since he's been going full throttle for more than two-and-a-half hours. Maybe they need to move this up in the set list. Oh, and he has now changed into a white T-shirt with a filthy slogan on it. I have officially lost count of his outfits. And I'm pretty sure I missed at least one in there.

Paradise City

All the stops come out: The lighting trusses dance, bombs go off, the lights are cranked, the confetti cannons erupt, coloured mini- fireworks burst forth - and as the song whams to a close with one final explosion, silver streamers are launched over the crowd. Cheapskates. "Oh won't you please take me home?" sings Rose. Well, no - but we will go home ourselves. And we'll go satisfied. And very, very tired.

Set List:

Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Shackler's Revenge
Richard Fortus Spotlight
Live and Let Die
Sorry
If the World
Dizzy Reed Solo
Street of Dreams
Better
You Could Be Mine
DJ Ashba Spotlight
Sweet Child o' Mine
I.R.S.
Axl Rose Piano Solo
November Rain
Scraped
O Canada / Pink Panther (Bumblefoot Spotlight)
Out Ta Get Me
Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Nightrain

Encore:
Madagascar
This I Love
Frank Ferrer Drum Solo
Rocket Queen
My Generation (Tommy Stinson Spotlight)
Patience
Paradise City

Guns N’ Roses Kick Off ‘Chinese Democracy’ Tour
Welcome to the Jungle, Winnipeg! Axl is in fine form.

By Rob Williams

It took Axl Rose 17 years to finish Chinese Democracy, so to only have to wait a year or so to hear it live is a relatively brief delay in the world of Guns N’ Roses.

And it’s not like he and his current version of the band haven’t been touring. Since 2001 they’ve hit the road for four legs of the Chinese Democracy Tour, supporting an album that didn’t really exist, with the exception of the few tracks that leaked online over the years.

Wednesday night, the band kicked off the Canadian leg of their 2010 tour at Winnipeg’s MTS Centre with a full-out rock’n’roll spectacle that requires 15 semis of equipment and eight buses for the band and crew. There are explosions and confetti, along with seven video screens and a massive mobile lighting rig.

The show itself featured more than 25 songs, covering most of the new album and almost all of the band’s greatest hits over the course of two-hours and 50 minutes.

At 10:45 PM, a series of fireworks shot into the air to signal the beginning of the Gunners set before the opening chords of “Chinese Democracy” kicked in and Rose ran on stage zigzagging his way through his seven-piece band. He was in constant motion throughout the song, dressed in jeans, a white shirt and fedora, which he later removed in favor of his characteristic bandana.

More explosions marked the end of the opening number before the familiar riff to “Welcome to the Jungle” rang out and a huge roar erupted from the crowd of 7,500 as Rose screeched: “Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby. You’re gonna diiiiiieeee.”

His distinctive nasally whine is still in fine form, as he displayed on the swaggering “It’s So Easy” and the drug ode, “Mr. Brownstone,” two classics from the band’s 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction.

At 47, Rose looked and sounded as good as ever, relying on TelePrompters to help out in case he forgot some lyrics. He even appeared to be enjoying himself, flashing the occasional smile and offering up some between-song banter with the crowd:

“It’s nice to be with you tonight. It’s nice of you to turn up the heat for us while we’re here,” he said, referencing the freakishly warm weather the city has been experiencing, before launching into the new “Shackler’s Revenge,” which gave his three guitarists — Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Richard Fortus and DJ Ashba— a chance to show off some riffs ex-guitarist Slash didn’t write and allowed Rose to head backstage, something he did often throughout the night.

Massive flames shot in the air and concussion bombs exploded for the band’s wall-of-guitars cover of “Live and Let Die,” before they slowed things down with “Sorry,” “If the World,” and “Street of Dreams,” three new songs that show off Rose’s two best-known emotions: ticked off and tender.

Then out came some more old faves, including “You Could Be Mine,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and “November Rain,” featuring Rose playing a grand piano at centre stage. Each song was given extra heft by the seven musicians on stage, each of whom got his own solo.

The paranoid bluster of “Out Ta Get Me,” a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” and the metal-blues drinking anthem “Night Train” finished the main 130-minute set before the band returned for a six-song encore, highlighted by “Rocket Queen,” “Patience” and customary show closer “Paradise City.”

Then came more confetti, and explosions, and a last bit of the genial Axl: “Have a good night, be safe. We love you and we’ll see you again.” Okay, but next time, don’t wait so long.