2017.02.18 - Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, Australia

Review: All Guns Blazing: Guns N’ Roses treat Adelaide to night of pure rock nostalgia

IT WAS the gig most Guns N’ Roses fans – if not the band itself – thought would never happen. Which made it all the more special for those of us who were there.

By Andrew Dowdell

IT WAS the gig most Guns N’ Roses fans – if not the band itself – thought would never happen.

But as dusk loomed on an unusually cool February evening, the thousands of loyal GNR army members were soon welcomed to the jungle – and for the next two and a half hours thousands relived their rebellious teenage years.

Infamously erratic and unreliable in hitting the stage even remotely on time when the band was the hottest rock act on the globe, the Gunners strolled onto the stage at the northern end of Adelaide Oval bang on time - they may have even been a bit early for a change!

The simmering excitement whipped into a chorus of open-air karaoke as the opening chords of It’s So Easy boomed across the stadium and, doubtlessly, well into the suburbs.

Charging through a smattering of classic tracks from Lies through to the often-maligned Chinese Democracy, the intensity rose with each track from Appetite For Destruction, and an electric version of possibly the most politically-incorrect song in their catalogue, Used To Love Her.

Axl Rose’s trademark ripped jeans might have been a few sizes bigger than his heyday, but worked hard for his money throughout a hit-packed set lasting two and a half hours.

Adelaide fans previously settled for Axl’s Home Brand version of Guns N Roses – despite him being the only actual Gunner on stage – while the iconic Slash has toured the festival circuit doing the odd GNR cover along the way.

But reunited, the main duo performed their hearts out, with Slash taking over the “Eddie Betts pocket” and bouncing around the stage like a teenage rookie.

Support act Wolfmother helped warm the crowd - but few were paying much attention as the cauldron-like Adelaide Oval filled with loyal Gunners fans.

While fans were finally rewarded for their patience, the namesake ballad was a notable absentee from the setlist, and there was no sign of Angus Young – leaving the door open for the first rendition of the tour of Yesterdays.

Even the most jaded of the mostly Generation X crowd found their voice when November Rain rang out and the finale of Paradise City left most with the perfect end to a nostalgic, rocking night.

Guns N’ Roses @ Adelaide Oval Review

Written by Jamie McNicol

“Adelaide! Do you know where you are? You’re in the jungle baby!”

For many years, Adelaide fans have been waiting patiently for one of the biggest '80s hard–rock acts of all time, Guns N’ Roses, to play in the City of Churches.

Well, the wait was officially over on Saturday night (18 February) and boy was it worth waiting for.

For the many thousands of fans in attendance, the words on the tips of their tongues were: “Will Axl be in the right frame of mind? Will he have a positive attitude? Will Axl be on stage at the time allocated?”

All that was put to rest, as Axl and the band went on stage 15 minutes earlier than expected. Adelaide was in for an awakening. All the doubt, all the 'what ifs' vanished as soon as the first riff of 'It’s So Easy' blasted through the speakers.

With the masses filling 'The Jungle Pit' in front of the stage, Axl was embracing every single moment throughout the night. Axl along with Slash, Duff and the rest of the extended band that are now Guns N’ Roses knew exactly what the fans wanted putting on one hell of a rock & roll party.

Along with Slash's guitar solos (that were pitch perfect) many songs on the set-list came from the classic Guns N’ Roses back catalogue: 'Appetite For Destruction' and the Use Your Illusion Parts I and II records.

Throw in a a number of cover songs like 'Live And Let Die' (written by Paul and Linda McCartney and performed by Wings) and 'Knocking On Heaven’s Door' (Bob Dylan original), Adelaide fans were treated not only with respect, but were also to a live, fast and party-hard concert.

As the crowd sang, clapped and cheered throughout the night, there was no way anyone was going to wipe the smile off Axl Rose's face. The audience loved Axl and Axl loved Adelaide; and you could tell the rest of the band members were feeding off the responses from the front of the stage to the very last row of seats at the Adelaide Oval.

Many magical moments happened though-out the night, especially for songs like 'Sweet Child ‘O’ Mine', 'Coma' and 'November Rain', plus songs in the encore 'Nigh Train' and 'Paradise City' – the entire Adelaide Oval sounded like a massive choir, as most tried to belt out their best karaoke vocals.

With Slash bouncing around like he was playing for the Adelaide Crows in the famous 'Eddie Betts Pocket' and Duff McKagan warming the crowd both knew how to entertain their audience. There was flash-bombs, fireworks and confetti.

But the most important part of the night was when Guns N’ Roses took their final curtain-call; you knew they had left all of their energy on stage for one, massive night.

No one was going home disappointed.