2017.10.16 - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, USA

The Bizarre Yet Undeniable Virtue Of Guns N’ Roses & Their “Not In This Lifetime” Tour [Show Review]

By Gideon Plotnicki

Last night, Guns N’ Roses played their third and final show Madison Square Garden, perhaps their final show in the New York area on this lengthy reunion tour. The iconic rock band has been criss-crossing the globe for eighteen months now, basking in the glory of their arena-ready reunion, appropriately dubbed the “Not In This Lifetime” tour. With Slash and Duff McKagan back in the fold, frontman Axl Rose finally has the big, bad band to back up his preferred approach to the Guns N’ Roses concert. The mix of theatrics, musicianship, nostalgia and pure energy onstage created an undeniably fun, slightly strange, yet ultimately highly enjoyable concert experience.

The mythology around Guns N’ Roses is so extensive that seeing them live and in person is, visually, almost disorienting. They emerge from backstage dressed exactly as you’d expect them to be dressed–in outfits reminiscent of their 80’s heyday. Axl wore a leather jacket, black t-shirt, and flannel shirt hanging casually while tied around his waist; Slash had his famous mess of curls, his ever-present and iconic top hat, and stoic and consciously masculine demeanor; Duff McKagan sported his bright blonde mop, sleeveless shirt, to compliment his effortless attitude and skillful bass playing.

Going to a Guns N’ Roses concert in 2017 definitely provides an interesting people-watching experience. The crowd at Madison Square Garden last night was a mix of visually authentic rockers wearing spikes and leather (who seemed to have never left the 1980s), wall street bros who paid insane prices for premium tickets, music industry bigwigs and underlings, curious teenagers wearing “Appetite” t-shirts, and plenty of parents out for their “one big night out.” Guns N’ Roses may be the ultimate rock band, but they have also transformed into a pop/nostalgia band, complete with all of the commercial and corporate trappings that come with it, including a wide variety of customers.

In contrast with that pop-y vibe, it must be noted that the band skipped an opening act and hit the stage in full force just before 8:00 PM, intending to deliver an evening fully packed with Guns N’ Roses music. Most bands on their level turn out between ninety and one-hundred-and-fifty minutes of music for a headlining performance, and Guns N’ Roses ended up staying on stage for two-hundred-and-ten minutes, without a setbreak. While the ticket prices for this tour are insanely high, the band gives audiences their moneys-worth night after night, with long shows that include virtually all of their classic hits, many of their cherished b-sides and famous covers, and plenty of much-appreciated shredding from Slash. While some in the audience couldn’t make it through 3.5 hours of hard rock, the vast majority of the crowd stayed for the entire show and sang along loudly to both the classics and the deep cuts.

Guns N’ Roses jumped on stage and immediately went from-zero-to-sixty to start the show, opening with Appetite For Destruction standouts “It’s So Easy” and Rose’s famous ode to the rockstar lifestyle, “Mr. Brownstown.” Following an impressive take on the title track from the infamous Chinese Democracy, Slash took his time to tease an extended introduction to “Welcome To The Jungle” that sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy. Even though everyone in the room knew it was coming, Rose’s famous screech of “DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE!?!?” lit the crowd on fire, and the flame burned brightly for the rest of the night.

All in all, eight of the twelve songs from the band’s impeccable debut record, Appetite For Destruction, made their way into the evening’s setlist, with the aforementioned trio of songs being joined by “Paradise City,” “Sweet Child O’Mine,” “Nighttrain,” “Rocket Queen,” and “My Michelle.” Each of these was met by huge roars from the crowd and a barrage of cell phones quickly shooting to the sky to capture the moment. Seeing Axl flanked by Slash and Duff while they nail their classic material felt like dream come true.

GNR also treated the crowd to many of their famous covers, with Bob Dylan‘s “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” and Wings‘ “Live And Let Die” leading the charge. Other reliable go-to’s like “The Seeker” by The Who, “Whole Lotta Rosie” by AC/DC, and “Attitude” by The Misfits made appearances in the set, and the band included a heartfelt tribute to Chris Cornell with a performance of Soundgarden‘s “Black Hole Sun.” They also included pronounced teases throughout their show, with “November Rain” containing a portion of “Layla” by Derek & The Dominos, ” and “Patience” including an instrumental take on “Melissa” by the Allman Brothers Band.

Surprisingly, the peak moments of the show weren’t the massive mega-hits or huge covers, but the b-sides, ballads, and obscure cuts that allowed the band and, specifically, Slash, some room to breathe musically. The guitarist was remarkable all night long, ripping solo after guitar solo with charismatic ease. He is an enigmatic character (to say the least), a mysterious, larger-than-life persona in the rock ‘n’ roll world. As such, it was a surprise to find him so filled with energy all night long, running from one side of the stage to the other, jumping on and off a platform at the front of the stage, and stomping his feet along with several songs. Slash was clearly designed to be the lead guitar player in Guns N’ Roses, and his appreciation for being there was apparent throughout the show.

This brand of brash, over-the-top rock n’ roll may not be for everyone, but the “Not In This Lifetime” tour by Guns N’ Roses overcomes its obvious potential flaws to become one of the more memorable and larger-than-life concert tours in recent memory. From the music, to the stage setup, to the outfits, to the general vibe, the whole evening seemed to be plucked right from a classic Guns N’ Roses music video and dropped onto the stage at Madison Square Garden…

In fact, aside from the overpriced premium tickets, the tour comes across as almost a caricature of itself. No matter how ridiculous and show-y the moment (Axl’s piano for “November Rain” emerged from a hydraulic lift that was hidden under the stage…), no matter how absurd the attire (Axl required several outfit changes, going through many different t-shirts, several themed jackets, and a variety of ill-fitting cowboy hats…), no matter how cliche and outdated it all may seem to the naked eye (Slash played the “November Rain” guitar solo in front of a wall of sparks…), it is still unbelievable to watch Axl, Slash, and Duff on stage performing as Guns N’ Roses, and that dumbfounded and joyous feeling permeates each moment of their show.