2021.07.31 - Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey, PA, USA

Just a bit over a month to go now. I can't help getting a bit excited. At the very least I expect the band to dust off some songs they haven't played in a while; if there is a god they will play Hard School.

Only 10 more days to go

Hardschool soundcheck - without Axl, Duff sings a couple of lines.

Seems highly likely Hardschool is to be played at some point of the tour. Maybe they even tomorrow. Comes down to Axl and whether he is feeling it.

I love the buzz and excitement om the forums now.

Soulmonster wrote:I love the buzz and excitement om the forums now.

And it will turn into meltdown if it isn't played tonight

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:I love the buzz and excitement om the forums now.

And it will turn into meltdown if it isn't played tonight

As if the band has never rehearsed something new for only to introduce it later in the tour

Oh well, it will be entertaining regardless.

Possible setlist leak :

https://content.invisioncic.com/r160939/monthly_2021_07/IMG_20210731_090306.jpg.8071106ea03f34bc85f4e44a6eca5ee6.jpg

I have added the setlist. Short show, no Hardschool.

Blackstar wrote:I have added the setlist. Short show, no Hardschool.

Thanks. I was out drinking and got home a few hours before show start. Couldn't stay up so scrambled to bed. Woke up when Paradise was playing and caught the end of the show before falling asleep again.

Looking forward to reading reviews and listening to clips.

Review of sorts at Pennlive.com from August 1, 2021:

Guns N’ Roses at Hersheypark Stadium: How was the first big concert since the pandemic began?

By Sean Adams | sadams@pennlive.com

The Guns N’ Roses concert at Hersheypark Stadium on July 31 was the first major concert event in Hershey since March of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic led to shutdowns of nearly every performance venue in the state - and the country, for that matter.

And one thing was unanimous among the fans I spoke with: they were all glad to be back, and not a moment too soon.

Audience members came from nearby cities like Lebanon and Williamsport, or traveled hours from places such as Syracuse, New York or even Toronto, Ontario to see the show. And while lot of things have changed since people were last able to gather in the hundreds for a major concert event, that was one of many things that felt familiar.

Here’s a look at some of the things that felt new for this show, and some that felt like a return to form for concert venues like Hersheypark Stadium.

New: A cashless venue

I can’t remember what the last show was that I saw in the Hersheypark Stadium specifically prior to the pandemic - it may have been the abortive attempt to see the Backstreet Boys that ended in thunderstorms? - but I remember cash being particularly useful. Now, the venue is almost entirely cashless, accepting credit cards or phone apps but not paper bills. (One vendor I saw did have a “cash only” sign at one point, but the rest said the opposite.)

The move was one of many that venues put in place to limit the amount of hand-to-hand transactions that might spread the coronavirus. Hand sanitizing stations were also spread out among the vendors. But beyond those measures, there weren’t any other obvious side-effects of the pandemic safety regulations that once brought entertainment venues to a standstill.

Classic: The fans

Judging by the shirts alone, a lot of people were more than ready to see Guns N’ Roses. The black t-shirts with one of the various iconic Guns N’ Roses logos were so frequently worn it was nearly a uniform for some groups of the audience. Other band t-shirts were also common, ranging from the logical choices of other metal acts such as Mötley Crüe, Halestorm or Iron Maiden to the less likely Mighty Mighty Bosstones. (Slash, for his part, was wearing a Rolling Stones t-shirt on stage.)

Several tailgaters I spoke with were overjoyed to finally have a chance to see their favorite band for the first time, and I caught more than one group screaming with joy once they were let inside the gate. And one fan I talked to fondly reminisced about how she’d been thrown out of kindergarten for playing “Welcome to the Jungle” on cassette tape during Show & Tell back when it was first released.

New: The fans

I had an idea of what age audience would be at the show: basically, the opposite of the extremely young crowd I saw at the Post Malone concert at the Giant Center, where nearly everyone seemed to be under 35.

But while the crowd did skew a bit older - Guns N’ Roses put out their first album, “Appetite for Destruction,” in 1987 - it wasn’t just Baby Boomers or Gen X in the crowd. Indeed, in many cases it seemed to be a family affair. Millennials and Gen Z fans were there in decent numbers, either on their own or with older family members.

Classic: A ton of people

It was nice to be among such a large crowd again. Thousands gathered at the stadium, lining the sides of the stadium as well as the floor, and packing both the Hersheypark parking lot and the extra lots across from the park on the other side of Hersheypark Drive.

While there were a few rare mask wearing guests here and there, the vast majority of the patrons were decked out in bandanas, fishnets, aviator shades and black t-shirts, not medical gear. The ones I spoke with had a few choice comments about masks, the mandates that had required them to be worn over the course of 2020 and the politicians who had issued the mandates.

New: The opening act

I’d never heard Mammoth WVH before tonight’s concert, but I was pleased to find that the frontman Wolfgang Van Halen isn’t merely riding on his father Eddie Van Halen’s coattails. Mammoth WVH began as his solo project, and he’d recorded every instrument on the band’s debut album.

“I just want to thank all of you guys, and Guns N’ Roses, for this wonderful opportunity,” the frontman said as the band closed up their set with the song “Epiphany.” “You guys rule.”

Classic: The headliner

The lineup of Guns N’ Roses has changed many times over the decades, but longtime members Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan and Dizzy Reed are all still back performing together, alongside guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, and keyboardist Melissa Reese. The current lineup has been together since the early 2000s, and played in Hershey in 2017.

And if you’re wondering if Guns N’ Roses still has it - time takes a toll on everyone, particularly singers - the answer is absolutely yes. Rose’s trademark wail is still belting out over songs like “Paradise City,” which is remarkable not only for his continued strength since 1985, but also over a year’s hiatus in live performances. And Slash is still utterly shredding his guitar solos - and still rocking his trademark top hat.

“Just trying to remember how we do this thing up here,” Rose said, despite no one in the band seeming to have missed a step in the slightest. “Get back into the swing of things.”

New: My realization that I like their cover of “Live and Let Die” better than the Wings version

Don’t know if this is a hot take or not. Are there a lot of Paul McCartney fans with a soft spot for his James Bond theme? Well, apologies if so, but I just like Guns N’ Roses’ version better.

Classic: Adding they “hey hey hey”s to their cover of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”

I still do this, even when I’m singing along with Bob Dylan’s version.

New: Appreciating Guns N’ Roses live

As this was my first time ever seeing the band, it was really cool to hear live renditions of hits like “Civil War,” “November Rain,” “Mr. Brownstone” and “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” Moreover, it was a nice opportunity to listen to songs that I wasn’t as familiar with (or hadn’t heard at all before) such as “Nighttrain” or “It’s So Easy.”

And I think this is honestly the first time I’ve heard “You Could Be Mine” outside of Terminator 2. The song was so indelibly cemented as part of my childhood because of that movie, so I’m glad I could appreciate it without a young John Connor and his buddy listening to it on a boom box.

Classic: People leaving early to try and beat traffic

Guys, traffic is gonna be rough when you see a concert. So I understand the impulse to try and beat the rush. It happens every concert. But what I don’t understand is the handful of people leaving after “November Rain,” or “Sweet Child O’ Mine” not long after.

You’re really not going to stick around for the “Paradise City” encore? Keep in mind that there was once a time that a Guns N’ Roses performance in Hershey led to the cancelation of a summer concert series. They aren’t called the most dangerous band in the world for nothing! Who knows when you might have a chance to see them perform in Hershey again?

Source: https://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/2021/08/guns-n-roses-at-hersheypark-stadium-how-was-the-first-big-concert-since-the-pandemic-began.html

Don't like the artwork!

Soulmonster wrote:
Thanks. I was out drinking and got home a few hours before show start. Couldn't stay up so scrambled to bed. Woke up when Paradise was playing and caught the end of the show before falling asleep again.

Looking forward to reading reviews and listening to clips.

I watched a few seconds from Welcome to the Jungle and Nightrain on live stream and a couple of clips today. From those, and from the comments I've read, I'd say Axl had a rough night.

I read at HTGTH that he had trouble with the sound throughout the show.

Didn't come out to take a bow.

Hopefully whatever it was will get sorted out before Boston.

Melissa at Hershey

I’ve only see a few videos from last night but Axl sounds terrible in all of them, even WTTJ

On the plus side I thought Axl looked really good last night and has slimmed down quite a lot, I like his short hair with the bandana and he’s wearing less clothes now

Misfit79 wrote:I’ve only see a few videos from last night but Axl sounds terrible in all of them, even WTTJ

On the plus side I thought Axl looked really good last night and has slimmed down quite a lot, I like his short hair with the bandana and he’s wearing less clothes now

I still haven't gotten round to listen to clips. I will do that tomorrow. Hope he will do better in Boston. Sounds like the rest of the band did well.

Misfit79 wrote:I’ve only see a few videos from last night but Axl sounds terrible in all of them, even WTTJ

On the plus side I thought Axl looked really good last night and has slimmed down quite a lot, I like his short hair with the bandana and he’s wearing less clothes now

Yeah... I listened to a bit of Nightrain and he sounded one of the worst I've heard him on that song. He also couldn't pull off the bridge on You Could Be Mine.

He had sounded fine two days before in the WTTJ soundcheck clip. Who knows if there was something else going on besides the sound issues.

At least It's So Easy was good

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSBZWc1r6Vw/?utm_medium=copy_link


I think Axl looks pretty good here

Blackstar - I saw a lot of people said Axl sounded good until he tried to sing Better, maybe he hurt his throat there or something?

The rest of the band sounded excellent from what I’ve heard, so it’s a shame Axl had such a bad night.

Misfit79 wrote:https://www.instagram.com/p/CSBZWc1r6Vw/?utm_medium=copy_link


I think Axl looks pretty good here

Yeah, he looks good

Here is the pic:

Misfit79 wrote:Blackstar - I saw a lot of people said Axl sounded good until he tried to sing Better, maybe he hurt his throat there or something?

The rest of the band sounded excellent from what I’ve heard, so it’s a shame Axl had such a bad night.

I don't know... Welcome to the Jungle was before Better. But it seems issues with the PA system started (or got worse) during Better.

Apparently Axl hit a woman in the face with his mic when he trew it into the crowd during PC.

Misfit79 wrote:Apparently Axl hit a woman in the face with his mic when he trew it into the crowd during PC.

Yeah, I just read about that on Brando's twitter

It seems there was a problem with the piano, too: