Guns N' Roses Olympic Stadium London 16-06-17



After a 45 minute queue for a t shirt and being given the wrong wristband for our gold circle tickets we finally got in as Tyler Bryant walked off after a short set.



Next up were the Kills who were on the wrong bill in my opinion.After a lengthy intro tape various roadies ran around trying to fix electrical problems in relation to their samples used.
Then the intro tape ran again and thankfully only a 20 minute set with a dirge like sound and minimal crowd response.

Oh well the main act were up next and 29 years since I saw them at Donington supporting Iron Maiden and for the sold out crowd seeing the most dangerous band on the planet (once upon a time) was enough for all of us and we were treated to a fantastic 2 hour 50 minute set that was career defining.

It's So Easy
Mr Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome To The Jungle
Double Talkin' Jive
Better
Estranged
Live And Let Die
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
Attitude(Misfits cover with You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory intro)
This I Love
Civil War
Yesterdays
Coma
Slash guitar solo (Theme From The Godfather)
Sweet Child Of Mine
My Michelle
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd cover Slash and Richard Fortus guitar duet)
November Rain  (with "Layla" piano exit intro with Axl Rose playing grand piano)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan cover with Only Women Bleed intro)
Nightrain
Encores of
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden cover)
Patience
The Seeker (The Who cover)
Paradise City

Axl Rose re invigorated his career it seems with his mostly well received AC/DC road trip and there were very little signs of his prima donna like persona apart from the huge grand piano that appeared out of the stage for November Rain but that's ok as Slash's wonderful melodic guitar solo made up for it.
Also no turning up hours late just to piss off everyone in fact he was the perfect host smiling and joking with the crowd and band members and even getting his roadie up so we could sing happy birthday to him.
His vocal display was excellent hitting high notes a man of his age shouldn't and one lengthy note at the end of Knockin' On Heaven's Door went on for an eternity.

To his right was Duff McKagan on bass who looked mean and lean and he covered all of the stage and enjoyed his vocals on the Misfit's cover Attitude.

Stage left was the one and only Slash.The man was incredible seeing him at such close quarters as he solo'd time and again was a joy and my son Matt who's 14 a dream come true seeing his idol.His melodic tone that he has is stunning and big congratulations to the sound man who did a fantastic job making every note in the huge stadium audible.

Richard Fortus did a great job as Slash's back up on guitar and his solo on the tribute to Chris Cornell Black Hole Sun was emotive and right on the money.

Frank Ferrer on drums was superb.He drove the band to ever higher peaks and for such a long show he never faltered in a display of power house drumming.

The rest of the band included Dizzy Reed on keys and percussion and Melissa Reese on keys and backing vocals.

The change in stadium shows from the old days with the huge hd screens side and back gives everyone a great view but down in the pit where we were the atmosphere was incredible.As It's So Easy blasted off the crowd went nuts as we were all covered in beer and it never dipped.In fact paying 165 a ticket made 2 guys in front of us have an almighty scrap that ended on the second time security dragging them out.Each to their own.

Classic followed classic and Welcome To The Jungle saw pandemonium as Slash leant back playing the riff as Axl held the word die!!

Estranged had Slash playing that wonderful melodic intro as well a stunning mid song solo before Live And Let Die had the place jumping again.Seeing grown men singing along to every word was superb and the light show was now coming into it's own as the sun began to set.
.
Great to finally see You Could Be Mine in the live setting with Ferrer's drumming at it's best and that guitar riff from Slash hitting the spot with Slash again at his best on the solo.

A blindingly heavy Coma led into Slash's main guitar solo with The Theme From The Godfather which was superb before Slash started that melodic guitar intro to Sweet Child Of Mine.Off the crowd went with a display of singing that was loudest I can remember in 35 years of gig going.A definite hairs up on back of the neck moment.Worth the ticket price alone.

Crowd participation and Axl enjoying himself on Knockin' On Heaven's Door was great before Nightrain brought the set to a stunning conclusion.

Encores included the Chris Cornell tribute as mentioned earlier and then Slash on acoustic guitar for Patience.

Only one way to the end the show and Paradise City saw the last drop of energy taken from the crowd as confetti cannons and fireworks finished a night to remember.

On a beautiful summers evening this was a stunning evening.Whether we will see the band in this country again who knows but this night saw Guns N Roses right back at the top of the music business.














































































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