Guns N' Roses at the O2 Arena - May 31st 2012

Ordinarily, I like to write reviews of gigs within a day of being there, but as mentioned in my previous post, I had a busy few days after this one so this is my first chance to sit down and talk about it.

The O2 Arena is strange in that we can be really late arriving to queue before the doors open, and still manage to get a great view in the first few rows. Which is absolutely perfect as I managed to get into the second row coincidentally right behind a friend of mine on the barrier who'd been queuing since 11am. Thin Lizzy hit the stage at about 8pm. It was my second time seeing this particular incarnation of the band - the first being at Download last year when Richard Fortus of Guns N' Roses was actually touring with them. That time I wasn't sure what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised. This time, they managed to blow me away.

From start to finish they were really energetic and exciting, even when playing the songs that I didn't know as well. I'd never seen a support band get as warm a reception as these guys got, with the highlights being when Richard came out to perform 'Don't Believe A Word', and of course, the singalong of 'Whisky In The Jar'. After playing for over an hour - the longest set I'd ever seen from a support band, too - they finished with the always popular 'The Boys Are Back In Town'.

Everyone always talks about Guns N' Roses' lateness negatively. So I'll just say that they hit the stage at around 10:40pm, and even those most loudly complaining about the wait seemed to shut up and enjoy themselves for the next three hours of music. The lights went down, and 'Splitting The Atom' by Massive Attack could be heard over the PA as the intro video began and in the darkness you could see various members of the band taking their positions. Then Dj Ashba appeared behind Frank Ferrer's drum riser silouhetted against the backdrop playing the opening chords of 'Chinese Democracy'. Immediately it was evident that things were different in the crowd this time around. Whereas before, every time a new song was played people ranged from quietly listening and appreciating the new music, outwardly disgusted that they would dare play a song they didn't know, and just plain bewildered. This time however, the songs from the latest album were received with just as much enthusiasm as the tracks from the classic albums. At one point during the show I was shocked as Axl's voice was drowned out by the crowd singing along to 'Shackler's Revenge', a song that even among that album's biggest fans doesn't seem to get talked about much. Next followed the three tracks from 'Appetite For Destruction' that opened every show between 2001 and 2007, 'Welcome To The Jungle', 'It's So Easy' and 'Mr. Brownstone'. My only complaint of the whole night is that the start 'Welcome To The Jungle' in the exact same way they began it when they were using it to open the show, which worked great then. But now it seems like there are two introductions to the show, with the intro of both 'Chinese Democracy' and 'Welcome To The Jungle' both drawn out to build up anticipation. That's a minor complaint however, compared to the rest of the night.

The setlist in general is the most varied and well-rounded setlist I've ever seen Guns N' Roses play. The set used to be almost entirely dominated by tracks from 'Appetite For Destruction' and 'Chinese Democracy', with a couple of tracks thrown into the mix from other albums. This time around, the 'Use Your Illusion' albums were represented just as much with plenty of tracks I'd never heard the band play before like 'Estranged', 'Civil War', and 'Don't Cry'. And then of course was what to many will be the highlight of the night, with former guitarist Izzy Stradlin taking to the stage to play '14 Years' for the first time since 1991. The version of the story behind that song I've heard is that it was coming up to 14 years since Axl Rose and Izzy Stradlin first met, and their friendship at the time was all but fallen apart. Both men began writing songs about the deterioration of their friendship entitled '14 Years' and when they both found out about each other's songs they decided to combine the two. For this reason - among many others, including Izzy not liking the attention and most of the vocals of the song are handled by him - I didn't think we would ever get to hear that song live again (not even any of the various solo projects that former members have been a part of have ever played it live). Later on in the night, Izzy returned to the stage to perform 'You Could Be Mine', a cover of 'Dead Flowers' by The Rolling Stones, 'Knockin' On Heaven's Door', 'Nightrain' and 'Paradise City'.

Contrary to popular belief, of course, this is a band, and as such almost every member of the band is given a chance to take some of the limelight with solo pieces. Dj Ashba and Richard Fortus both impressed with guitar solos especially composed for the tour, but the highlight for me is two of my favourite musicians stepping up to play some of my favourite tracks from their solo albums. Tommy Stinson played 'Motivation' from his 2004 album 'Village Gorilla Head' and Ron Thal played 'Glad To Be Here' from 2008's 'Abnormal'. The two of them rarely tour in this country in their solo careers, so it was an added treat to get those songs. During 'Glad To Be Here', Frank Ferrer even gets a bit of a drum solo to show off in. Not the kind of overly-long one from those drummers that like to think they're John Bonham that end up being really boring, thankfully. Just enough to be impressive without outstaying it's welcome.

At 1:20am, Axl announced that he'd just been informed that there are only ten minutes before the trains stop running so they won't be playing as many songs as they had planned before going straight into 'Paradise City'. His willingness to end a show before he planned on it was surprising, but fortunately from looking at other shows it looks like there were only two songs cut ('Patience' and 'Madagascar'), and I'm not overly bothered because they're both songs I've heard them play tons of times already. Also, after playing for near three hours, I don't think anyone could complain of being short-changed. The band are the best I've ever heard them, and everyone seems in good spirits and glad to be out there. Richard had a huge smile on his face through most of the show, and Axl was joking with the band all night during songs. There was one mix-up during 'November Rain' which meant the outro had to be restarted, but other than that there's not much more I could ask for. One of the best shows that I've ever been to. And is there a better song to play while people are leaving the venue after a Guns N' Roses show than Frank Sinatra's 'My Way'? Can't wait to hear what these guys cook up next.

Thin Lizzy Setlist
Are You Ready (from Live And Dangerous)
Jailbreak (from Jailbreak)
Waiting For An Alibi (from Black Rose: A Rock Legend)
Killer On The Loose (from Chinatown)
Dancing In The Moonlight (from Bad Reputation)
Whisky In The Jar (non-album single)
Suicide (from Fighting)
Angel Of Death (from Renegade)
Emerald (from Jailbreak)
Don't Believe A Word with Richard Fortus (from Johnny The Fox)
Rosalie (Bob Seger cover from Fighting)
Roisin Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend (from Black Rose: A Rock Legend)
Cowboy Song (from Jailbreak)
The Boys Are Back In Town (from Jailbreak)

Thin Lizzy Line-up
Ricky Warwick - vocals, guitar
Scott Gorham - guitar
Damon Johnson - guitar
Marco Mendoza - bass
Brian Downey - drums
Darren Wharton - keyboards, vocals

Guns N' Roses Setlist
Intro (Splitting The Atom by Massive Attack)
Chinese Democracy (from Chinese Democracy)
Welcome To The Jungle (from Appetite For Destruction)
It's So Easy (from Appetite For Destruction)
Mr. Brownstone (from Appetite For Destruction)
Sorry (from Chinese Democracy)
Rocket Queen (from Appetite For Destruction)
Estranged (from Use Your Illusion II)
Better (from Chinese Democracy)
Motivation with vocals from Tommy Stinson (from Tommy Stinson's Village Gorilla Head)
14 Years with Izzy Stradlin (from Use Your Illusion II)
Richard Fortus guitar solo
Live And Let Die (Wings cover from Use Your Illusion I)
This I Love (from Chinese Democracy)
Shackler's Revenge (from Chinese Democracy)
Dizzy Reed piano solo (The Who's Baba O'Riley)
Street Of Dreams (from Chinese Democracy)
You Could Be Mine with Izzy Stradlin (from Use Your Illusion II)
Ballad Of Death (Dj Ashba's guitar solo)
Sweet Child O' Mine (from Appetite For Destruction)
Instrumental Jam (Another Brick In The Wall Parts 1 & 2)
Axl Rose piano solo (Gran Torino/Goodbye Yellow Brick Road/Someone Saved My Life Tonight)
November Rain (from Use Your Illusion I)
Glad To Be Here with vocals from Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal (from Bumblefoot's Abnormal)
Bumblefoot guitar solo
Don't Cry (from Use Your Illusion I)
Civil War (from Use Your Illusion II)
Dead Flowers with Izzy Stradlin (Rolling Stones cover)
Knockin' On Heaven's Door with Izzy Stradlin (Bob Dylan cover from Use Your Illusion II)
Nightrain with Izzy Stradlin (from Appetite For Destruction)

ENCORE
Instrumental Jam (Aerosmith's Chip Away The Stone)
Paradise City with Izzy Stradlin (from Appetite For Destruction)
Exit Music (My Way by Frank Sinatra)

Guns N' Roses Line-up
W. Axl Rose - vocals, piano
Richard Fortus - guitar
Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal - guitar
Dj Ashba - guitar
Tommy Stinson - bass, backing vocals
Dizzy Reed - keyboards, piano, percussion, backing vocals
Chris Pitman - keyboards, sub-bass, backing vocals
Frank Ferrer - drums