Guns N' Roses - The Forum - 12/21/11

By Steve Appleford Thu., Dec. 22 2011 at 10:45 AM

Timothy Norris

"Do you know where you are?"

See also:
*Our slideshow of the concert
*True Story: Axl Once Threatened To Skip A Concert, So Barry Fey Got His Gun
*Tommy Stinson Interview: Guns N' Roses' Bassist Compares Axl Rose And Paul Westerberg
*Top 20 Hair Metal Albums Of All Time: The Complete List

Axl Rose aims to please. This may sound surprising after decades of rumor and Behind the Music testimony, but he was on his best behavior at the Forum last night. Rose led his contemporary version of Guns 'N Roses through exactly three hours of intense melody and noise, adding up to nearly three-dozen songs and lengthy instrumental interludes.

A little less might have meant a little more, but no one could say the man wasn't working hard to deliver everything he had by the time the show finally ended at 2 a.m.

Timothy Norris

Guitarist DJ Ashba, mid-riff

It began with the grinding, churning metal riff of "Chinese Democracy," a reminder that the band continues to tour behind the 2008 album of the same name which -- completed after 15 years and millions of Geffen dollars -- is still the only new music to come from GN'R this millennium. But soon Rose was shrieking "Do you know where you are?" to the stuttering guitar of DJ Ashba, re-enacting the stormy sounds of "Welcome to the Jungle."

The tune still sounded great, as did all the old GNR classics, delivered with all the fire and finesse of the originals. The current band isn't quite the motley gathering of gifted if ill-fitting players (remember Buckethead?) that debuted onstage in Las Vegas a decade ago. They were a cohesive unit of ace players and performed the old songs as well as they'd ever been played. "Civil War" was an epic from the band's middle-years, beginning with the sampled Strother Martin dialogue from Cool Hand Luke against a sound spooky and atmospheric as Rose whistled and wailed into the microphone.

But as close as the current band might be behind the scenes at this point, onstage they were clearly sidemen to the guy up front. Rose and GN'R can still fill a big room, but the original band's staggering legacy is something he works to embrace and to overcome. Speaking with Randall Roberts of the LA Times, Rose actually sounded open to the idea of a short reunion with the original GN'R at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year.

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The Forum

3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA

Category: Music

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2011, Axl Rose, December 21, Guns N' Roses, The Forum

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I fell in love and became a die-hard Guns n Roses fan when I was 16, 20 years ago... I was beyond excited for the show last night, counting down the days, minutes and hours for it to begin, but I was also a little nervous to see the show - minus the original members. To be completely honest, it blew my mind, took me back to my most treasured memories and made me happier than I could ever put into words. I had worried that Axl's voice wouldn't be what it was when it originally filled my heart and life with its magic, and that the show itself just wouldn't be what my dreams waited for it to be... BUT whoa! Axl was incredible, energized, completely exceeded my desires and was also amazingly respectful of his band-mates! I actually loved that he didn't try to steal the show's spotlight selfishly (as he completely could have and I still would have loved it), but he opened the spotlight up to share it with his band and let the world (or at least those at the show) see the phenomenal talent that they all phenomenally possess! I have kids and never would choose to stay up so late or actually so early into the am, but it was actually sad and painful when the band took their farewell bow. I could have stayed for even longer and listened to more songs that I might have never even heard yet, just to stay in the moment and relish in all of what Axl is so amazing at creating and what I've terribly missed. He still helps me get through my marathon runs and now I am again waiting on baited breath for what I hope he'll be able to create and share with the world in the, hopefully sooner than later, future. There will always be the original band members that I will always love and be loyal to as well, but in this world, there are so many negative and sad things that hit us all everyday, that one still has to try to keep his head above water and do the best that he can... and with whatever the true story is about the fall of the original GNR band, Axl has thankfully kept on going and in the meantime (until the day comes when they can all reunite), I am so thankful that I was able to escape my crappy day, week, whatever... to an amazing night with my forever favorite music and Axl.