Axl Rose and Guns N’ Roses Rock Out Philips Arena Wednesday Night
Iconic frontman Axl Rose and his revamped Guns N’ Roses performed at Philips Arena on Wednesday night. This was the fourth date of the long-awaited tour, and the building was close to half full. Despite the slight turnout, and starting late at 11:00, Rose and his new bandmates were in excellent form. Buckcherry(pictured) and Kelen Heller were the openers.
(From Wiki) Guns N’ Roses (sometimes abbreviated as G N’ R or GnR) is a hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album. The classic original lineup, as signed to Geffen records, consisted of lead vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Steven Adler. Co-founder Axl Rose is the only current original member of Guns N’ Roses. The band has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, including shipments of 45 million in the United States. The band’s 1987 major label debut album, Appetite for Destruction, has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide and reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 and is also the highest selling debut album of all time in the US. In addition, the album charted three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Sweet Child o’ Mine” which reached No. 1. Appetite was followed by the eight-song album G N’ R Lies in 1988. The 1991 albums Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II debuted on the two highest spots on the Billboard 200 and have sold a combined 14 million copies in the United States alone and 35 million worldwide. An album of covers titled “The Spaghetti Incident?” was the last album that featured Slash, Duff, and Sorum. After over a decade of work and many lineup changes, the band released their follow-up album, Chinese Democracy, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum in the United States.
The current lineup comprises lead vocalist and pianist Axl Rose, lead guitarists Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal and DJ Ashba, rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus, bassist Tommy Stinson, keyboardists and backing vocalists Dizzy Reed and Chris Pitman and drummer Frank Ferrer. On Tuesday, September 27, 2011, Guns N’ Roses was announced as nominee for 2012 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
AJC photographer Robb Cohen covered the event with his camera. See the photo gallery here. What did you think of the concert? What is your favorite GnR song?
(Photo Credit: Robb D. Cohen/ www.robbsphotos.com) For other concert photography linked to Access Atlanta, please visit Atlanta ConcertPhotography Galleries.)
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83 comments Add your comment
Tired Today
November 3rd, 2011
4:09 pm
TTB. No, that is not my point. In my experience over many years of attending concerts, when artists are doing a three hour show, they do a three hour show without any opening act. This includes the Eagles, Billy Joel/Elton John, The Who and others. It is frickin’ awesome that artists want to play that long. Okay, great. Then ditch the opening act or limit it to one and certainly not two. Not sure why GNR feels the need to have two “warm up” acts, but there it is.
Janie J
November 3rd, 2011
4:13 pm
RIght on. Lose the opening acts and give us the 3 hours of GNR.
AG
November 3rd, 2011
4:14 pm
TimTheBrave is doing exactly what I’m talking about – taking responsibility for his choice to go see the band. Glad you had a good time. Also, I can’t believe people would ever complain about a band playing a 3 hour set. That is good thing, as it’s more bang for your buck.
Tired Today
November 3rd, 2011
4:16 pm
Had Axl and crew started their three hour show at say 8:30 or 9:00, then everyone should have been happy. You got your three hours worth, the parents got home before too many baby sitters were panicked and anyone who rode on the train would have had plenty of time to do whatever before heading home or to their next port of call.
AG
November 3rd, 2011
4:24 pm
You knew when it was going to start and you knew it was going to go at least two hours. You were not obligated to stay for the whole show. Plan accordingly.
Brandy
November 3rd, 2011
4:25 pm
If you didn’t get to go (and you are an actual fan, not Richard Whiskey, or some of you other people who comment on things you know nothing about) you missed it. Just let the old members go, because with this lineup you don’t need them. Axl hit every note and as a lifelong lover of the music, I can die happy now. I’ve never seen them do better! They went on after the openers and played til 2 am. If you think you can get more than that from any other group band, I’d like to see you try.
Snoppie
November 3rd, 2011
4:32 pm
Drove in from Alabama for the show. Great show, just wish it had started a little earlier…rock on!
timthebrave
November 3rd, 2011
4:36 pm
I could understand if Guns n roses left us sitting around for hours waiting but I had just enough time to get a drink, snack and get back to my seat after buckcherry. They didn’t even do a set break…It seemed like 7 hours of straight music to me…Don’t see how that is inconsiderate? To me they went above and beyond what I expected.
Eddie Money
November 3rd, 2011
4:36 pm
This discussion should not even be taking place right now. Anybody who knows anything about Axl Rose knows that he likes to play late. At least these days, he plans for it. He schedules his opening acts to entertain for a couple of hours and then let’s loose without making people stand around and wait long with nothing to do. With regard to venue size, perhaps LiveNation scored a deal comparable to what they would have received at Gwinnett Center, which would have been a better size for the crowd. I imagine that Philips Arena’s revenues are significantly down due to the NBA strike and the loss of a NHL franchise. They’re probably more willing to discount their facility rental fees and provide the promoter with more concessions than they would have received in Fall 2006, when this band last toured the States.. Why not go for the more centrally located venue if pricing is similar?
timthebrave
November 3rd, 2011
4:43 pm
Hope everyone had a good time and thought it was worth missing a few hours of sleep…..Time for the drive home and a nap…Peace
Chris M
November 3rd, 2011
4:46 pm
Isn’t it funny how people who clearly didn’t go put the negative reviews but those did cannot compliment the band enough.
Gn’R rocked.
CDG
November 3rd, 2011
5:43 pm
One of the best concerts that I’ve ever been to. Axl and Co. rocked the house from beginning to end. IMO, had they cut out a few of the Chinese Democracy songs (which most people didn’t know anyway) they would have ended a little earlier and kept most of the fans. They started the encore with two Chinese Democracy songs in a row, which I think did it for some people who were on the fence for staying. I was doubtful at first, knowing Axl’s history and age, but these guys put on a heckuva show. I really can’t imagine that they would have sounded much better had been the original lineup – it would have just been cooler from a nostalgia standpoint. Overall, I was impressed with the performance. Well worth the price of admission and the lost sleep. I’ve been a GNR fan for 22 years and it was the first time I’ve seen them. Awesome.
ToddC
November 3rd, 2011
5:44 pm
Axl and all of the members of the band hit the mark. He was vocally pitch perfect and as noted above musically it was equally great. From the opening song (which was actually 10:45 pm) to the end it was without a doubt worth the time and the money! I have to agree with those who say – everyone needs to move past the Guns of the 80’s and 90’s this band nails the old music and has created incredible new music (take the time to listen).
bass6342
November 3rd, 2011
6:51 pm
It was a great show last night. I payed for it today but well worth it! I took my 13 year old daughter and her friend and they loved it. Axl sounded much better than I thought he would after reading comments online. He sounded just as I remember when I saw him 20 years ago in Madison Square garden. I went into the show thinking it was Axl and his hired guns but they are a band. I really liked when DJ Ashba was in the middle of his solo took a drag of his cigarette and continued the solo without missing a note. Buckcherry was also great! They were very energetic and tight as a group. Got to love the definition of a crazy bitch by Josh Todd.
There were no delays of any kind. The concert had three bands playing in it with the opener starting around 8, then Buckcherry about 9 something then GnR at 10:45 what made the show last so long was the 3 hour set by GnR. Not that I’m complaining.
Well worth the price of the ticket.
Chris Kelley
November 3rd, 2011
7:51 pm
First off, Axl is a Millionaire…not broke. This was one of the best shows I have ever seen. 3 hours of Guns is AWESOME!!! Stick to your hour and a half Bieber show until you grow up!
Jason Reed
November 3rd, 2011
8:52 pm
Thanks for all the reviews. I have been a GNR fan since I was ten when Appetite came out. I am seeing them Saturday for the first time ever in Dallas. All the positive reviews have me excited. Of course, there will always be Axl Haters. GET OVER IT. SLASH QUIT YEARS AGO. Looking forward to Saturday big time. Thanks guys.
mmbstn
November 3rd, 2011
10:58 pm
Enter your comments here
Paula
November 3rd, 2011
11:56 pm
This ajc reporter obviously didn’t know what he was talking about. I was at this show. Axl put on one heck of a show. The concert started @ 7:30, actually about 7:45 with Kellen Heller ?? and then BuckCherry. GNR came on stage about 9:45 and played for over 4 hours. This was a 6 1/2 hr concert and was well worth every dollar! By the time GNR came on stage, the arena was pretty packed out. It was definitely more than 1/2 full. People stood the whole time. Axl’s voice was top-notch and he was very personable in this show. I’ve seen him 3 times plus many other artists – I can definitely say this was the BEST GNR concert I have ever seen.
Khugo
November 4th, 2011
12:11 am
I have always wanted to see GnR. I was skeptical, but the show was AMAZING! I planned for the concert by taking today off. It was well worth it! Axl did a fantastic job…he was a great entertainer and really put on a show. Slash is awesome, but with that being said, I thought Dj Ashba did a great job. I would pay double to see the show again and look forward to seeing them again as soon as possible.
Todd Barcroft
November 4th, 2011
1:45 am
I checked my watch and it was 10:36 when they hit the stage. This lineup is infinitely more talented than the original. I was there in 1987 when he Axl got arrested, and the last time I saw them was in Birmingham at the racetrack, standing in knee deep mud for 6 hours after Skid Row played and the show sucked. Last night was what I’ve been waiting for for 25 years. Plus, my tix were free and in a suite with free food, beer, liquor, and parking. Plus, I took the day off today. If you can’t make proper arrangements t attend a concert when you are over 40 yrs old, don’t g t any.
Stephen
November 4th, 2011
9:51 am
I’ve seen a ton of concerts over the years and I wasn’t expecting what I saw in Atlanta. Shockingly, this was the best show I’ve ever been to. Axl performed for 3 hours and sounded as good as ever. The effects were also beyond most anything I’ve seen in the past. Don’t miss a chance to see these guys!
Tim
November 4th, 2011
12:12 pm
I’m very excited, I’ve got tickets to their show in Kansas City next weekend. Good to see some honest reviews that don’t focus only on the negatives.
On an unrelated note, something looks wrong with the Buckcherry singer’s lower torso…wtf is that?
Jeff
November 4th, 2011
2:07 pm
Axl Rose went on stage at a late hour? NO WAY!!!!111!
Seriously, if you’re going to buy tickets to a GN’R show, you might want to keep that in mind. If you like them enough to buy a ticket, you should know this. If not, the joke’s on you!
A three hour show. How unprofessional!
Slash who?
NickyChips
November 4th, 2011
3:05 pm
seeing a lot of “Slash who?” comments here. Looks like the internet is catching up to most keyboards where the “/” sits below the “?”
Easy E
November 4th, 2011
5:01 pm
HEy Y OZZFEST – I WAS STILL BUYING BEER @ 11:45.. AXL CAME ON @ 10:50.
I THINK AXL AND MYSELF WOULD AGREE “YOUR THE SCUMBAG”"”
GREAT SHOW BY A TRUE MUSICIAN…
Doris
November 4th, 2011
5:49 pm
Thanks Jeff !!! You spoke my mind
DebbieNgeorgia
November 5th, 2011
1:19 pm
I bought my tickets the day they went on sale, literally, they went on sale at 10am and I had mine by 10:20am. Anyway, I knew what time rock concerts start, end, etc. so, I went ahead and asked for a couple of vacation (or PTO/personal) days off. I may be 40+ years old but, I know that a rock concert is not going to end before 12am, even on a Wednesday night. As for Guns N’ Roses being really late, I felt like I waited longer for Buckcherry than I did for Axl and he was the man I was there to see.
Now for the show, Kelen Heller was a new band for me but, they were awesome. I will definitely be watching for them. Buckcherry is great! I already loved them. Now, even more!! They were great but, we all know who I was really there to see: The Man! The Myth! Axl Rose!! Guns N’ Roses set up to the Dexter theme, which to the casual fan would have no significance. The goosebumps started! I had waited 24 years for this?? Then, the opening sounds of ChiDem with DJ Ashba in silhouette. OMG!! Oh yes! It was definitely worth the wait. Axl Rose is still a rock-god and the greatest frontman of all-time. If you don’t believe it, just check out the clips from the ATL show. And, for those of you who missed the show, had to leave early or think the band should consult you for their start and end times…”I’m sorry for you, not sorry for me!”
Liedke
November 5th, 2011
1:27 pm
For those of you who claim Axel was “late” to stage… I’m calling BS! They were much quicker getting to stage after Buckcherry than Buckcherry was getting to stage after Keller Heller. The GNR show started at exactly 10:45, not 11:00! GNR was out almost as soon as their stage was changed over from Buckcherry! I was front row and center stage for the entire show and it was amazing! I’ve seen almost every big act over the last 15 years and this was the best show I’ve evre seen!
DebbieNgeorgia
November 5th, 2011
1:47 pm
I was left front the entire show and I agree with Liedke. 10:45pm start for Guns N’ Roses is NOT late. Hell, that’s not late for any rock concert! I may be over 40 and I may work in a nursing home but, I’m not ready to live there…yet! It was a fantastic concert. I have been to quite a few over the years and this has been my favorite. Of course, that may be because Guns N’ Roses is my favorite band. My daughter even loved it! She said that DJ was gorgeous and awesome of course, I already knew that! He, Axl and the rest of the group have such a fun comraderie that it makes you enjoy the show even more. And for the woman who said that Axl didn’t show his hair or eyes, I saw both several times! And, they are beautiful!! He smiled so much and seemed like he was really having fun. I hope so. I will see them again, hopefully, before I am living in the nursing home! Lol!!
Richard Dawson
November 5th, 2011
1:57 pm
It is amazing that this site doesn’t have a simple listing of ALL upcoming concerts for the next few months. Amazingly pitiful.
Rob Johnson
November 5th, 2011
3:15 pm
Anyone who wasn’t at the concert Weds night (Thurs morning!) missed the concert of a lifetime. As a LONG time concert goer (baby boomer), I have been to hundreds of concerts and missed GnR back in the ’80s. I too was skeptical- the band, Axl’s behavior, a midnight appearance, etc. But at 10:40pm the real show started and it did not stop for 3 hours- one of, it not the best, concerts I have ever been to. Hands down. Great sound, great show, great band, great Axl. Stayed till the end (had to see Paradise City!) and yes it was odd to see a lot of empty seats- but what a concert experience!
griffin
November 7th, 2011
9:59 am
He was an hour and a half late in Dallas at the gexa enrgy pavillion too! Axle is known for starting a show whenever he feels like it.
Mary
November 7th, 2011
10:14 am
Griffin, the band took the stage at 10 PM in Dallas. It was a Saturday and the opener got off stage less than an hour before that. How is that being an hour and a half late?