Not In This Lifetime (Review)
Posted originally on S&R blog.
GUNS N ROSES
Not in this Lifetime Tour
FedEx Field – Washington, DC
June 26, 2016
I have been waiting for this moment since the first time I heard Slash’s iconic Sweet Child O’Mine riff, so about 20 years. Packed into the FedEx Stadium, home of the Washington Redskins in Landover, MD, I’m waiting for the show to begin, the stage sat purple and green when all of a sudden the theme from the Looney Tunes show comes over the loud speaker followed by Harry Gregson Williams’s The Equalizer. Next thing that blares over the speaker is Duff McKagan playing the iconic bass intro from It’s So Easy (off of the Appetite for Destruction album). The moment is pure bliss. Guns N Roses, with Slash, Duff and Axl. This is really happening. OH MY GOD!
After a satisfying, Its So Easy, Slash begins slamming on the strings of his guitar while rocking a wah pedal back in forth to indicate that Mr. Brownstone is up next. First two songs off of the bestselling debut album of all time means I was in for a treat.
After Mr. Brownstone, came Chinese Democracy, the first (and only) single off of their latest album with the same name. Chinese Democracy would be one of three songs played tonight that came from the band’s 6th album. For those not familiar with the history of Guns N’ Roses, the album Chinese Democracy was recorded well after Slash and Duff McKagan left the band in the early 90’s and became the most expensive rock album ever produced with a price of roughly $13 million and took about 15 years. The fact that the Slash and Duff agreed to play material that they had no part of creating really shows how far this band has come since their days of hating one another.
Up next came a batch off Use Your Illusion songs starting with Double Talkin’ Jive. I must admit, during this one I ran to the bathroom (I had been holding it since before the show had started for fear of missing the beginning). Up next was Estranged and Slash brought out his gorgeous Gibson Gold Top for the number. After a beautiful number, the boys broke out into the Paul McCartney and Wing’s tune Live and Let Die, which hit home for everyone as who loves Paul McCartney and the Beatles.
Up next was a thumping Rocket Queen followed by Raw Power by Iggy Pop, You Could Be Mine and then This I Love. Up next came Civil War, the whole crowd erupted during Slash’s solo. Civil War was by far my favorite number up until this point of the show. Then came Use Your Illusion’s Coma along with band introductions. The crowd erupted when Axl introduced Duff and Slash. After the introductions, Slash and company broke into the Andy Williams’ Speak Softly Love, or better known as the theme from the Godfather movies. And I have to say, Slash killed it!
Right after the Godfather theme, Slash immediately went into Sweet Child O’ Mine. Everyone is screaming their heads off and singing along. It was absolutely beautiful. Afterwards, the band played the final Chinese Democracy tune, Better. I have to admit, I have listened to Chinese Democracy only once, but hearing these songs live has made me want to revisit the album. After Better, the Guns laid into one of their bad-boy rocking numbers that made them famous on the Hollywood strip so many years ago with Out Ta Get Me followed by a Slash and [rhythm guitarist] Richard Fortus guitar duet of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here. Fortus nails emulating the vocals on his guitar. It was amazing! Then Slash took over for a blissful solo that lead into the classic bridge pickup sound solo that Slash is known for creating. Fortus then took back over and they continued to go back and forth while rocking the crowd. The stage goes silent for a few seconds until Axl jumps in on the piano and the band builds into the iconic ending section of Eric Clapton’s’ Derek and The Dominos hit number,Layla. Wow! I was not expecting that!
After a beautiful Layla, the band broke out into November Rain. I have been waiting for this song the whole night. There was not a quiet person in the arena when Axl began to sing “Do you need some time, all alone?” Everyone was right there singing it with him. The second Slash hit the first two notes of the solo, the crowd erupted with joy and excitement. They continued on with the Bob Dylan song, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, beautiful as always. And to end the show, the boys broke into another classic off of the Appetite album, Nightrain, a song about cheap wine. WOW! I was blown away. I knew this was going to be a great show, but I had no idea how great it was going to be.
The boys went off stage and came back for a three-song encore. The encore started with Axl whistling the intro to the G N’ R Lies album’s Patience. The live acoustic/electric version was a beautiful rendition of the originally all acoustic song and hit the spot perfectly after a night of hard rock. Then was another cover by The Who with The Seeker. They ended the show with the perfect jangly intro riff of Paradise City to wrap up the concert. In Slash’s autobiography, he admits that Paradise City is his favorite Guns song to play live and it’s almost always the last song of the show and for good reason. The song builds up throughout and leads to an explosion of guitar work on a double-time beat. Fireworks and lights are going crazy as the song concludes with its fast-paced solo. I can’t believe the three-hour show is already over, but man what a fun show it has been!
Guns N’ Roses have had their ups and downs over the past two decades, with delays in an album, numerous personnel changes and riots due to delayed shows, but after seeing them tonight, the boys are back! I wish I could say I saw them in concert during the late 80’s early 90’s peak, but unfortunately, I wouldn’t have understood it then. But what I can say is, this was by far the greatest concert I have ever been to in my life. If you are a fan of Guns N’ Roses, rock n’ roll and great showmanship, Guns N’ Roses’ Not In This Lifetime tour is a must see this year!
Setlist:
Its So Easy, Mr. Brownstone, Chinese Democracy, Welcome to the Jungle, Double Talkin’ Jive, Estranged, Live and Let Die, Rocket Queen, Raw Power, You Could Be Mine, This I Love, Civil War, Coma, Speak Softly Love > Sweet Child O’ Mine, Better, Out Ta Get Me, Wish You Were Here (Slash & Fortus only), Layla (instrumental), November Rain, Kockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Nightrain
Encore:
Patience, The Seeker, Paradise City
Songs from Appetite For Destruction (8):
Its So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Welcome to the Jungle
Rocket Queen
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Out Ta Get Me
NIghtrain
Paradise City
Songs from G N’ R Lies (1):
Patience
Songs from Use Your Illusion I (4):
Double Talkin’ Jive
Live and Let Die (Wings cover)
Coma
November Rain
Songs from Use Your Illusion 2 (4):
Estranged
You Could Be Mine
Civil War
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan cover)
Songs from The Spaghetti Incident? (1):
Raw Power (Iggy and the Stooges cover)
Songs from Chinese Democracy (3):
Chinese Democracy
This I Love
Better
Cover Songs Not On GN’R Studio Albums (4):
Speak Softly Love (Theme from The Godfather)
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd Cover)
Layla (Derick and the Dominos Cover)
The Seeker (The Who Cover)
Until next time, let the music play!