Guns N Roses Live at Reading Festival 2010

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axl and dj in protest

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[anythinggoes]

An hour we waited. Cheers turned to boos and as darkness fell and Guns n’ Roses still hadn’t appeared. Legs weary from standing in the mud all day had left the crowd restless.
Opening song Chinese Democracy silenced the crowd, but didn’t win them over and cries of ‘You’re not Slash’ rang out when new guitarist DJ Ashba came onstage in a top hat – the trademark of the former guitarist.
It was the first goosebump-inducing bars of Welcome to the Jungle that did the trick – this is what people wanted to hear – rapidly followed up by crowd-pleasers It’s So Easy and Mr Brownstone.

As Axl and guitarists Ashba and Richard Fortus tore up and down the stage memories of the original line-up surfaced.
But for those of us who saw the original line-up all those years ago, when Axl was an athletic, Botox-free young man – there was a tinge of sadness watching him try so hard to recreate the stadium glory he once enjoyed.
That’s not to say the oldies can’t still be goodies. With a set-list containing Live and Let Die, Rocket Queen, November Rain and Sweet Child O’ Mine, the band played their hearts out and the audience responded with rapture (despite most of them being no more than a glint in their parents’ eyes when Appetite For Destruction was released).
For us veterans, however, the only way to capture the essence of the original band was to squint at the stage in an attempt to blur out the new faces.
And the set-list had something to be desired. For the easily bored crowd at Reading even the hippest of new bands wouldn’t get away with extended guitar and piano solos.

What we wanted was more songs and less waffle. Absent classics include Patience, Out Ta Get Me and of course Paradise City – cut out of the set after organisers pulled the plug as the midnight curfew was reached.
As the gig ended with the plug being pulled - leaving Axl to lead a Paradise City singalong from the stage with a loudhailer - reviewers were already queuing up to Axl-bash.
While, admittedly, it is a little sad, seeing a man of advancing years (and weight) performing the same snake-hipped dance moves as he carried out with ease when he was selling out stadiums around the world in his mid 20s, there is something about his performances it’s hard not to admire.
Like or loathe Axl and his whims (and the loathers are never shrinking violets) at Reading he put on a good, but not great, show and has penned some classic crowd-pleasers.

And he’s hardly alone in carrying on and selling out stadium tours well past his sell-by date – the names of ageing rock stars still trotting out their trademark tunes can trip off the tongue without a moment’s thought.
Seeing Guns ‘N’ Roses could be magical again. The extra weight, the lateness and the tantrums could all be forgotten – if only Axl and Slash could do a Take That, patch up their differences and get on stage together again. Then we wouldn’t have to squint any more.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/reviews/article-1307337/Reading-Festival-review-If-squint-Guns-N-Roses-deliver-goods-old--nostalgia-little-bit-sad.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0yANiWEvf

[anythinggoes]

Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose claimed his "war" with Reading and Leeds' bosses "wasn't over yet" as they headlined the final night of this year's festival.

The singer directed a string of expletives at organisers as his group ran over their allotted performance for the second time.

They came on stage 30 minutes late after being an hour late at Reading.

They played half an hour over their time before being told to stop.

Afterwards festival boss Melvin Benn said he would book the band again but "wasn't sure they'd play for me".


Eventful weekend
 
Up until the final half an hour Guns N' Roses' set had been largely straightforward with a show which included songs like Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child o' Mine and November Rain.

Lostprophets say Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses "are a joke"
They were due to finish at 2300 [BST] but continued to play. At 2320 they left the stage and returned for a one song encore of Paradise City and then began criticising organisers.


Speaking to Newsbeat after the band came off stage festival boss Melvin Benn said: "You have to put on a show and every band is focussed on only their aspect of what a festival is - that a band comes off unhappy is something I'll have to live with."

He described the booking of the band for the bank holiday weekender as a "good decision for the festival" adding that it had "paid great dividends".

The scenes followed their appearance at Reading festival on Friday where the band had their set cut short by organisers after breaking a newly-extended curfew.

They protested by continuing to play without amplification with Axl Rose singing along through a megaphone.

Foals say Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose should respect his fans more
In between their performances Axl Rose had demanded the bosses of Reading and Leeds festival say sorry to fans at Reading for cutting their set short.

Speaking on Tweeter he said: "At the very least the fans deserve an apology from those responsible for the nonsense."

Later he added: "Don't know what it is w/us or these last 2 shows. Takes the fun out it 4 everyone fans, band n' crew alike but whatever."

Meanwhile, touring guitarist with the band DJ Ashba described organisers as "cocky" and "money grabbing".

It's the latest in a prolonged drama involving Guns N' Roses and the festival.

In the run-up to this year's event organisers said they would have to pull the plug on the band's set if they ran over their schedule.

That's after Guns N' Roses took to the stage late at Leeds festival 2002.

Artist backlash
However, many artists were critical of Guns N' Roses' actions over the weekend.

Lostprophets' guitarist Mike Lewis said: "It was so predictable that he was going to be late that nobody bothered questioning why. It's so predictable, it's boring.

Marina Diamandis says Guns N' Roses should 'grow up' after they turned up late
"I don't see it as him being a rock star or rock 'n' roll. I just see it as being disrespectful.

"It's disrespectful to all the other bands. It's disrespectful to all the people who've bought tickets. I think the guy is a joke and I think his band is a joke."

Marina and The Diamonds' Marina Diamandis said: "I just think it's juvenile. It's really selfish to keep people waiting.

"Actually they did it because they [the organisers] said if you're an hour late you won't get paid so they were 58 minutes late in Reading."

"It's like, 'Grow up'. You're not king of the world."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/11129357

[Iconic Shawn]

I think it sucks that Axl does things just to do them. I don't think thats rock n roll... but I don't know. I guess its 50/50.

He does come off as a spoiled brat type now though which sucks.

AND! It makes me smile when the world reminds him straight up that DJ Ashba isn't Slash. Those chants can never die haha..

~S~

[TWT (free at last...)]

Many have mocked Axl's appearance at the festivals. The weight thing is what it is, I wouldn't call him fat and he's never going to look like the Axl most people think of him as from the SCOM video. BUT the dress sense at the moment isn't great, is it? Those jackets and those sunglasses don't show him in the best light. And then there's those tight fitting jeans that give him a sweaty patch that makes him look like he's pissed himself.

I think we need a return of kilts and football tops!

[anythinggoes]

READING FESTIVAL 2010 - GUNS N' ROSES END AXL ROSE LEAVES STAGE AND POWERCUT

[seely]

Some of my friends photo's from the gig:

[seely]

For those of you inerested, here's a photo of one of the t-shirts on sale:

Front design:




Back design:

[blueheart]

Guns N' Roses refusing to leave Reading Festival

memories