Guns N' Roses - Rock in Rio Fan Reviews
01.14.01





I just got back from the show and it was amazing!
there were around 200.000 people there and most people
were there to watch GNR.
GNR was scheduled for 1:40 am but they only started at
2:20 am, with Welcome to the Jungle, then they played
It's So Easy,Mr. Brownstone,Live And Let Die,Oh My
God,
Think About You,You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O'
Mine,
Knockin' On Heaven's Door, Madagascar,
November Rain,Out Ta Get Me,Rocket Queen, Chinese
Democracy,The Blues, Patience,Nightrain,My Michelle
and Paradise City. 
Axl's voice sounded great, just like before and the
band was great also but it took a while to get used to
some songs without Slash's solos.
Robin Finck played and sang a song in Portuguese, and
Axl introduced everyone in the band to the audience.
He seemed like he was in a good mood and he ran and
jumped around the stage a lot. Before the show there
was the animated video with Axl, the sexy nurse, etc.
Axl also said he had stopped reading what people siad
about him on the internet some time ago and said "the
internet is a garbage can", or something like that.
He said people had already criticized the new GNR
because they played old songs, and he said people have
the right to listen to them playing musics they like.
In the end, Axl called the woman (brazilian that was
translating what he was saying) to the stage and
thanked her and explained she is, besides his
secretary, assistant etc, like a mother and a family
to him, and thanked her for having patience with such
a "f***ing pain in the ass" like him (his own words).
This was a surprise for me, since I had no idea a
brazilian was his secretary.
He also said something about the members of the
original band but I didn't understand very well (maybe
someone on the list heard it better), but I remember
him saying "unlike Oasis (that had just played before
GNR) we can't all just get along". Noel Gallager, by
the way dedicated "rock n'roll star" to Axl, he said
in an interview the world would be a better place
without GNR and that the only rock n'roll bands left
in the world were Oasis and Black Crowes, pathetic.
Well, sorry about my long email, if I remember
anything else, I'll write, I really need to sleep now.
Bye

Traci rocket_queen_99@yahoo.com


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Just got back from the best show of my life. I'll try to write a
review...
1:50 - The video screen started showing the animated Axl video (the 
same

from Vegas).
Five minutes later, Finck started the WTTJ riff, slowly, and Axl came 
in

with a blue t-shirt singing like in the old days. At that moment, more
than two hundred thousand people were jumping, dancing, singing and
screaming in front of the band, that, using Axl's words, "played the
fuck out of the old songs". There was really a powerful energy in the
stage. Brain's drums were so solid, Robin played really well (I must
admit that I wasn't expecting much from him, but the guy was 
brilliant),

Stinson is probably my favorite, with his great stage presence (he was
definately having a great time up there!) and Tobias did the Izzy work
just fine. Well, about the others I can just say that Dizzy really 
looks

different, Buckethead is really fuckin' weird (but he play the guitar 
as

easily as I ride my bike...) and Cris Pittman did a good job with 
Dizzy.

The set list was almost the same, with the exception of Rhiad, that was
replaced by a really great song (I think it's called Madagascar). About
the new songs: Oh my God was played a little slower than the original;
Madagascar is the second best; Chinese Democracy sounded better, 
heavier

to me; The Blues is a classic tune (as someone has said, got an
Estranged feeling and Axl in his best voice, with a great melody); and
Silk Worms is maybe the one I'll have to listen a few more times to get
used to, though I can say is really agressive. The show went on until
4:15, when Axl thanked Beta, who is brazilian, for her support over the
years.
All of the old songs sounded great, and the show was carried with a lot
of emotion, from Axl and the public, who seemed to know that were
watching an historical moment...
About me and my expectations, I can just say that I have no doubt that
Guns will be, or is, already, again, the best and most explosive rock 
n'

roll band in the world.
Cheers!!
Pedro Luiz Lima
rosaly@netyet.com.br



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First and foremost:  I LOVED THE SHOW.   I LOVED SEEING (sp?) AXL 
AGAIN.
IT WAS A HELL OF A SHOW AND I HOPE TO SEE HIM AGAIN SOON.

	Second.. this is very long and I wish that you could read the 
whole
commentary because I don't want to be misinterpreted.


	Now, let's go to my point of view of the show...

	Got in the "city of rock" (RiR) at 1:40 PM of Sunday and found 
myself 
a
place closest to the stage as I could that had a "fence" for me to lean
against (about 100 meters from the stage -  I belive it's like 300 
feet),
so I was at the corridor right in front of the stage.  As the day 
passed, I
saw a shitload of guys wearing Slash's top hat go by and thought to
myself.. " I just hope Axl doesn't freak out"...	Talked to some 
people 
who
were there in the morning and they said that the band reheaserd (sp?) 
over
10 songs, WITH Axl.  Wish I was there, because they said that he
interrupted several times to get the songs straight.

	The shows before Guns "Axl" Rose(s) won't receive my comentaries 
here
except for Oasis.  I can TOTALY understand why Gallager (sp?) was 
pissed
and left the stage before they were supposed to.  There were parts of 
the
show that the crowd would start chanting Guns N' Roses, Guns N' Roses.. 
and
they heard it.  If I'm him, I would have done the same thing.  Fuck it!
Well, anyway, he dedicated "Rock and Roll Star" to "Mr. Rose himself" 
and
then ended the show.

	As you all know by now, the " GAR" (Guns "Axl"  Rose - you'll 
know 
what I
mean by this later) show   started with over 40 minutes of delay (for 
us
who were standing since 6:00 PM without sitting down was frustrating to 
say
the least... An hour and 10 minutes without any kind of music ( period 
of
time since the end of Oasis 'till the begining of GAR), having been 
waiting
for over 8 years to see Axl again was pretty shitty.  Got even more 
pissed
because Axl ( this is the brazilian newspaper saying.. not me) got in 
late
into the city of rock because he didn't want to share the backstage 
with
any other groups, so he kept us waiting and anxious.

	Well, the show finaly started and it did with a BANG!  Great 
special
effects and Welcome came in, after a great introduction in the screen,
using extremely strong words describing caos.  Surely enough, Axl saw
someone who was wearing something with Slash written on it and kicked 
the
guy out.  (personal note... Axl should be ready to get alot of this 
because
Slash IS Guns N' Roses and in our hearts (or at least mine) .. I don't 
care
HOW much or HOW good the new bandmates are, there will always be some 
kind
of resentment (sp?) that BOTH Slash and Axl didn't get their 
differences
straighten up).

	The old GNR tunes were very well played and my special praisel 
(sp?)  
to
the new drummer ( Brain) and the bass player ( Tommy Stinson).  Even 
though
I love the way Matt plays, Brain was much better live than him.  Duff 
in
the studio is a killer bass player but I never realy enjoyed him 
playing
live.  Stinson was killer.  Very very competent. 

	Tobias was fine.  I have no problems with him and I'm glad that 
Axl is
happy that he's in the band.  Just sad that he caused so many problems 
(
Slash n Duff leaving) from what I've heard in "the garbage of the
internet".  Let's hope that Axl will shed some light on us of why he 
wanted
so bad Paul in the band.  As in 1991 when he introduced Matt saying 
that if
it weren't for him, Guns N' Roses wouldn't be playing those nights, Axl
said that the band wouldn't be there if it weren't for " Paul", as he 
first
introduced him.  Axl also said that that was Paul's like 5th live 
concert
in which he played in his life.  Pretty impressive.  VERY impressive 
when
you think that they were playing for over 200,000 people.

	Now the criticism... I HATE being a critic ( because it's very 
easy to
talk badly about something that is different and not what you wanted to
see), but I guess I'm getting too old to go through acts that are
supposedly funny and cute but in fact are bad bad jokes.  Buckethead 
was a
fucking joke.  I must be a fucking music illiterate (sp?) for not 
liking
him, but I hated the fact that Axl allowed such a freak  ( and I don't 
know
what he is like personaly -  he must be a very good person, which makes 
me
doubly sorry for being so hard on him and Axl, but I'm just saying what 
my
heart felt)  in the band.  He can play as good as he wants but the fact
that he wears a mask and a kentucky fried chicken bucket in his head 
was
too much for me.  The knumchucks (sp?) deal additioned with some break
dancing was ridiculous!!!   I know we all have to accept the fact that 
this
is the new band, but to let it turn into some kind of demented pre-teen 
boy
band circus is unaceptable.  This is the same stage that Slash, Duff, 
Matt,
Gilby and Izzy played in... some respect for them please... and some
respect for us too :)

	Robin Finck, even though looked like an androgenous being from 
out of 
this
planet played a lot better than Buckethead and was much more 
charismatic to
the public than the first.  It's hard to see another guy stand in 
Slash's
place, but that now is past and we've got to keep moving, just as Slash 
and
Axl did.  Sossego was a bad ass way of saying hello to us and I greatly
appreciate him doing it.  Even though he's a killer guitar player, 
Slash,
for me, is the BEST player in the world, so GAR lost alot specialy in 
solos
( which all were underated compared to Slash).  I don't like solos that
hurt my ears.  Slashs' solos don't hurt them.  He puts the exact number 
of
notes - no more nor less - that are necessary.  Robin ( I won't say 
another
word about Buckethead) puts too many.  As Axl said.. " It's very hard 
for a
musician to play someone else's songs"  They did do a great job 
overall.

	Dizzy and the other keyboard player were ok.  Loved The 
Blues!!!!
Congratulations Dizzy!!!!


	AXL.. Ahhh Axl... Why the fuck did you take soo long to come 
back?  
You
made my millenium with your show.  Oh.. and yes... it's time for me to
explain why I refer to the band as Guns "Axl" Rose(s).  It's because, 
as I
said before, I can't accept this as Guns N' Roses, because I don't know
what the new album will be like.  Guns N' Roses is not a name.. they 
could
have been called "pieces of shit" that I would still enjoy their music.
They grew because of their music and they will ALWAYS be in my heart
because they made my life better ( my contribution to them was buying 
their
music and attending their concerts).  From what I've heard, the techno
industrial music is too much for me.  Not at all my kind of music, but 
I
will buy the cd, and I will be open minded as I was before the show 
(even
though I was a critic, I tried to be imparcial -  I know I wasn't 100% 
of
the time).  The fact that Axl also has the right to fire whomever he 
wants
makes it Axl's band and not Guns N' Roses ( if I'm wrong, please 
correct me).

	Now for the girls... Axl isn't bald, but he did loose some hair 
(so 
did I
in the last 10 years :P) and he is fat ( for brazilian standards -  but 
so
am I :P)...  hehehe  What made me like him and the band wasn't what 
they
looked like or did, because I am totaly against any kind of illegal 
drug
and even some legal drugs too.... It was their music.  

	To end this dissertation, I would like to say that I'm VERY 
happy that 
Axl
is happy and I hope that Slash, Izzy, Gilby, Matt, Steven, Duff are 
happy
too, because god knows I love their music. And if you got here thank 
you
for the patience of going through my bable (sp?).

	oh yes...  Any questions? :)


keep rockin' 
	
	-Roberto
Roberto G Haddad tato@iis.com.br



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Hello folks, it's me, Otto, from Brazil, returning of Rio, after a 24 
hrs
trip.
Well, this is my review of the GN'R concert, and if you got any doubt,
please, ask me, I saw the show live and now I have seen it about three 
of
four times and I can't stop watch it, I recorded from Directv, with 
digital
audio and video, so, if you want a copy, make contact. Ok?
So, I'll start with the setlist and then I'll go to the "emotional 
head"
review, ok?

1-It's A Sorta Kinda Wonderful Life (Video, I think the same as Las 
Vegas
Concert)
2-Welcome To The Jungle
3-It's So Easy
4-Mr.Brownstone
5-Axl speech about the old band
6-Live And Let Die
7-Oh My God
8-Think About You
9-You Could Be Mine
10-Sossego (Tim Maia, Brazilian "Soul Man", a cover played and sung by 
Robin
Finck, in PORTUGUESE!!)
11-Sweet Child O'Mine
12-Knockin' On Heaven's Door
13-Madagascar (New Song)
14-Buckethead (Karate, guitar solo)
15-November Rain
16-Outta Get Me
17-Rocket Queen
18-Band Introductions (With "And the guy who lead us in the rehearsals,
General Tommy Stinsons")
19-Chinese Democracy
20-Buckethead Country-ish Solo
21-Robin Finck Solo, with Brain marking the rhythm
22-The Blues
23-Patience
24-Nightrain
Encore 1:
25-My Michelle
26-Silk Worms
Encore 2:
Samba performance by an Brazilian Samba School
27-Paradise City

The show started almost in time (it was scheduled 1:40 Am, and started
1:45Am), after the crowd sended the Gallagher brothers back home (A 
chant of
"Guns-N-Roses" in their concert made Liam tell the crowd and "Mr.Rose
himself to fuck off!", and, in the middle of their set - they were 
setted to
play an 2 hrs long concert, and played 1:15 hrs).

Axl was really happy and always trying to run all the stage, makin' it 
look
as he wanted everyone to look at him.
But, in the second song, It's So Easy, he spotted someone with a camera 
in
the crowd. Danger!!! He showed the finger to the guy, and send the 
security
behind him. No one did anything! I tought: "Ok, now we'll have another
riot!!", and Axl shouted "Ok, you muthafucker, throw it away, the show 
will
be over! throw it!".... And the guy threw it! Thank God!

The show continued very very fast and good, as it can be.
Before "LALD" Axl told:
"I'm sorry I disapointed you because the guys you came and learnt to 
love
are not here today..."
And he continued talkin about the old band, and how they didn't wanted 
hm to
perform that night, and how he said "Fuck that shit" to them.
And said to the Gallagher brothers: "Unfortunaly, we are NOT like 
OASIS, and
we just can't get along just to pay our bills"

Axl, old and good Axl! Uncle Axl!! ;-)

He was very happy, he seemes to be enjoying the new band and the old 
songs.
Oh My God was played in a different version, and seemed better than in 
the
EOD soundtrack.
Think About You was kinda a dream, 'cause I consider this song "my 
song", if
you know what I mean, and that was one of the best moments to me. 
Great!
Just Great!!

You Could Be Mine came with Brain makin a BIG mistake in the first 
bridge of
the song, and made the band almost start, but the guys, that seems to 
be an
real rehearsed band, make it all seems as it was just an joke on the 
song.

They played then: Sweet Child, Knockin and a "Brand new song, and I 
hope I
can show my feelings for you".
This song was called "Madagascar" a great song, with a eletronic beat, 
but
in a slow and mellow way. A very good song.

Buckethead played his karate and solo.
The Piano came in scene and they played November Rain, a realy good 
version,
with Axl singin the end in highER notes than the usual.

After Rocket Queen, Axl ranted about the people who threw shit at him 
by
playing the old songs.
After Chinese Democracy, another Buckethead solo and a Robin Finck one.

After this, The Blues and Patience with Nightrain ended the night.

The Blues is, FOR SURE, the best of the new songs. I'm just crazy right 
now
to hear the album version. Maybe one of the better GN'R songs.

In the Encore My Michelle and Silk Worms.
Silk Worms is the worst song played under the GN'R name, for sure. Axl
introduced it as being a song By Chris Pitman and Dizzy Reed.

Then a Samba performance was showed by a real SAMBA school and the 
PARADISE
CITY, with the screen showing scenes of Rio and Axl singin ALWAYS in 
the
wrong time. But, it was still SO FUCKIN' GOOD!

After this song, Axl explained how this seven years were hard to him, 
CRIED,
yes, CRIED in the stage, and thanked Beta, AN BRAZILIAN WOMAN, named in
Rolling Stone remeber?, for takin care of him and the band.

It was beautiful, really, only in video you can see, cause LIVE you 
can't
anymore....
I cant' find the words to explain how beautiful it was. My english 
isn't
that good, hehehehehehe Sorry!

Well, the Festival was spoiled by and Internet Provider (AOL) and Axl
shouted "Internet Is A Big Garbage Can"!

Go Axl!

Well, that's all for a while, folks!

I'm waiting you replies and questions, I'll answer all of them.

See ya folks, sorry if it was big, but,oh... heheheheheh

The first time I saw Gn'R live and it was the best concert in my life!

Oh, I almost forgot, in the soundcheck, broadcasted by and local radio
station and that I couldn't record but if someone can, please throw at 
us!,
they played:

November Rain
It's So Easy
My Michelle
Patience
Knockin' On Heaven's Door

That was cool!!

Well, see ya!

Cheers!

        Otto "Internet is just a big garbage can" Sporteman  
cacayo@tutopia.com.br



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Hello Folks,

Here it goes my review from the Rio show....There's no problem in using 
the text, sending it to other lists or even put it on your loyal web 
pages, just give me credit in the end :-) it's a clich‚, but words can't 
describe what happened there....If you were at the show, you know what 
I truly mean. Been a GNR fan for a long time, and seeing them in 
concert numerous times, I can say this was the best show GNR (yes, Guns 
N 
Fuckin Roses!) ever done. Although it hurts to say that, I didn't miss 
the 
old band for a minute...Maybe I missed Izzy, IMO the only one who could 
have joined Axl in his new direction....but nothing that makes any bad 
in the end. (It's impossible to imagine Slash playing in the new 
band/new songs. While he's still playing bad cock rock with "1988" 
written on 
their foreheads, Axl's more political, sober, modern, calm, wiser and 
talking like a peace mediator from the stage. Yes, he gained some 
weight, but nothing that made him "fat".  The production of the show!
 is the best GNR ever done in their career. The video screen is totally 
mind fucking. Bondage, politicians, terror, old GNR videos. Twisted & 
beautiful. As for the new band...Using Axl's words.."without Paul there 
wouldnt be GNR". Paul rocked the whole show. He's sympathetic, and 
visible, Axl's new brother in the band. Go, Paul! We have a long ride 
and 
it's only the 5th show on his whole life! Tommy was the best surprise 
(cos' I knew Robin's work in NIN) his punky style fits in like a 
glove....Amazing bass lines...solid...he rocked the whole show also, 
didn't 
stop for a minute, sang the backing vocals, and smiled the whole time 
and 
seemed like having a great time. Tommy's came to stay too. What to say 
about Robin? The best guitarist of the 90's. What a figure on 
stage....talking portuguese perfectly, and kill me now if you want, 
making the 
guitar parts even better....not to mention his solo....no Solo, SOUL, 
SOUL, SOUL. There's nothing more boring than guitar solos, but Robi!
n makes you cry with them. I just hope Axl can make him stay. Axl likes 
them very much, and using his words again "they can play the fuck out 
of the old songs". Buckthead is a great "artist" I just don't know how 
his vanguard, theatrical and technical style fits in GN'R. he doesn't 
compromise, but he's kind of far away of the whole thing. He's a true 
artist, and have all my respect, but how it will become part of the 
"popular" GNR remains to be seen. During "its so easy" Axl kicked out a 
fan. 
Yes, It wasn't a photographer. I was right next to the guy. He was 
holding a Slash shirt and showed it to Axl, and flipped him off. Axl 
stared 
him, and flipped him off too. The guy was still flipping him off and 
cursing Axl when he yelled for security to take him out. "That guy, 
GONE!". He asked for the shirt, put it on his pocket, walked to the 
center 
of the stage and throw it violently on the floor. After that, Axl talked 
about the old band. "I'm as hurt and disappointed as many of yo!
u, cos you couldn't see the band you all loved. But unlike Oasis, we 
couldn't find a way to get all along" . There wasn't anger in his words. 
There wasn't revenge, just a story to tell : "they have worked very 
hard for me not to be here tonight, and I say Fuck that!" 
Very educated and sober for Axl's standards. Once again, Axl wasn't 
mad. Oh my god, and when he mentioned the Axl bashers from the lists and 
Gnronline forum? He MENTIONED the names! I couldn't believe that. Can 
you all? This is surreal.
"I used to go on the internet...but I think it is a garbage can. this 
goes for your comments Renato....and Zozi...You think you know 
everything...but you have no idea of what's going on" All that came to 
my mind 
was how hard it was to be na Axl supporter in the net 5 yrs ago. How 
many lists I was kicked out for defending Axl. Millions of bullshit and 
gossip.  I just imagine what these poor people think now. Axl mentioned 
their names on stage, the best vengeance ever done. And i'm sure some 
people can RELATE. Can't them?  It's so easy to like Axl now. It wasn't 
like that 5 yrs ago, and there's still some people on the 'dictator, 
destroyer, yoko ono, prima donna trip". A man like that cries on the 
stage? You can't see it on the video, but Axl cried while introducing 
Beta. 
She cried too, people in the crowd (myself included) cried too...I have 
never seen something that emotional in a show....only Axl could have 
done that. "she's been a mother, assistant, I've been taken care by!
 a brazilian family for the last 7 years". For those who don't know, 
Beta was Dylan's babysitter. After Steph left, she stayed with Axl. It 
was beautiful. Axl saying "i love you" innumerous times on the 
stage...yes, it happened. "be good to each other, take care of 
yourself', that's 
the new Axl. A magic night. Go get the video anyway you can, this is 
history. A night true GNR fans will never forget....

And there's more to come.

Chinese Democracy STARTED Now,

J.Rose 
axlgnr@gurlmail.com


=====================
ROCK IN RIO SET LIST.
JANUARY 14TH, 2001.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL.

Animation Intro

Welcome To The Jungle
It's So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Live And Let Die
Oh My God
Think About You
You Could Be Mine
Sossego [Robin Guitar Solo]
Sweet Child O' Mine
Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Madagascar
Guitar Solo [Buckethead]
November Rain
Out Ta Get Me
Rocket Queen
[Intros]
Chinese Democracy
[Buckethead Country-Style Jam - Chicken Binge]
Instrumental Jam
The Blues
Patience
Nightrain
enc:
My Michelle
Silkworms
Paradise City