2019.11.01 - Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV, USA

Preview article about the two Vegas concerts; Las Vegas Magazine, October 25, 2019:

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Guns N' Roses rocks through a new era

By Matt Kelemen

Rock historians may remember Guns N’ Roses’ Not in This Lifetime Tour as The Tour That Lasted a Lifetime, with the overall itinerary running well past the three-year mark as the band prepares to play the final shows in Las Vegas. The “regrouped” Gun N’ Roses featuring Slash and Duff McKagan started off the tour in April 2016 with two concerts at Vegas’ newly opened T-Mobile Arena, and returned to that venue the next year in November. Now they’re ending the tour with two shows at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace, where they may reveal what’s next for “the world’s most dangerous band.”

There was a comparatively lack of danger in the past few years of Guns N’ Roses’ history compared to the Appetite for Destruction era. Axl Rose, pictured, has transitioned from being a temperamental control freak to a show-must-go-on pro. He played the first few concerts in a special chair, once used by a hobbled Dave Grohl to perform live, after an accident left him temporarily disabled. He also pulled double duty filling in for an ailing Brian Johnson for a string of AC/DC concerts early in the tour.

A kinder, gentler Rose? It had been several decades since he used to keep fans waiting for hours before hitting the stage with Slash on guitar alongside Izzy Stradlin, McKagan on bass and Steven Adler on drums. Without Adler or Stradlin on board, the tour couldn’t rightly be called a “reunion” (Adler guested on drums at several shows, while Stradlin jammed at a soundcheck and declined to perform) but as far as fans were concerned, it was a dream come true.

Whatever they want to call it, the ball got seriously rolling in May 2015 when Slash appeared on CBS This Morning to talk elephant conservation and responded to inevitable Guns N’ Roses questioning. “Well, we haven’t really talked in a long time,” he said of Rose. “But a lot of the tension that you were talking about has dissipated. We don’t have all those issues anymore.”

If a tour were done for the right reasons, Slash thought, the fans would love it. He had a healing phone call with Rose not long after the interview, which led to more talks and eventually an April 1, 2016, show at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, where it all began for the band. Longtime keyboardist Dizzy Reed, guitarist Richard Fortus and drummer Frank Ferrer continued as members of Guns N’ Roses along with keyboardist/backing vocalist Melissa Reese, whose fingers have been generating the majestic synth lines in “Paradise City.”

Just about every song a Guns N’ Roses fan would want is there, with the band kicking things off hard and heavy with Appetite’s “It’s So Easy” and “Mister Brownstone” at recent concerts before playing the title cut from 2008’s Chinese Democracy. Covers have included “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and the Misfits’ “Attitude” with Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” a welcome addition during the tour. Even more surprising was Slash’s recent announcement that Guns N’ Roses may record again once the tour is wrapped. Looks like another dream of GNR fans might come true.

Caesars Palace, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1-2, starting at $149 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster

https://lasvegasmagazine.com/entertainment/2019/oct/25/guns-n-roses-concert-caesars-palace-vegas/

Official pictures (by Kat Benzova)

Duff on Instagram:
Last nt was THE god damn best!! Andthat @susanholmesmckagan got you all dancin’ @caesarspalace .
#repost  @familiamckagan



https://www.instagram.com/p/B4X3BI0nudI/

Axl fell during the show. TMZ, Nov. 2:

Guns N' Roses front man Axl Rose appeared to be knockin' at heaven's door when he seemed to collapse onstage during a concert, but turns out it was just a nasty fall.

Axl was performing at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Vegas Friday night and as he sang the band's iconic hit, he ate it. You see Axl disappear as he tumbles to the ground.

The 57-year-old rocker got right back up and continued, however, he went off to the side of the stage, got a towel and wiped down the area of the stage where he seemed to lose his balance. It seems there was some sort of liquid that triggered the fall.

https://www.tmz.com/2019/11/02/axl-rose-guns-n-roses-tour-las-vegas-fall/

Carrie Underwood attended this show:



https://www.instagram.com/p/B4WujtBFDaO/