2020.03.14 - Vive Latino Festival, Mexico City, Mexico

Hardschool played at soundcheck with Axl on vocals:

https://streamable.com/99jjb
https://streamable.com/7hson

Pretty Tied Up, So Fine and Think About You were played at soundcheck, too.

Soulmonster wrote:Hardschool played at soundcheck with Axl on vocals:

https://streamable.com/99jjb
https://streamable.com/7hson

I like the new intro!

Really, really, really, really hope they play this tonight and that we get a good recording of it.

Pretty Tied Up hasn't been played live since April 6, 1999.

Soulmonster wrote:Pretty Tied Up hasn't been played live since April 6, 1999.

I guess you mean 1992

Blackstar wrote:

Soulmonster wrote:Pretty Tied Up hasn't been played live since April 6, 1999.

I guess you mean 1992

Indeed I do. I am so used to typing 1999 now, because of the history writing, that I have to force myself to add different numbers.

So Fine, first time since June 16, 1993.

Axl had some piano problems. Apparently, they broke something on it while moving it onstage. So Axl joked about needing a replacement piano. "Never leave home without one." And when he was about to start playing on it, he found something was wrong and joked about his piano having got the corona virus.

Disappointed they didn't play Hardschool now when they had the chance. Who knows when the next show will be.

But great show, Axl was really good.

Videos are gone. But I actually recorded So Fine and You're Crazy from the stream. Just audio, not video. Let me know if anyone is interested.

Axl in good shape? Tour gets cancelled outside of their control..

Too bad the links don't work anymore. I would be interested in So Fine, You're crazy and of course the Hard School sound check!

I think this is the only clip still left

https://www.reddit.com/r/GunsNRoses/comments/fik2fj/hardschool_has_been_rehearsed_with_axl/

Johan wrote:Axl in good shape? Tour gets cancelled outside of their control..

Too bad the links don't work anymore. I would be interested in So Fine, You're crazy and of course the Hard School sound check!

I recorded the performance of So Fine. Haven't listened to it since I recorded it. Lousy quality, I presume. But I can upload it, I just need to figure out how to upload mp3s to youtube.

The festival was not postponed by either organizers or Mexican authorities, despite concerns over Covid-19. Billboard, March 14, 2020:

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Mexican Authorities Dismiss Coronavirus Concerns Regarding Vive Latino Fest

By Leila Cobo

A tweet on March 13 summed it up: “While Spain canceled international flights, Disney closes its doors, Canada switches university classes to online mode, Italy is in quarantine…in Mexico @CLaudiashein says #vivelatino2020 is on!

Vive Latino — Mexico City’s massive annual music festival that can draw crowds up to 100,000 people — kicked off Saturday afternoon (March 14) despite thousands of tweets criticizing the choice to move forward in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic. While at least a dozen acts had canceled their appearance by this morning — including Spain’s Vetusta Morla — the Festival’s headliners, including Guns ‘N Roses, Vicentico and Tucanes de Tijuana, are still slated to perform.

“Authorities are telling us that we are in Phase 1 [of the Coronavirus epidemic] and we can move forward and that’s what we’re doing,” Vive Latino founder and director Jordi Puig told Billboard. Vive Latino is produced by Ocesa, which was acquired by Live Nation late last year. (Requests for comment were not returned by Live Nation at press time.)

The “authorities” Puig was referring to in this case are the Mexican government of president Manuel Andrés López Obrador and Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. In a press conference delivered this week, Sheinbaum not only said Vive Latino would go on, but that the only massive activities that would be suspended were those that “have no economic impact.”

“Vive Latino will take place this weekend and some other activities, that were planned, that don’t have economic impact, those will be postponed,” Sheinbaum said. “Why is Vive Latino continuing? Because we’re still in Phase 1. So suspending mass events is not necessary. However, activities that have no impact, it’s better to postpone those.”

The comments have generated backlash on social media, with a mounting number of voices decrying both the decision to allow the festival and the organizer’s decision to move forward.

“If the government won’t cancel ViveLatino2020 and will put 70,000 at risk, I hope the sponsors and bands cancel and that you choose to remain home,” said one post.

Regardless, the show is going on. For some artists, like Chile’s Francisca Valenzuela, performing means fulfilling a commitment to fans, according to management. “She was already in Mexico City and Vive Latino has committed to taking all security precautions,” says manager Diana Rodriguez.

Among other measures, all drivers are wearing masks and gloves and carrying disinfectant gel in their cars, and access to dressing rooms is strictly limited to artists and their teams. Outside the venue, those walking in were getting their temperature checked. Rodríguez also represents Enrique Bunbury, who canceled his participation. At press time, 11 other artists had announced they wouldn’t perform, with reasons ranging from logistics to health and community concerns.

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/vive-latino-festival-mexico-coronavirus-concerns-9335196/

Blabbermouth, March 15, 2020:

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Guns N' Roses Performs At Mexico City's Vive Latino Festival Despite Coronavirus Concerns

Guns N' Roses performed at Mexico City's massive annual music festival Vive Latino Saturday night (March 14) despite thousands of people calling for the event to be canceled in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

At least a dozen of other artists had pulled out of the festival by Saturday morning, but the Axl Rose-fronted outfit went ahead with its scheduled appearance by playing a 22-song set that included the band's first performance of "So Fine" since 1993.

Vive Latino founder and director Jordi Puig justified his decision to move forward with the festival, telling Billboard: "Authorities are telling us that we are in Phase 1 [of the coronavirus epidemic] and we can move forward and that's what we're doing." Vive Latino is produced by Ocesa, which was acquired late last year by Live Nation. Live Nation announced a few days ago it was suspending all of its tours through at least the end of March.

Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum also defended the choice to not shut down Vive Latino, explaining that the only massive activities that would be suspended were those that "have no economic impact."

"Vive Latino will take place this weekend and some other activities, that were planned, that don't have economic impact, those will be postponed," Sheinbaum said. "Why is Vive Latino continuing? Because we're still in Phase 1. So suspending mass events is not necessary. However, activities that have no impact, it's better to postpone those."

According to the Associated Press, each person attending Vive Latino was checked for fever and a strong smell of antibacterial gel permeated in the air at the entrance.

Organizers said more than 70,000 tickets had been sold for each of the festival's two days.

Guns N' Roses' appearance at Vive Latino took place just one day after health officials in Mexico said they were considering border restrictions for Americans looking to enter their country.

Mexico so far has confirmed 26 cases of the coronavirus, with no deaths. In the United States, 58 people have died.

Earlier in the month, President Donald Trump said that coronavirus bolsters his argument for building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-performs-at-mexico-citys-vive-latino-festival-despite-coronavirus-concerns

Official pictures: