Metal Anarchy

Last night (August 9), I attended the Guns N’ Roses show in San Francisco, CA and it was one hell of a show. The band’s latest lineup, which includes classic era members Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan, along with Richard Fortus, Frank Ferrer, Dizzy Reed, and Melissa Reese have been performing at the top of their game, and this show was no exception.

Rose’s vocals were powerful and on point throughout the whole night, which is impressive considering some his performances before to this “reunion” tour. This combined with Slash’s masterful guitar playing really was a sight to see. The dynamic between the two seemed to be as strong as ever, making it hard to believe that prior to this tour they hadn’t shared a stage since the 1993 “Use Your Illusion” tour. This exchange was the ultimate driving factor during the show.

As far as songs, the set was pretty diverse. The band opened with the “Appetite for Destruction” track “It’s So Easy,” and just cranked out hit after hit after that. The “Appetite for Destruction” tracks were definitely the highlights of the night. That album spawned so many classics ranging from “Nightrain” to “Mr. Brownstone” to “Welcome To The Jungle” to “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” all of which were definitely fan-favorites during the performance. Other highlights included “Patience” from “Lies,” “November Rain” from “Use Your Illusion I” and “Civil War” and “You Could Be Mine” from “Use Your Illusion II.” The covers were cool as well especially their version of the Mifits’ “Attitude” (which featured McKagan on vocals) and their version of The Who’s “The Seeker.” The band ended the show by returning to the “Appetite for Destruction” album with a extraordinary performance of “Paradise City,” complete with fireworks. All in all, it was a great show.