GN’R Review from The Joint at the Vegas Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
© 2012 Always Acoustic
The Vegas rumors swirled that the Guns N’ Roses show at The Joint in the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas was a pyrotechnic-filled rock and roll show that continued into the morning hours.
Rumors are just that! Let’s separate fact from fiction. The Guns N’ Roses November 17th show was filled with pyrotechnics, but only slightly higher than a typical GN’R show. Fact: the show continued into the morning hours. About three hours of kick ass rock and roll by GN’R.
It was a bad omen that Guns N’ Roses was only fashionably late by ten minutes. If only GN’R had a crystal ball that foretold that Axl Rose might have to cancel the show due to some idiotic individual tossing ice at the band on “Better,” they might have delayed the show until that individual passed out or left The Joint.
Before iceman was tossed, the Guns N’ Roses show started on the typical high note with “Chinese Democracy.” Sure one would like to have seen GN’R start their show with “Welcome to the Jungle,” but you can’t blame Guns N’ Roses for wanting to start with their newer music.
Axl Rose may not be as fast as a cheetah like he once was, but he continued to amaze the audience as the running man. Axl ran up the catwalk ramp on the right side of the stage during “Chinese Democracy.”
It didn’t take very long for The Joint to be immersed into the Guns N’ Roses jungle. Two to be exact! Pyrotechnics returned and exploded, but this time it was DJ Ashba’s turn to work the right side of the stage.
DJ Ashba climbed up on the right side rail while playing guitar. DJ would stop playing for a moment and would gesture to the crowd to fire them up.
© 2012 Always Acoustic
Behind drummer Frank Ferrer, Axl Rose performed a little dance maneuver before the running man took off again on “Welcome to the Jungle.”
Axl Rose and DJ Ashba’s actions occurred during the same time the scantily clad women danced on stage.
Richard Fortus found it was so easy to play guitar near the stripper pole. As one woman worked the pole, Richard never missed a guitar beat on “It’s So Easy.”
On “Estranged,” Axl Rose’s vocals began to wither. His voice sounded like it might be a little dehydrated.
Axl Rose’s vocals may have hydrated themselves without any water. A blond in black scantily clad clothing climbed to the top of the stripper pole and slid back down on “Rocket Queen.” Certainly, it didn’t really hydrate Axl Rose’s vocals, but his vocals improved before his congestion settled in again.
Bumblefoot packed a punch on “Better” as he performed with a double-neck guitar. At some point during Axl Rose’s vocals, and the band’s performance, the bad omen occurred. A man in his fifties tossed ice at the band. Axl Rose halted the show in anger and went ballistic. Axl remarked, “This f*@khead needs to leave!” Otherwise, Axl Rose threatened to cancel the show because of that bad apple.
© 2012 Always Acoustic
The bad apple was tossed out like a sack of potatoes. It’s really ironic that an adult conducted this stupid act of aggression, instead of a naïve teenager. Perhaps there was a Vegas betting line which song Axl Rose would cancel a show on. Maybe the man chose “Better.” Luckily for everyone, the show moved on.
Axl Rose electrified the audience on the piano with a Pink Floyd cover of “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.” The moment the song concluded, you knew what song was approaching.
On “November Rain,” it was the best levitating performance ever as Axl Rose played the piano!
During the encore, Guns N’ Roses reserved one of their best rock songs ever! GN’R performed “Patience” with DJ Ashba playing on a stepped down electric guitar. Axl Rose ran off for a second to relieve his congestion as he belted out “shin[e] [so] bright.” Axl returned and shortly thereafter he swung the mic stand like he was attending opening try-outs for the Chicago Cubs.
The Guns N’ Roses residency on November 17th was a smashing success. The energetic enthusiasm of GN’R’s performance was astonishing. Axl Rose may have been slightly congested, but he was a champ and fought through it. In the future, if there will be another Guns N’ Roses Vegas residency, definitely make sure you go. The show was U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E!
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