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Events and Reports - Sweden Rock Festival 2010 - Sweden Rock festival 2010 Day 4
Sweden Rock Festival 2010 Day 4 featured reviews:
- W.A.S.P.
- Guns N' Roses
W.A.S.P. (Rock)
W.A.S.P's show at Sweden Rock festival was very special since it was billed as W.A.S.P. only playing songs from the two first albums. Blackie Lawless confirmed the same fact after opening song On Your Knees stating that we were in for a real treat tonight. W.A.S.P. premiered The Torture Never Stops for the first time live since 1984.
Wild Child is always a crowd pleaser. Blackie Lawless said that because of the huge success of their latest album "Babylon" they had to play a song off that album. Hmmm. W.A.S.P. quickly got me back to reliving the good old days with Sleeping in the Fire. Sadly the guitars were very low in the mix but Blackie's monstrous voice sounded thunderous.
The band played Chainsaw Charlie off "Crimson Idol" followed by Babylon's Burning from the new album and then The idol. Don't get me wrong since The Idol is one of my favorite tunes and I always enjoy Chainsaw Charlie, but what should have been a special show just turned into a regular W.A.S.P. show.
I wanna Be Somebody and Blind in Texas closed the show. I really like the first WASP albums up till "The Crimson Idol" but this concert was not that different compared to a standard W.A.S.P. concert. The band and Blackie Lawless still sound good and they had a really big crowd. A great concert but the advertising was incorrect and therefore a bit disappointing.
Guns N' Roses (Festival)
Finally it was time for Guns N' Roses. Back in the year 2000 I bought tickets for Roskilde festival because Guns N' Roses was to perform. Guns N' Roses has been such a meaning full band for my generation. GN'R canceled Roskilde festival and the entire European tour. Years went by and it all became a joke but suddenly "Chinese Democracy" finally arrived 9 years too late. Hand on heart; I really like the album, but my expectations for tonight's concert were rather low.
The beginning took you back to GN'R's heyday. It was time for show start but nothing happened. After 10-15 minutes the roadies came and adjusted some things. Then it started raining and the roadies once again entered the stage to cover the monitors. After 20 minutes people started booing because of the no-show Axl. This went on for around 45 minutes when the intro finally started.
The stage set-up was impressive. DJ Ashba took place at the highest point with each foot planted on an amplifier looking like a human pyramid overlooking the 25.000 - 30.000 capacity crowd and started the powerful into to Chinese Democracy. The stage production was big with fireworks and bombs. After a really rocking version of Chinese Democracy Axl pleased all the old school fans with a triple bombardment of Welcome to The Jungle, It's So Easy and Mr. Brownstone.
The second song off the new album was the ballad Sorry. I know that it wasn't what people came to hear but the new songs sounded really great live. Axl voice sounds a bit shot on the "Appetite" songs when he tries to hit the high notes - but the new and mellower new material really suited him. Sorry was accompanied by a video that ran on the big screen. The emotional song really got to me and sounded fantastic.
Overall this was a fantastic concert. Axl was in big form and joked about the last time he was in Sweden (where he got arrested) and said that he recognized a few of us from jail.
The band consisted on Tommy Stinson on bass, Frank Ferrer on drums, 2 piano players and 3 guitarists. Every guitarist got their time in the spotlight and while 3 guitar solos sound overwhelming I have to praise Axl for building up the set. Each solo was build around a theme and the band stayed on. Richard Fortus was the first one to play his solo build around the James Bond theme. The song was cleverly followed by GN'R cover version of Live and Let Die where we got lots of flame bombs which were kind of nice in the cold night.
Axl looked like the good old days. He has lost his dreadlocks and had his long red hair and bandana. He ran all over the giant stage just like you remembered in those MTV videos. He looked really cool and all the talk about his attitude problems was nowhere to be found. He really worked hard for his money and worked hard to give the crowd a great performance.
This I love from "Chinese Democracy" was another highlight along with Street of Dreams, which could have fitted in perfectly on any of the Use Your Illusions albums. DJ Ashba played most solos and he brought out a Les Paul most of the time to capture the vintage Guns N' Roses sound. DJ Ashba's solo was a quite piece focusing on emotional - after that solo he went directly into Sweet Child O Mine, which of course resulted in a massive roar from the crowd.
Axl Rose and Dizzy Reed sat by the piano and played a piece where Another Brick in the Wall was incorporated. Since the piano (yes - not that crappy keyboard a REAL piano) was out we got a splendid version of November Rain.
Guitarist Bumblefoot looked really cool with his double neck guitar and while he mostly played rhythm he got a chance to show off during his solo which was build around the Pink Panther theme. The solos were bright and cleverly incorporated into the set giving Axl a well-deserved breather.
The band closed with Knocking on Heavens Door and Nightrain. After 4 days of drinking, sleepless nights and another wet and cold festival I had to give in. At the time it was 2:30 and Axl looked like he was only getting warmed up. Guns N' Roses was a huge experience and I encourage everyone not to judge Guns N' Roses just like most already doomed "Chinese Democracy" without hearing the album.
The band played great, the show was amazing and Axl was an entertainer that certainly has a lot to offer to a crowd. He looked good, very energetic and really looked like he enjoyed being on stage. The stage was slippery after the rain and even though Axl almost crashed a few times he continued to run all over the stage.
The new songs sounded beautiful live and the band managed to move me emotionally several times.
Setlist:
1.Chinese Democracy
2.Welcome To The Jungle
3.It's So Easy
4.Mr. Brownstone
5.Sorry
6.Richard Fortus Guitar Solo (James Bond)
7.Live And Let Die
8.This I Love
9.Rocket Queen
10.Dizzy Reed Piano Solo
11.Street Of Dreams
12.You Could Be Mine
13.DJ Ashba Guitar Solo
14.Sweet Child O' Mine
15.Axl Rose Piano Solo
16.November Rain
17.Bumblefoot Guitar Solo (Pink Panther theme)
18.Knockin' On Heaven's Door
19.Nightrain Play
Encores:
20.Madagascar
21.Better
22.Paradise City
Wrap up:
Sweden Rock festival 2010 will be remembered for the experience of all 4 seasons but sadly summer was neglected. It was a cold, windy and rainy festival. The new unplugged stage was a success but way too tiny. Next year it would be cool to have more bands doing double duties like Quireboys and Praying Mantis. Both bands played both a regular electric set and an acoustic set. Only Guns N' Roses proved worthy as being headliners. Aerosmith were uninspired and Gary Moore didn't put much effort in his set, which partly was great but the Blues tunes ruined it for me.
Bands I also experienced: DAD, Danzig, Conny Bloom, Bootleg Z'nuffers and Fates warning,
Bands I missed 2010: Rick Springfield, Slayer, Bachman Turner, Winger, Magnum, Suicidal Tendencies, Dan Reed, Screamin' Lords, Mustasch and Point Blank.
Band wishes for 2011: Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Paul Shortino, Buckcherry, Stryper, Shark Island, Paul Rodgers/Bad Company, Great White, Stone Temple Pilots and sunshine - PLEASE!
· Day 1
· Day 2
· Day 3
· Day 4
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Guns N' Roses
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Guns N' Roses
All pictures taken by Lunah of Metal Moments - www.metalmoments.net. | Written by Michael
Saturday, July 31, 2010 |
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