So much to say, so little space. For those who didn't get enough minute detail of the first Guns N' Roses show in seven years on Monday (Jan. 1) at the House of Blues in Las Vegas in our review in news, here are a few more tidbits to satiate your appetites:
Opening Video: At about 3:35 a.m. the huge video screen behind the small stage at the House of Blues showed a two- to three-minute animated video (similar to the animation seen in the Heavy Metal movie) showing Axl Rose looking very '80s and
poking fun at himself. The video opened with Axl saying "Hi kids. It's Uncle Axl." The sound of the clip wasn't great and it was hard to see, so here's a few bits we were able to make out: he wished everyone a Happy New Year. Images in the video included a bedpan, a Diet Coke, and a sexy nurse. He said something about being "asleep for seven years" and about "cleanliness is next to, well, you get the picture." Actually, we didn't really get the picture, but whatever.
He seemed to have been poking fun at himself, which he did later in the show as well in a little spiel about how he figured the crowd expected a tantrum out of him and then we'd have something to write about the next day. But, there were no tantrums. Axl was happy, funny, endearing, and just downright perfect.
Paul Tobias: What's this guy's name? Tobias? Huge? Well, it's both. Axl first introduced his old buddy -- and one of the three guitarists in the band -- as Paul Tobias. Then he later referred to him as Paul Huge, and then finally as PHT. So, there you have it.
The Stage: Simple setup, various TV screens and lights. Stage right sported a small, white tombstone that said, "R.I.P. Here lies the bones of Henry Jones." The only Henry Jones we've heard of is a jazz saxophone player, who's played with Louis Armstrong.
Celeb Spotting: From our vantage point, there was Taime Down (Faster Pussycat, the Newlydeads), Robby Takac (Goo Goo Dolls, which played a separate set at the club earlier in the evening), and Chris Vrenna (ex-Nine Inch Nails).
Random Comments: After Axl told the crowd that this show was just the second time he played this set with his new band, he said, "I have a little bit of an emotional problem doing the old stuff." Axl also introduced the title track to the new record, "Chinese Democracy," with a bit of an explanation about this new fascination with China. He explained, "This isn't pro or con about China... China symbolizes the most oppressive government in the world..." |
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