Paris June 20, 2006 Bercy Stadium
We waited in the sticky Paris heat, for hours, through two opening sets, of bands who although they had high energy, were not why we were all there...through long technical changes, and the crowd got bigger and bigger, pushing towards the stage...anticipating...and then the lights went down, the spots started roaming, the stage started rumbling, the natural ecstacy of desire to lay eyes on this man whom we have waited thirteen years to see bursting in our ears as the band came on stage in a flash of fire and music...Guns and Roses shall live again my friends!
Opening with "Welcome to the Jungle" and pyro effects, followed by "It's so easy" then "Mr. Brownstone" the crowd was screaming in satisfaction. Axl's voice sounds lower, and more mature. He saves himself for those shrill shrieking moments that he knows we are dying to hear. Sporting sunglasses and dressed in jeans and an array of shirts throughout the night unbuttoned to his midrift, he looked buff and in shape.
The songs were met with wild screams at the intro, and the crowd surged, felling any doubts about the power behind this group. With or without Slash, and comapny, Axl fronts this group with determination and has kept it alive and kicking...hard. Fink, Thal, Fortus, Stinson, Pitman, and Ferrer on drums (Brian was not at the Paris show due to his wife's pregnancy) play the old songs like they own them, and the fans are thrilled with the line up. There is no real nostalgia for the old group, we are just so thrilled to have the Guns back. And by the looks of his performing Axl is equally as thrilled to be playing. He stated towards the begining of the show that they had run into nothing but problems since arriving in France, and that everything had just been really shitty... "until about four songs ago!" then the band charged into "Live and let die." He is where he belongs, on stage, screaming into the microphone and playing some damn good rock!
Robin Fink showed his smooth talent in the first guitar solo of the evening between "Live and let die" and "Sweet child O' Mine." Durring the latter song Axl pleased the crowd by draping the French flag around himself. He ran from one end of the stage to the other, dancing and jumping around, his stage presence hasn't been tarnished at all. He was talkative and cordial inbetween songs, obviously in a great mood. "Madagascar" was met with less wild energy from the crowd where maybe not even half had heard the new stuff. But it sounded GREAT, complete with video footage of Martin Luther King Jr. on the screens, as did the jam session that followed after "You could be mine" and "Knockin' on heaven's door," showing the groups musical talents. This was one of several jam sessions/ solos played that night, which were clear manifestations of the groups abilities and their complimentary musical strengths. "The Blues" was played before the band itroduction wich Axl took his time doing, obviously proud of the crew he has worked to bring together.
"Out ta get me" brought the crowd stomping back to life after an electrified solo from Richard and Robin, and was followed up by a beatiful guitar solo of "Don't cry" by Ron. The crowd sang along with heart, and Ron was full of stage presence playing the songs with fervor. "Better" and "IRS" sandwiched "November Rain," again songs that were not well known, but sounded well worked. While bringing out the piano, there were some loud banging sounds coming from the stage, and from my position I couldn't see what was happening, but it seemed there was a bit of a struggle to get the piano on stage to which Axl said, "This is called performance art!"
"My Michelle" rocked loud the stadium, and Axl never tired of running from one side of the stage to the other, no wonder he's in great shape! He then introduced "an old friend of mine...a very old friend..." Izzy Stradlin who stuck around for three songs and the encore. But there seemed to be little to no communication between the two old friends on stage. The first song with Izzy was "Used to love her," concluded by Axl as "our little tribute to the guillotine!" I felt sorry for the most part of the audience who couldn't understand him, as he did have a running commentary inbetween songs and a sense of humor. "Patience" a real favorite of the French from their reaction to the intro, preceded "Nightrain" which was a crowd shaker after the mellow rendition of "Patience." We heard "Chinese Democracy" before the band left the stage. Under deafening screams from the the fans, Fink came back for a great solo that ripped. Then the final encore was of course "Paradise city. No Guns show would be complete without it! The band came back onstage one more time for a final bow, with smiles and arms around eachother...look out! The man with a "tongue like a razor" is back!
This is what a rock band should be!
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