LANDOVER, MD. -- A reloaded Guns N' Roses superbly hit their marks here Sunday at Fedex Field in the second stop on a long-awaited U.S. tour.
This marks a reunion for lead singer Axl Rose, with original guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan. Since 1993, that trio had not played together publicly until a few dates in advance of this summer slate of shows. (Twenty-three more dates are scheduled; Wednesday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City is the next destination.)
The hard rockers' 2-1/2 hour sonic assault leaned most heavily on Appetite for Destruction, the band's 1987 debut album, an intense amalgam of arena-ready rock with a nasty punk edge. Destruction has sold more than 18 million copies, making it one of the best-selling releases of all time.
Although the band has been historically known for taking the stage late, Guns N' Roses appeared just before 9:30 p.m. ET — as prompt as on the tour opener June 23 in Detroit. Launching into opening song It's So Easy, Rose quickly showed that he could still shimmy about the stage, singing and sashaying with the microphone stand.
That's no small feat, since he suffered a broken foot in April and used a motorized throne belonging to Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters at several subsequent festival shows.
Rose's voice sounded in shape, too. He speedily spit out lyrics and maintained a long screeching howl for You Could Be Mine. And during Civil War, Rose transitioned his nasally scream into a guttural growl. His vocals sounded somewhat buried in the live sound mix, but that rarely mattered as the 40,000 or so in attendance screeched along, too.
Sandwiched between two more Destruction songs -- Mr. Brownstone and Welcome to the Jungle -- was Chinese Democracy, the title track of the 2008 album on which Rose is the only founding group member to appear. He famously spent spent $13 million and 15 years fine-tuning the album before releasing it. Regardless, Slash owned the number, firing off a a fine, crunchy intro.
The black-hatted and bushy haired guitarist nearly stole the show as he stalked the simple but expansive stage, occasionally copping a tiptoed pose for some intense fretwork. The wiry McKagan and rhythm guitarist Richard Fortus joined him to surround drummer Frank Ferrer on the drum stand for a frantic finish to Rocket Queen. Later, Slash played a soulful solo take on The Godfather theme and tag-teamed with Fortus on a instrumental rendition of Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.
Keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese filled out the band. Founding members Izzy Stradlin and Steven Adler have not been involved in this tour.
Fans gathered on a comfortable, cloudless night in the football stadium seemed satisfied with the lineup -- and responded energetically to opener Alice in Chains, too. Field tickets went for $250 face value and were fetching $400 on Stubhub the day of the show.
Many of the mainly middle-aged crowd wore black GNR logo-ed T-shirts, saved just for this occasion, which because of the band's bitter dissolution, seemed as improbable as the 2007 return of original lead singer David Lee Roth to Van Halen. Hence the labeling of their "Not In This Lifetime" tour.
As the set built toward its close, Rose played piano for November Rain, a plaintive ballad that developed into another masterful solo from Slash, who finished as giant sparklers erupted around him.
The two shared the promontory of the stage during the frenzied finale Nightrain. and all locked arms after a three-song finale ended just before midnight with
closing number Paradise City.
Earlier, Rose had told the crowd, "It's a beautiful night and you make it so much better."
Guns N' Roses fans likely concurred.
Set list:
It’s So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
Double Talkin’ Jive
Estranged
Live and Let Die
Rocket Queen
Raw Power
You Could Be Mine
This I Love
Civil War
Coma
Theme from ‘The Godfather’
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Better
Out ta Get me
Wish You Were Here
November Rain
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Nighttrain
Encore
Patience
The Seeker
Paradise City
Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider
