A few weeks ago I was talking to someone about the Red Star Rebels. They commented the Rebes seemed to have crossed over a line between confidence & arrogance. In hindsight it was this same attitude that made Guns 'N Roses the band they were at their peak. Five people who didn't give a fuck what anyone thought, they would things their way or not at all. What was witnessed at Hammersmith Odeon was a totally diluted version of a once great band. This is probably due to the total control Axl wanted over the band but they no longer have that dangerous,  combustible feel. 

G'nR opened with classic tracks 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'It's so Easy', 'Mr Brownstone', 'Live & Let Die' & 'Sweet Child of Mine' before going into the so far 'unreleased' tracks recorded during the prolonged Chinese Democracy sessions. The most prominent feature of the set was how much time has altered Axl Rose's voice, especially affecting his vocal range which seemed much more confined than in days of yore. Don't get me wrong Rose still has a good voice but it is no longer the weapon it once was.  

As his wont Rose, as with other gigs on the tour, hit the stage approaching 10.45pm something this reviewer thought was inconceivable at the Hammy O given its curfew restrictions. The crowd was ready & raring to go by 9.30pm and by 10.00pm, after half an hour of GnR chants & roars of approval, many fans were getting fed up, frustrated & the boo's were setting in. The lateness of the start time meant many would either miss last trains/tubes home or be forced to leave early. By the time G'nR actually finished many people had queued outside since midday and had spent more time on their feet then I did at Monsters of Rock to see seven bands.  Any other outfit would have faced heavy criticism for this unprofessional behaviour but for some reason it tends to get written off as another of Rose's foibles. In reality all it does is highlight the disregard Rose appears to have for his many adoring fans. True Rose thanked everyone for being there prior to Download, but did that really make up for the late start to the show and the fact many were left stranded outside afterwards?  

As for the current incarnation of the band, Bumblefoot seemed a willing & competent guitarist. His solo spot was, by far, the most interesting of the night whilst Richard Fortus & Tommy Stinson both have the look of G'nR band members. A major liability to the group though, on the evidence of this show,  was Robin Finck. Prior  to his first solo Rose introduced him as a ribbed condom. Unfortunately the condom was split rendering himself somewhat defective. Sure you can do the whole crowd surfing & running round the stage routine but, at the end of the day, it is the quality of guitar playing that must come first. Most definitely not the case at this show. Dizzy Reed was as competent as ever on keyboards and drummer 'Brain' appeared to play more in the style of Steven Adler than Matt Sorum but at times seemed to lack the power required for certain songs. Now however it is time for the WHYs.....

• Of all the guitar solos on offer, a joint effort between Fortus & Finck of Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' - WHY ???

• Keyboardist Chris Pitman's had his instruments mounted on springs but didn't this 'prop' to any great affect - twice WHY???

• The band delving into the dreaded 'muzak' between the song, stripping away any momentum they had managed to build -thrice WHY?

This is not the review I thought I would be or wanted to write. Since hearing Appetite For Destruction for the first time all those year's ago I have been a huge fan, in fact I was in tear's when the lights went out & Axl came on stage. This feeling though wasn't to last & in fact by the end I wanted to cry for a totally different reason. Guns 'N Roses, based on this show is like wanting an MP3 player for your birthday but getting a tape cassette player instead. Yes both play music but it is not really what you wanted.