Axl looked even and happy at all. His tales among the songs were austere, the occasional use of vulgarisms was primarily a reminder of his journey and what he and his band meant for rock history, and above all was the desire to sing and the passion for the work that Guns N’Roses they have accumulated thirty-seven years of existence.
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But those years were not always rosy, especially when it came to personal relationships. Axl still led the band, but guitarist Slash, another key figure, started next to him and then missed for twenty years (1996-2016). It’s hard to say what the relationship is between the two today. On stage, however, they seemed close to each other, and Axl put his hand on his colleague’s shoulders several times.
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From the old party, the current line-up also includes bassist Duff McKagan, who has been missing for nineteen years since 1997 before returning. In Prague, he sang with the punk accent I Wanna Be Your Dog, a cover version of a song by the American band The Stooges.
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Keyboardist Dizzy Reed, who has been a member of the band since 1990, had a birthday on Saturday, so after Axl’s help, the audience sang the Happy Birthday To You song. The youngest member, keyboardist Melissa Reese, played and assisted in the vocal passages, and her voice fit Axl perfectly. It is a great professional and visual benefit for the group.
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More than three hours
The Guns N’Roses concert lasted more than three hours. He was rock in every way, with all the pros and cons. The music of the formation is in its essence (with regard to style and lyrics) really “dirty”, and such has remained in Letňany. The sound was less legible at times, rather bad at first, and the singer Axl sometimes went beyond intonation certainty, which in his case is a hallmark. At the same time, however, it should be added that at some moments he shone again, especially when he ascended to respectable voice heights or when he engaged his famous sword-like expression.
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All Guns N’Roses instrumentalists are of infinite quality in their field. Guitarist Slash is then a legend and has been given space to prove it several times. The solo he played was not just a show of finger speed. His was traditional, played with contemporary driving, dynamic and non-tiring in the audience. He alternated great moments with even better ones, and when there was an instrumental duel between him and the other guitarist Richard Fortus, it was one of the highlights of the evening.
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A song selection from the entire history of the band was played, which is what it has been about for every tour since 2016. She released her last album Chinese Democracy in 2008 and her audience is waiting for really new songs. Frankly, the concert repertoire would benefit from some two or three novelties. This is how the Guns N’Roses are a group that has stopped evolving.
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Thirty songs were played in Prague, including Don’t Cry, a hit that the band played for the second time on the ongoing tour. You’re Crazy was performed in the electric version known from the album Appetite for Destruction (1987), the extra Street of Dreams was performed live for the first time since December 2012, and the program also included cover versions of AC / DC songs by Bob Dylan (Knockin ‘ On Heaven’s Door) or Wings.
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The tendency to play image projections only as an accompaniment, not as content that completes the composition, proved to be positive. True, when it rained during November Rain and the song Nightrain was accompanied by footage from the night train ride, it smelled of cheapness. But this band was mainly an orthodox rock concert, during which everything else goes aside. And she achieved that. To the satisfaction of the newcomers and obviously to ourselves.
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| Guns N’Roses |
| Letňany Airport, Prague, June 18 |
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