Guns N' Roses kicked off their Not in This Lifetime tour in full force last night at Ford Field in Detroit.
The two-and-a-half-hour set stood in stark contrast to the band's earlier warmup shows in Los Angeles and Las Vegas this past spring. This was different—this was a rock powerhouse flexing its muscle in front of 40,000 fans.
For starters, Axl Rose stood up this time—no longer needing the throne he borrowed from Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl after breaking a bone in his foot a few months ago. He, along with guitarist Slash and bassist Duff McKagan, ruled the stage this time around. Rose did, however, sit down—at the piano—for a powerful performance of "November Rain."
After kicking things off with "It's So Easy," the band launched into a career-spanning set that featured two dozen songs, including "Sweet Child O' Mine," “Welcome to the Jungle,” “Chinese Democracy” and “Civil War.” Below, you can check out the band's complete set list, plus several decent-quality clips from the performance.
The tour continues June 26 in Washington, D.C., then moves on to another 19 cities throughout North America. Alice In Chains also will perform on the tour June 26 through July 3; Lenny Kravitz will join the lineup July 19 through July 24. For more information, check out gunsnroses.com.
GUNS N' ROSES' JUNE 23 SET LIST
It's So Easy Mr. Brownstone Chinese Democracy Welcome to the Jungle Double Talkin' Jive Estranged Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings) Rocket Queen You Could Be Mine You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders) Raw Power (Iggy and the Stooges) This I Love Civil War Coma Band intros into Slash solo - Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather/Andy Williams) Sweet Child O' Mine Better Out Ta Get Me Jam (Wish You Were Here/Pink Floyd) November Rain Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan) Nightrain
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Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
