Concert Review
Guns ‘N’ Roses
New Era Field
Orchard Park, NY
Wednesday August 16, 2017
Review/Photos: Joseph Suto
You really couldn’t have asked for better weather yesterday. It was absolutely perfect for an outdoor stadium show. Guns N’ Roses Not IN This Lifetime tour landed at New Era Field to the delight of many diehard fans. The show marked the band’s first Buffalo appearance with Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan since their noteworthy show with Metallica in 1992 when the venue was known as Rich Stadium. Rose did bring another version of the band to the Outer Harbor in 2013.
Rose notoriously known in the past for showing up late or not at all, did not hit the stage until almost twenty-five minutes from their scheduled start time of 7:30. As the “Looney Tunes Theme” blared through the stadium, I was beginning to wonder if I was about to watch a cartoon. The band more than made up for the short delay with an energized performance right from the start with “It’s So Easy”. “Mr. Brownstone” was next as the band seemed in mid concert form right from the start.
Live kicked off the event. The occasion marked the return of the original line-up for their first tour since 2009. The band kicked off right out of the gate with perennial opener “All Over You”. The show seemed to slow down a bit until the band dug back into Throwing Copper with “Selling The Drama”. The show ended with a great version of “Lightning Crashes”. It was good to see singer Ed Kowalczyk back in the fold after an eight year hiatus from the band.
The three hour performance marked a triumphant return for Guns N’ Roses in western New York. This version of the band seems very strong at this point having toured now for over a full year playing nearly 100 shows. With drummer Frank Furrer, guitarist Richard Fortus, as well as newest member keyboardist Melissa Reese, joining Rose, Slash, McKagan alongside keyboardist Dizzy Reed made for a solid stable (at least for now) lineup. Definitely a must see show for 2017.
Set List
GNR
It’s So Easy
Mr. Brownstone
Chinese Democracy
Welcome to the Jungle
Double Talkin’ Jive
Better
Estranged
Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney Cover)
Rocket Queen
You Could Be Mine
New Rose (The Damned Cover)
This I Love
Civil War
Yesterdays
Coma (Band Intros)
Slash Guitar Solo (inc. Johnny B Goode” jam)
Speak Softly Love (Love Theme From The Godfather)(Nino Rota Cover)
Sweet Child O’ Mine
Used to Love Her
My Michelle
Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd Cover)
November Rain
Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden Cover)
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door (Bob Dylan Cover)
Nightrain
Encore
Patience
The Seeker (The Who Cover)
Paradise City
Live
All Over You
Operation Spirit
Pain Lies On The Riverside
The Dolphin’s Cry
Selling The Drama
I Alone
Lakini’s Juice
I Am The Highway (Audioslave Cover)
Lightning Crashes
