Venerated hard rock outfit Guns N’ Roses continued their triumphant Not In This Lifetime reunion tour as they played an absolutely massive 32-song setlist at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre. Though the band was just here in the summer of 2016, this show proved you can never have too much GNR. Axl Rose and the boys pulled out hits ranging from all over their celebrated career, from early jams like “Mr. Brownstone” to the most recent singles off the legendarily delayed Chinese Democracy.
The show was everything fans could possibly desire from the band and more. Slash’s searing guitar solos, Axl’s multi-octave vocals, and Duff McKagan’s furious bass lines were all doled out in spades throughout the many, many tunes. All the big favorites were present. “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine” and “November Rain” are still as epic as they’ve always been- especially with the theatrical visuals splayed on the huge screens behind the stage. Axl’s constant costume changes also gave a distinct feeling to each big tune, and Slash’s legendary fretwork was on full display during his solo breaks. Duff also took lead vocals for a bit.
The band might be legends themselves, but they paid tribute to a whole host of fellow rock bands over the course of the night. In addition to their famous version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” and Wings‘ “Live and Let Die”, covers included Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun” and an instrumental take on Pink Floyd‘s “Wish You Were Here”.
It’s been rumored that the band has been working on new material, so we may be seeing them back in town before long. Would it be too much to ask for one more stop in town before the end of the decade? Pretty please, Axl?
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