Guns N' Roses in Paris: generous format

Five years after their last visit to the Paris region, Guns N’ Roses offered an explosive and generous show.

Return match of Guns N’ Roses, who had not set foot in the Paris region since the last French edition of the Download Festival, in 2018. No change in line up since, but a clear desire to fight it out. Indeed, 3h30 of concert awaits fans eager for unreasonable quantities of hard rock anthems.

Before the arrival of the Americans, the British Generation Sex arrive for an hour of concert substantially similar to the performance at Hellfest given a month earlier. Visibly tired from their tour, which ends on this date, the members trade the punk atmosphere of their youth for a certain tranquility. They are unfortunately hampered by unintelligible sound reproduction. We will also note a sound cut on the front during “Dancing With Myself”, despite a renewed energy from Billy Idol at the end of the concert.

Then arrive the members of Guns N’ Roses, with the traditional opening track “It’s So Easy”. Energetic as beautiful devils, they are as mobile as they are precise. We notably see Axl Rose and Duff McKagan responding mischievously to each other on the microphone while the rest of the orchestra, also in good form, unfolds its score with talent. Fans better watch out, because the end of the show is still far away.

Guilherme Neto

Generous in playing time and nuggets, hard rockers do not hesitate to send titles fromAppetite for Destruction, like the usual “Mr. Brownstone” or the rarer “Anything Goes”. If the first album of the Californians carves out a good part in the setlist, each disc is represented, with the rare “Bad Obsession” or the energetic “Pretty Tied Up” from the diptych Use You Illusionwithout forgetting Chinese Democracy, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, with the colorful “There Was A Time” or the friendly “Prostitute”. Released in 2021, the titles “Absurd” and “Hard Skool” are retained in the choice of titles.

Of course, Guns N’ Roses don’t forget their great classics, brought in by the boatload. The fans thus jubilant with “You Could Be Mine”, have a blast with “Nightrain” and are moved by “November Rain” or “Patience”. Guns N’ Roses are also generous with covers. In addition to the traditional “Live and Let Die” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door”, the group leaves the microphone to Duff McKagan for a tribute to the Stooges with “TV Eye”, goes acoustic on “Wichita Lineman” by Jimmy Webb and unleashes his punk rage on “Down on the Farm” by the UK Subs (present on their covers album The Spaghetti Incident?).

Guilherme Neto

Visibly in good shape, the Guns combine generosity and interpretive talent. Slash can thus exhibit his dexterity during a solo that is unfortunately a bit long preceding the classic “Sweet Child O’Mine”. That doesn’t stop him from passing the buck with his sidekick Richard Fortus throughout the concert, while the rhythm session, provided by Frank Ferrer and Duff McKagan, always works wonders. Losers of the approximate sound rendering, the keyboards of Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese are more discreet than usual.

Behind the microphone, Axl Rose shines with his talent. 3h30 of concert requires, the singer cannot be perfect at every moment and allows some approximations on “Welcome to the Jungle” or the intro to “November Rain”. Nevertheless, he appears imperial on “Estranged”, moving on “Civil War” (dedicated to Ukraine) and nuanced on “Coma”. Facetious frontman, he regularly jokes with the public, especially during the presentation of the members, pretending to forget Slash.

Guilherme Neto

Combining excellence and generosity, Guns N’ Roses are making a strong return to the Paris La Défense Arena, far from the lackluster Hellfest 2022 performance. Despite the years and the duration of concerts increasing, they keep in shape and spoil their fans, convinced by a grandiose performance, served by an imprecise sound.