Guns N' Roses to return to the road in 2025

[KeyserSoze]

1 hour ago, 2020_Intensions said:

Yeah, I can only speak from US perspective. How expensive are they in comparison? I got a GA ticket for like $50 last tour

You just cancelled out your own argument in my opinion. 

You said you got PIT tickets for $50 on the last tour, meaning the date you went to: Hershey PA, didn't sell as well as the promoters thought, and in a last second attempt to fill the venue, they dropped the prices of those tickets, which were probably going for $250+ in the months leading up to the show. 

er-go, the promoter LOST money on YOUR purchase, even though you PAID to be there. 

Follow the math? 

 

Earlier you said: 

12 hours ago, 2020_Intensions said:

It amazes me how people here will say GnR HAS to release new music to continue touring ... or they HAVE to do an AfD5 tour ... or this or that ... Seemingly ignoring or refusing to accept that the NiTL Tour WAS one of the highest grossing tours OF ALL TIME ... They don't NEED to do anything different. They're traveling the world, making money and having fun. 

Traveling the world and "having fun" only gets you so far before your promoter, booking agent, Live Nation, and fan base realize you can't make  profit on a tour you spent money planning. 

You got a deal because you bided your time and waited for the perfect moment. If everyone gets smart and does that, no one will want to put on a GNR show anymore.

 

[2020_Intensions]

38 minutes ago, allwaystired said:

Last one I went to had two price tiers -front standing and rear standing. 

Can't remember exactly, so looked up the thread...https://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/225887-062723-glasgow-gb-bellahouston-park/

Front standing was £190 (so $243) and rear standing was £100  ($127). 

I'd absolutely go and see them everytime for $50 (which would be £40) ....but that option just doesn't exist. Factor in travel time, time off work, food, drinks, potentially a hotel and you're talking a huge sum of money. 

 

Yeah that's significantly more. Everybody has different financial situations too. But this is my favorite band. I will see them every time I can. And I will gladly spend hundreds of $$ to do so if need be. 

[2020_Intensions]

25 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

You just cancelled out your own argument in my opinion. 

You said you got PIT tickets for $50 on the last tour, meaning the date you went to: Hershey PA, didn't sell as well as the promoters thought, and in a last second attempt to fill the venue, they dropped the prices of those tickets, which were probably going for $250+ in the months leading up to the show. 

er-go, the promoter LOST money on YOUR purchase, even though you PAID to be there. 

Follow the math? 

 

Earlier you said: 

Traveling the world and "having fun" only gets you so far before your promoter, booking agent, Live Nation, and fan base realize you can't make  profit on a tour you spent money planning. 

You got a deal because you bided your time and waited for the perfect moment. If everyone gets smart and does that, no one will want to put on a GNR show anymore.

 

Wow. You just made a whole lot of assumptions. And are way off base. GA means "General Admission" not "Pit" ... I was the furthest away from the stage you could be. And the $50 was just an estimate, because I honestly don't care about cost so much that I remember how much I spent. But from the moment the tour was announced, the GA tickets I believe started at ~$80-90 and when I saw the show wasn't selling out I waited until the last few days and got my tickets at a slight discount for around ~$50-60. You're going on about a whole lotta nothing dude. GnR have made over $700 million. "Only gets you so far" ... Brother, they've gotten further than 99% of other bands in history. I think they're just fine. This mass exodus of GnR concert-goers that I've been hearing about since 2018 "if the band doesn't do x" has yet to happen and will never happen. GnR will comfortably tour at the level they have been touring until they retire. That is a fact.

[Gordon Comstock]

There's no exodus but there's clearly less demand. They sell a smaller percentage of tickets at full price, then slash the prices leading up to the show. My seat in Vancouver last year was originally 3x what I actually paid for it, at least. Most people seem to have learned not to pay full price. Looking at some of the tours getting cancelled recently, and how heavily GNR have saturated some markets, it will be interesting to see how they do next year.

It wouldn't be surprising at all if they downsized the venues they play, especially if it means charging ridiculous prices at the Sphere, or some other novelty kind of show.

[KeyserSoze]

14 minutes ago, 2020_Intensions said:

Wow. You just made a whole lot of assumptions. And are way off base. GA means "General Admission" not "Pit" ... I was the furthest away from the stage you could be. And the $50 was just an estimate, because I honestly don't care about cost so much that I remember how much I spent. But from the moment the tour was announced, the GA tickets I believe started at ~$80-90 and when I saw the show wasn't selling out I waited until the last few days and got my tickets at a slight discount for around ~$50-60. You're going on about a whole lotta nothing dude. GnR have made over $700 million. "Only gets you so far" ... Brother, they've gotten further than 99% of other bands in history. I think they're just fine. This mass exodus of GnR concert-goers that I've been hearing about since 2018 "if the band doesn't do x" has yet to happen and will never happen. GnR will comfortably tour at the level they have been touring until they retire. That is a fact.

My fault. When people speak about "GA" tickets, they usually are refereeing to Pit tickets. Any ticket into the building is a "GA" ticket when you think about it. How am i supposed to know where you sat if you don't specify? 

Sure, i might be going on about a whole lotta nothing, but if GNR comes back next year with the "WE'RE F'N BACK AGAIN!!" tour and it's 50+ dates and 2/3rds of them can't sell because the casual fan doesn't want to pay the price, you might start to see what i'm talking about. 

Every time you bring up money and NITL being successful, you always use PAST tense. And that is exactly what i've "been on about" the whole time in this thread. That era is over due to multiple things lining up the way that they have over the last few years.  

Is the 1% band (in history...) you're talking about Metallica? You know the band that could STILL sell out stadiums anywhere in the world? The only place GNR could sell out a stadium in 2024/25 would probably be Mexico or South America.

I just don't know how you can see that to be a "fact." 

Sure, they might disappear for some years, but refer to my previous posts about why a 62 year old Axl Rose wouldn't find it in his best interest to "disappear" for some years, only to build demand for a few shows with a band he's already made $700 million dollars with. 

Take the rose colored glasses off and look at it from a business perspective. 

This is exactly what i am trying to tell you: 

9 minutes ago, Gordon Comstock said:

There's no exodus but there's clearly less demand. They sell a smaller percentage of tickets at full price, then slash the prices leading up to the show. My seat in Vancouver last year was originally 3x what I actually paid for it, at least. Most people seem to have learned not to pay full price. Looking at some of the tours getting cancelled recently, and how heavily GNR have saturated some markets, it will be interesting to see how they do next year.

It wouldn't be surprising at all if they downsized the venues they play, especially if it means charging ridiculous prices at the Sphere, or some other novelty kind of show.

 

[2020_Intensions]

39 minutes ago, KeyserSoze said:

My fault. When people speak about "GA" tickets, they usually are refereeing to Pit tickets. Any ticket into the building is a "GA" ticket when you think about it. How am i supposed to know where you sat if you don't specify? 

Sure, i might be going on about a whole lotta nothing, but if GNR comes back next year with the "WE'RE F'N BACK AGAIN!!" tour and it's 50+ dates and 2/3rds of them can't sell because the casual fan doesn't want to pay the price, you might start to see what i'm talking about. 

Every time you bring up money and NITL being successful, you always use PAST tense. And that is exactly what i've "been on about" the whole time in this thread. That era is over due to multiple things lining up the way that they have over the last few years.  

Is the 1% band (in history...) you're talking about Metallica? You know the band that could STILL sell out stadiums anywhere in the world? The only place GNR could sell out a stadium in 2024/25 would probably be Mexico or South America.

I just don't know how you can see that to be a "fact." 

Sure, they might disappear for some years, but refer to my previous posts about why a 62 year old Axl Rose wouldn't find it in his best interest to "disappear" for some years, only to build demand for a few shows with a band he's already made $700 million dollars with. 

Take the rose colored glasses off and look at it from a business perspective. 

This is exactly what i am trying to tell you: 

 

No, any ticket is not "general admission" or does anybody refer to "pit" as "general admission" wtf are you talking about? 

I'm not arguing with you any further on the "demand" for shows. GnR has made more money touring in these last 8 years than 99% of other bands and artists in history. There is no financial need to continue making historic levels of money. They're ALL set for life. If demand ever dropped to the point NOBODY is buying tickets, I'm sure they'd hang it up and continue on with their lives. FFS

[KeyserSoze]

20 minutes ago, 2020_Intensions said:

No, any ticket is not "general admission" or does anybody refer to "pit" as "general admission" wtf are you talking about? 

I'm not arguing with you any further on the "demand" for shows. GnR has made more money touring in these last 8 years than 99% of other bands and artists in history. There is no financial need to continue making historic levels of money. They're ALL set for life. If demand ever dropped to the point NOBODY is buying tickets, I'm sure they'd hang it up and continue on with their lives. FFS

Thanks for focusing on the issue of ticket naming and not directly addressing any of the statements that me and Gordon Comstock over here brought to your attention. You never were "arguing" with me about anything, just saying things i clearly addressed and you couldn't be bothered to reply to, and you know what? thats totally fine. I'm not even attempting to fight you. 

There are a LOT of people and things that go into touring, more so than Axl just getting off his ass and deciding to tour. There are lots of numbers and trends that have to be crunched to figure out if its financially doable for all parties involved. Just remember that. 

 

You did add to my previous point though: 

20 minutes ago, 2020_Intensions said:

There is no financial need to continue making historic levels of money. They're ALL set for life. 

You're very correct. 

Why not evolve, and do something else? 

Edited Thursday at 02:44 AM by KeyserSoze

[Rovim]

2 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

You did add to my previous point though: 

You're very correct. 

Why not evolve, and do something else? 

I speculate that if it was easy for Axl to evolve musically taking into consideration his abilities currently as a musician, motivation, financial or artistic, and how effective if at all his approach to it is cause it didn't seem to change much, then I think he would have done it by now, meaning you would maybe have seen a more prolific Axl, gotten more Gn'R/Axl albums.

seeems like a Gn'R album is a big deal for Axl while releasing old Chinese singles falls under a different category.

maybe you're basically asking in this thread why wouldn't Axl do things he might not want to do like a fulll reunion. why isn't it easier for him to create and share his music with his fans and you assume that there is no attempt to evolve ie write new stuff and/or work on old ideas with the intention to see it through.

you are obviously not new to how Axl operates and I think it's important to remember that "they've made enough money" is not really a valid argument. they do a job, they expect to get paid.

I think it could go on for a long time when it comes to touring for Gn'R with a lot of adjustments made to the market which seems out of control so that's an issue all on its own, even if ticket prices for Gn'R are expensive.

my guess is that Axl is still interested in releasing at least some of his Chinese era tunes as singles or as a part of an album or compilation even. I also think that Axl has not given up on new material just going by what Slash and Duff has said in recent interviews.

I hope Gn'R ends with a final Guns album but in any case, I think the current Gn'R lineup has a very good chance of being the last Gn'R lineup, at least for the most part. 

Edited Thursday at 05:14 AM by Rovim

[DoMw94]

10 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

But if it's been sooooooooooooo stable, why isn't there anything tangible to show for it?

There's been multiple successful tours. That's what they do. As I said, they're a legacy act, and there are many who continue to tour off previous successes. This isn't something unique to GN'R.

10 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

Izzy seems to be the only "unreliable" person, but yet went out of his way MULTIPLE times in 2012 to join GNR on stage, even flying to London to do a handful of songs, when he could have played the whole set sans Chi Dem material. Steven went out of his way to FLY to South American to play TWO songs with the band in 2016 and DID it, when he could have played all NINE Appetite songs they played that night. Is this deemed unreliable? 

Steven physically couldn't manage the three hour shows the band plays though. That's a fact.

And Izzy – you mention how he was okay doing the odd guest appearances, but we're talking about huge multi-year stadium tours. He's never been one to be committed to that sort of thing. And if the rumours are true, he walked out on the band after soundcheck for a guest spot at a NITL show. If he can't stick around for a guest spot, how can he be counted on for a multi-year, 100+ date tour?

10 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

Why would a reunion be moving backwards?

Because you'd be breaking up a solid, safe, and successful band/business for the sake of nostalgia and bringing in two unreliable people.

10 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

Was "moving backwards" to them incorporating Duff, who then incorporated Slash after a few years?

And the difference here is Slash and Duff filled vacant spots in the band. Izzy and Steven returning would mean firing two of the most reliable people that have ever been in the band, and with a fair chance that it could go wrong.

10 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

My point is and continues to be: the band has made ENOUGH money.

HA! No. Nobody making six or seven figures a night will ever stop and be like "nah I have enough". You're naive to believe that's even a possibility.

It goes beyond the band though, anyway. Touring keeps hundreds of people employed. It's a business and brand first, and a band second, just like every single big band these days. They only exist these days to make money, they do not care about you.

Edited Thursday at 09:59 AM by DoMw94

[DeNfr]

legacy is the new nostalgia 

[Tom2112]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:47 AM, KeyserSoze said:

I think the only logical thing to do here from every perspective is get the AFD 5 lineup on stage together again playing the album top to bottom before they no longer can or are dead. Plain and simple. 

That is the only way this band remains relevant after all the touring they've done. If they continue what they've done since 2016, the markets they go to will be so watered down, there wouldn't be sell outs. Venues would be smaller. There would be no hype. Axl and his voice have become a meme on social media. There aren't as many people willing to spend their hard earned money to see what they believe to be the same show as they saw in 2016. 

Axl taking "time off" in 2024 is actually to his detriment with the way the live music industry is going at the moment. Superstars that were arguably bigger to a different generation of people like Justin Timberlake and Jennifer Lopez were unable to sell over FIFTY percent of tickets for most dates on their recent tours prompting cancellations. The Black Keys, while nowhere near the success level of GNR, did the same thing they've been doing for the last 23 years: put out an album of music and planned to tour for it. Except they couldn't sell tickets for the venues they booked. The whole tour was cancelled.

You also have to look at the bands current age as it relates to health: Pearl Jam, Heart, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and now most recently Pink, have all had to cancel shows in the past few DAYS due to health issues. If you've lived through Covid, you know how crazy it's been since that time.

Couple ALL of this with the fact that literally NOBODY wants to pay these ridiculous ticket prices anymore, and GNR's have been insane since 2016 and seem to remain at the same price, or RISE in price every time they come through your town and why would anyone take a chance to travel or pay money to potentially not get a show in the long run? 

Residencies and destination events are becoming the norm. Look at what Metallica is doing. 4 shows a month. 2 different cities, sometimes in 2 different countries. 2 shows per run. They spaced these shows out just enough for them to become destination events instead of 40+ date tours that may or may not sell. They created a demand, and attracted the right buyers. Did they make money? Between the prices they were selling tickets for and the merch money they probably brought in from each show, I can only imagine they're sitting pretty... 

And now, with something like the Sphere opening up it's door to bands with one foot in the door, one foot out the door so to speak (Dead & Co., The Eagles, probably The Stones sooner rather than later....) I can see this actually happening, and it's probably way more likely than we could imagine. 

Axl should take this time to not only build up his voice, but build his relationship back with Adler and Izzy. Then they should get up on that stage and play all of Appetite for Destruction and all those older songs they played in the beginning and the ones that Adler chose to learn himself that he plays with his solo band (YCBM, Civil War, Don't Cry etc etc), hell even throw in the ones from the EARLY shows like Shadow of Your Love, Reckless Life (they played it last year...) Move To The City, Jumpin Jack Flash and Heartbreak Hotel and boom, you have and almost 2 hour setlist. 

How does that work with the rest of the members that have supported Axl, Slash, and Duff since 2016? Fortus and Ferrer since 2002 and 2006 respectively? Dizzy??? 

I don't know. But I can tell you one thing, if the AFD 5 decided to play on a stage together, I really don't think it would matter. Everything else would fall into place, like it always does.

And if it was the Sphere? Destination event. If the 2 shows to kick off NITL were any indicator of who will travel to Las Vegas to see Guns N' Roses, I don't think you'd have a problem filling that Sphere for the original lineup 20 nights in a row if that could even be possible... 

I can totally see the Sphere happening. It seems the bookers of the Sphere have been putting feelers out to bands they believe would fit the Sphere and the visual artistry that goes behind it. I think Guns N' Roses name might have been tossed around for certain, but only if the show was special and not their normal hybrid lineup they've been touring with. It wouldn't make sense. 

Dead & Co. basically used the Sphere as a history lesson of the Grateful Dead. GNR could do the same. 

I'd say second to Los Angeles, Las Vegas probably has the most history associated with the band and Axl. They loved the 92 show so much they threw the audio on the B-sides of some singles and then gave us the whole thing for the UYI reissues. Axl showing love to the HOB/Joint since 2001. The New Years shows in 01/02. The Residencies with Izzy returning. Axl basically living there while those were happening, NITL tour kickoff etc, etc. It makes sense in my head. 

They have the opportunity to keep the momentum they've had since 2016 going without doing the exact same thing over and over again until it's run into the ground so terribly that the legacy is tainted.

Axl, Duff, and Slash are great business men. They have been since day 1. They've made so much generational wealth in the past 8 years, they no longer need to keep the GNR machine as a money printer. The real value becomes in giving those that have hung on for so long one last run for the money thats left in their pockets. 

Sometimes its best to bring the train into the station before it runs off the tracks.... 

They are not regaining relevancy ground by playing a few more songs off AFD with two guys that the majority have forgotten. It's an initial "oh shit, they got back together" and then people would forget because gnr have toured so consistently and played between 5-7 AFD songs every night.

Relevancy. Get the voice together and make some music people want to hear. Tour and don't charge the maximum amount of money. These things move the needle

[Cosmo]

1 hour ago, Tom2112 said:

They are not regaining relevancy ground by playing a few more songs off AFD with two guys that the majority have forgotten. It's an initial "oh shit, they got back together" and then people would forget because gnr have toured so consistently and played between 5-7 AFD songs every night.

Relevancy. Get the voice together and make some music people want to hear. Tour and don't charge the maximum amount of money. These things move the needle

Nah, a good headline would be better than any album announcement. Something like "original Guns N Roses line-up to reunite and play AFD from top to bottom to celebrate 40 years of AFD" would probably create more media buzz than new songs by this current line-up. Only if they, somehow, composed a single for a blockbuster movie and had a very nice media cycle around that, perhaps.

[allwaystired]

3 hours ago, DeNfr said:

legacy is the new nostalgia 

'Legacy act' is definitely just the same as 'nostalgia act' these days.

Fucking hell though do I wish GNR weren't! No need for them to be- they're all too talented. 

[Amir]

13 hours ago, allwaystired said:

Last one I went to had two price tiers -front standing and rear standing. 

Can't remember exactly, so looked up the thread...https://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/225887-062723-glasgow-gb-bellahouston-park/

Front standing was £190 (so $243) and rear standing was £100  ($127). 

I'd absolutely go and see them everytime for $50 (which would be £40) ....but that option just doesn't exist. Factor in travel time, time off work, food, drinks, potentially a hotel and you're talking a huge sum of money. 

 

UK prices are more expensive than most of Europe for some reason. In 2017 and 2023 I got Golden Circle tickets in Stockholm and Paris for the same price that I paid for regular standing tickets in London both years (all face value).

[Tom2112]

8 hours ago, Cosmo said:

Nah, a good headline would be better than any album announcement. Something like "original Guns N Roses line-up to reunite and play AFD from top to bottom to celebrate 40 years of AFD" would probably create more media buzz than new songs by this current line-up. Only if they, somehow, composed a single for a blockbuster movie and had a very nice media cycle around that, perhaps.

It's a headline for a minute, the reunion has happened for everyone outside of this forum. You're over estimating how big AFD 5 is. The concept is also flawed because Axl is never turning his back on his guys/gals.

Finally, GNR are never going to be big news again it's not the popular music of today. Obviously they are still huge and can still sell tickets. But in terms of mainstream power to get mass attention they have almost no ability to change that... Outside of a serious change in marketing/management style as well as tactics from the band too. 

A great album, getting great reviews alongside a band that is sounding great is bigger than the nostalgia card.

[Uncle Bob]

9 hours ago, Cosmo said:

Nah, a good headline would be better than any album announcement. Something like "original Guns N Roses line-up to reunite and play AFD from top to bottom to celebrate 40 years of AFD" would probably create more media buzz than new songs by this current line-up. Only if they, somehow, composed a single for a blockbuster movie and had a very nice media cycle around that, perhaps.

Most of casuals have no idea who even Duff is. Let alone Izzy and Steven.

[vloors]

Axls voice is the make or break for any tour in 2025.

 

Edited Thursday at 10:39 PM by vloors

[evilfacelessturtle]

22 hours ago, KeyserSoze said:

You just cancelled out your own argument in my opinion. 

You said you got PIT tickets for $50 on the last tour, meaning the date you went to: Hershey PA, didn't sell as well as the promoters thought, and in a last second attempt to fill the venue, they dropped the prices of those tickets, which were probably going for $250+ in the months leading up to the show. 

er-go, the promoter LOST money on YOUR purchase, even though you PAID to be there. 

Follow the math? 

 

Earlier you said: 

Traveling the world and "having fun" only gets you so far before your promoter, booking agent, Live Nation, and fan base realize you can't make  profit on a tour you spent money planning. 

You got a deal because you bided your time and waited for the perfect moment. If everyone gets smart and does that, no one will want to put on a GNR show anymore.

 

LOL no, GA tickets do not go for that much unless you're buying from a reseller like Stubhub. Got mine for $70 right from the initial onsale at Ticketmaster.

Edited Thursday at 11:00 PM by evilfacelessturtle

[DoMw94]

56 minutes ago, vloors said:

Axls voice is the make or break for any tour in 2025.

 

Not really. It's been less than good for over a decade and it hasn't stopped anything. They moved back to stadiums and continued to play them and festivals without issue. People will comment on the voice but then say "but..." and talk about Slash/the band/the show. It'll be a topic of discussion, sure, but it won't be "make or break" at all.

People like us are a tiny minority. So long as people can say "I've seen Guns N' Roses", they'll be fine.

Edited Thursday at 11:35 PM by DoMw94

[gunsnchalupas]

Axl's voice doesn't matter. 

Concerts like GNR are more about the experience of going, or the status of taking a selfie at the arena.

Nobody cares about this band in the greater sense of things. As in, nobody cares about what the members do or have to say. People who go to their concerts know their four big songs, and mistakenly think their is also a fifth big song because they don't realize that Livin' On A Prayer wasn't performed by them. 

The AFD 5 Reunion is not a draw in the same way Axl/Slash getting back together was 10 years ago - but it would be something they could market if they went to smaller buildings. As in, a shorter tour of theatres where each ticket is 1000+ vs a half-empty stadium or a hockey arena where half the people got in via some sort of Groupon special.

If you were excited about GNR back in 1987, you're in your 70s now. Dementia is settling in, and the grandchildren are visiting less and less. You're waiting around to die, or for the next Guns N' Roses selects Youtube video, whichever comes first. Their core fanbase is dyeing off due to old age and diabetes. That's partially what is to blame for the stadiums being less full. What happens is that the body cannot effectively produce insulin, which leads to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. It's not good for health, and certainly not good for maintaining the marketing base for 80s shitmetal tours.

That's why they will eventually end up at smaller buildings. It will be sold as an exciting opportunity for hardcore fans to see the AFD 5 (plus a backup drummer) in an intimate setting - but it will actually be the band avoiding the obvious decline in attendance so that they can bleed the hardcores dry one last time.

That, or they are finally going to pull out the big guns and get Axl on the Joe Rogan Podcast. 

Edited Friday at 12:27 AM by gunsnchalupas

[Tom2112]

3 minutes ago, gunsnchalupas said:

Axl's voice doesn't matter. 

Concerts like GNR are more about the experience of going, or the status of taking a selfie at the arena.

Nobody cares about this band in the greater sense of things. As in, nobody cares about what the members do or have to say. People who go to their concerts know their four big songs, and mistakenly think their is also a fifth big song because they don't realize that Livin' On A Prayer wasn't performed by them. 

The AFD 5 Reunion is not a draw in the same way Axl/Slash getting back together was 10 years ago - but it would something they could market if they went to smaller buildings. As in, a shorter tour of theatres where each ticket is 1000+ vs a half-empty stadium or a hockey arena where half the people got in via some sort of Groupon special.

If you were excited about GNR back in 1987, you're in your 70s now. Dementia is settling in, and the grandchildren are visiting less and less. You're waiting around to die, or for the next Guns N' Roses selects Youtube video, whichever comes first. Their core fanbase is dyeing off due to old age and diabetes. That's partially what is to blame for the stadiums being less full. What happens is that the body cannot effectively produce insulin, which leads to elevated levels of glucose in the blood. It's not good for health, and certainly not good for maintaining the marketing base for 80s shitmetal tours.

That's why they will eventually end up at smaller buildings. It will be sold as an exciting opportunity for hardcore fans to see the AFD 5 (plus a backup drummer) in an intimate setting - but it will actually be the band avoiding the obvious decline in attendance so that they can bleed the hardcores dry one last time.

That, or they are finally going to pull out the big guns and get Axl on the Joe Rogan Podcast. 

Yeah I can't imagine selling the idea of smaller venues to Axl. He likes the big show. Obviously Springsteen did his theatre run where he robbed his fans, so there is that... But I don't see Axl going into storyteller mode, he barely talks to the audience as it is.

Gnr are safe from losing their audience size though. As people pointed out Axls voice has declined for a good few years and they still sell tickets A) people aren't as aware B) some people don't care as much as a more critical listener C) GNR are one of a few big classic rock bands with hits that a gig going demographic still want to see, especially when so many other bands are now aging out. Gnr are aging out too, but they can still operate for another few years of Axls willing to do some similar work to JBJ,who takes lessons every day to get his voice back.

[janrichmond]

28 minutes ago, gunsnchalupas said:

If you were excited about GNR back in 1987, you're in your 70s now.

I am not in my fucking 70s. 

[colonizedmind]

14 minutes ago, janrichmond said:

I am not in my fucking 70s. 

I'm a lil drunk and cross-eyed andread that as - I'm not into fucking 70s ! Hey hey

[gunsnchalupas]

1 hour ago, janrichmond said:

I am not in my fucking 70s. 

 

I didn't mean to exclude the more senior members of this forum who have reached 80 or 90, I was just trying to average it out, sir. 

[vloors]

3 hours ago, DoMw94 said:

Not really. It's been less than good for over a decade and it hasn't stopped anything. They moved back to stadiums and continued to play them and festivals without issue. People will comment on the voice but then say "but..." and talk about Slash/the band/the show. It'll be a topic of discussion, sure, but it won't be "make or break" at all.

People like us are a tiny minority. So long as people can say "I've seen Guns N' Roses", they'll be fine.

I have to disagree. 

Axls voice in 2016/2017 was killer and they had no problem selling out their own shows with the threeunion. Performance from Axl was generally well received from fans and media. Axl in most eyes was back at a top level performing where he had fallen off prior to the reunion.

Axls voice in 2023 deteriated to a embarrassing level since the days of easy sellouts running off the back of the threeunion. In 2023 was there any concerts they actually sold out and wasnt heavily discounted? The threeunion hype trains over.

Ticket sales will keep dropping if theres deteriation in quality of the concert (lets be honest Axl is now the weak point) lack of new music or the price they are commanding for the show.

If Axl turns up in 2025 and sounds like garbage the negative press to the general public, word of mouth, along with their ticket pricing isnt going to end well.

If 2025 is going to be successful he needs his A game back vocally or his going to be the next vince neil and ridiculed. Whether thats vocal work, rearranging the songs or cutting songs he can no longer perform.

If not he will be forced back to doing arenas or a vegas residency like in 2011/2012 to sell shows. If he likes it or not thats reality to alot of aged rockers who can no longer sing.

Edited Friday at 02:48 AM by vloors