After getting some food there was really nothing else we had planned, so I went into a Staples and bought a disposable camera. When we went back to the line it had grown a little bit, so I would say we were about 120-150 people back. It was 4:30 when we got in line, which is really really early, but come on, it was a Guns concert. What do you expect me to do?

We met this cool guy who helped passed the time. I never learned his name but we were going back and forth talking about Guns N' Roses, which was really weird and fun because I don't know many people who are as big of fans of them as I am. Apparently everyone in the line was, and he pointed out how obsessed some fans are...which was true judging by what people were saying around us. Luckily he wasn't some crazed guy who was telling me that Axl Rose is God and things like that.

Around 6:00 I took a bathroom break at Quizzno's and asked a guy how the security was about cameras. He told me that they patted you down pretty good, and the security guys in line came around and threatened to not let you in if they found one. Great. So we started walking back to the line when the guy pulls a really bold move and asks if he and his friend can cut in line. Seeing an opportunity, I told him if he could sneak my camera in that he could cut in. He told me it was a deal, and because he had long sleeves that it would be no problem.

Finally, at 8:00, we were let in. The guy got the camera in as promised and handed it back to me right when we got in. He ended up staying by us during the show. We were one of the first people there and ------ and I got in the 2nd row on the right side of the stage, right before the barrier slid in towards the stage. It filled up pretty quickly and by 8:30, around the time Bullet For My Valentine went on, there were at least 15 rows of people. This guys were pretty heavy, and I could see how people would like them...But they were playing to the wrong crowd.

Around 9:15 their set ended and people around me started to guess when GN'R would come on. ---- and I were behind a set of 3 annoying/semi drunk girls (So it seemed). The was literally breathing down this girl's neck around 10:30, and he turns to her friend in a loud voice, "If I get pushed I am going to throw a huge elbow behind me to get back away I SWEAR TO GOD!" Me, being right behind this clown, did not like this plan of action. I tapped her on the shoulder and told her that doing that would probably not be the smartest thing to do. She asked me why and I told her that if she elbows me, I am going to "get violent" (yeah, that's the term I used) and hit her right in her ribs. She gives her friend a "is this kid serious?" look and I just stare right at her, telling her that she is going to be crushed and it's not my fault if 1000 people push me into her. She then tells me that she'll just push ---, and ------- gives her a look and then gives me a laugh. So now I figured I at least have a target to push up against.
To ----'s left was a girl who really stank. I mean I know it's hot in there, but could you throw on some deodorant if possible? This woman obviously had no idea of her death stench or was proud of it because she felt the need to lift her arms in the air about 10 times before Guns actually came on, giving me a nice blast of BO. Rock and roll, huh?

The more time that passed, the tighter the crowd got, and I told Molly to try and fight for position when Jungle started to play. Right before 11:00 Lenny Kravitz shows up in the VIP section of the mezz. Apparently Fred Durst was there too.

11:00 hits and the house lights go down and the opening delayed riff starts playing. Me and 2499 other people lose their minds. The stage lights fade on and there is Axl in this leather long-sleeved type shit that is half open, sunglasses, jeans, some red-ish shoes, and with some serious looking rings and a big cross on. No bandana, but he was sporting the braids and a goatee. He looked in shape for being in his mid forties. Just as the song kicks in there are some mini fireworks that set people off even more.

I had my arm locked in a straight position against the railing so I am not pressed against it. It was a lot rougher that I thought it would be, and it stayed like this until the 4th or 5th song in. It let up a little then, but when the old hits were being played it picked back up.

Axl sounded surprisingly great...really. I know it easy for me to have a bias review but I wasn't not expecting him to sound that good. There were times when you could hear him, but that was because everyone around me (and myself) was singing so loudly. He mentioned that he was working with a vocal coach for a while which is something I was surprised to hear. Early in the show he also said that, "Regarding the new album, it seems that you people here can hold your breath a lot long that most people. Thank you for that."

I don't remember the exact set list but I am pretty sure they played the following songs.

Old songs:
Welcome to the Jungle, It's so Easy, Out ta get me, Nightrain, Mr. Brownstone, Paradise City, My Michelle, Sweet Child O' Mine, Rocket Queen, Patience, Live n' let Die, November Rain, Knockin' on Heaven's Door, You could be mine

New songs:
Chinese Democracy, The Blues, Better

There were also a couple solos in there which I liked, except Bumblefoot's. Wow did that one sucked dick. It sounded like Buckethead but just really really sloppy. At least he played the songs well.

So 9 out of the 12 Appetite songs were played, which was fine by me!

So amazing parts include the sparks raining down during November Rain, the confetti shower during Paradise City, and Sebastian Bach singing My Michelle with Axl. The duet was awesome because they both really belted out the high notes during the song. There were also various pyrotechnics going off during songs, especially during Live n' let die. I could really feel the heat from those huge flames so I have no idea how Robin/Tommy felt being 5 feet away from them.

The crowd was rough, they played a TON of old material, and Axl sounded great. This was the concert that I had been waiting to go to since I was 13, and it did not disappoint. I was taking pictures and "hiding" by camera the best I could the entire time. I will post some shots later on, and hopefully there will be at least one good shot! It will really give you a sense of how close we were. I'll never get to see Guns N' Roses in this small of the venue, be that close to them, or hear that much old material ever again. The concert was near perfect for me.

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