5 Things Guns N’ Roses Should Do on Their 2017 Tour
There’s been no official announcement, though all signs are pointing to Guns N’ Roses coming back to North America in 2017. We aren’t just talking about metaphorical signs. There are actual billboards in cities they skipped this year, like Montreal, teasing another tour. They already have 2017 dates booked in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Dubai that run though March 3rd. The band has yet to touch down in Europe since reuniting, so it’s unclear when exactly the North American shows are going to happen, but they seem like a certainty.
The 2016 leg of the Not in This Lifetime tour was a triumph in many ways, and not just because Slash and Axl managed to peacefully coexist on a stage without any signs of turbulence. (The fact that the tour grossed over $114 million may have something to do with that.) Not only did Axl sound better than he has in years, but he showed up on time every night and actually seemed to enjoy himself. Slash breathed new life into the Chinese Democracy songs and the old members and new members meshed better than many expected. All that said, there are ways the shows could be even better. We know Axl Rose loves nothing better than being told what to do, particularly by the press, but here are some suggestions.
1. Eliminate some of the instrumentals and covers.
The show is great whenever Axl is onstage, but every few songs he seems to wander off while the band plays covers like “Wish You Were Here,” “Attitude” and the theme from The Godfather. This goes all the way back to the Use Your Illusion tours of 1992-93. The pauses allow Axl to change outfits and catch his breath, but they also really kill the momentum. He managed to get through the AC/DC tour by staying onstage throughout each show. Maybe Axl should shorten the gigs a little bit, run around a little less and spend a little less time backstage.
2. Change around the set list.
Guns N’ Roses don’t have a…