Slash, Manchester Academy, 03/07/10

When I heard Appetite for Destruction in 1987 it changed my life. I was 11. Guns n’ Roses were the first band that ever meant anything to me and they defined my future. They’re the reason I listen to rock music, the reason I grew my hair long and I still listen to the album regularly some 23 years later, and it still stands as one of the greatest debut albums of all time.

Tonight’s set is being recorded and mixed as a live double CD that can be collected as soon as the gig is finished, and as Slash appears on stage the volume of the crowd is deafening, which should sound amazing on disc.

Opening with Ghost from the new self-titled album it’s great to see a front man stood next to Slash who has an astounding voice, great stage presence but none of the bullshit ego that his two previous cohorts have succumbed to. That man is Myles Kennedy, who has been borrowed from Alter Bridge, a group that I am sorry to say I have overlooked until recently. He truly is impressive and proves he has the requisite talent to stand next to an icon and not be overshadowed by him. We are treated to a career spanning set which takes in Slash’s Snakepit, Velvet Revolver, Slash and Friends and of course classic Guns n’ Roses.

Hearing the likes of Night Train, my all-time favourite Rocket Queen and Civil War live again turns me straight back into that eleven year old, singing along with every word, punching the sky and air guitaring along with all the solos – I really don’t care how bad I looked doing it as everybody in the room was doing it too. And as Slash drags a fantastic blues solo spot into the Godfather theme he proves just what a virtuoso guitarist he is.

And then the big guns come out.

Signature tune Sweet Child Of Mine. WOW, ‘nuff said! Then after band introductions are made during a sleazy start to Velvet Revolvers Slither, and a short encore we get an outstanding version of Led Zeppelins’ Communication Breakdown, and when I say outstanding, I mean outstanding. So, what other song could round off tonight other than Paradise City – with Slash striking all his iconic poses, and even playing the solo behind his head – now when I try that at home I always get the blue and yellow buttons mixed up! The crowd sing every word and the show could not have ended any better.

I will be wearing this massive shit-eating grin for weeks, probably longer than it takes for my voice to come back, and by then I’ll have the CD to sing along to and lose it all over again.

Yowzer!
Rn’Fn’R!!!

Author
Frank Ralph

15/07/2010