It's hard to believe that the Guns N' Roses reunion is already seven years old. This was one of those events that many (including yours truly) thought would never happen. And when it did, many (including yours truly) thought it would never last. What happened to Axl and his legendary tantrums, his tardiness, and the resentment towards his ex and current bandmates is a mystery but whatever it is we're not complaining.
Since Axl, Slash and Duff have buried the hatchet, we've been able to see the band four times (San Diego 2016, Paris 2017, Download Paris 2018, Bordeaux 2018) and we'll be seeing them again next month in the outskirts of Paris. Despite some changes here and there, their shows have mostly been following the same outline and it was due for an overhaul. Well, the band listened and the band obliged. Of course, they have a whole bunch of songs that they need to play. But within that frame, there is room for some changes and surprises. Even though they have a limited discography, there are still a lot of deep tracks that they can pick from. And on June 1st in Dubai, on the opening night of their new tour, their first concert of 2023, they did just that.
This isn't anything earth-shattering as the template remains pretty much intact, but it's a good indication that they are willing to shake things up. Check out the set list below courtesy of setlist.fm.
Sure, some people will complain that they didn't play (insert song here). Or that they don't want to hear (insert song here). You can't please everyone. The setlist is brilliant, and clocking in at almost three hours, the show is definitely worth the money you'll be spending. Whatever you may think of the band, they're not phoning it in.
Is the trend going to continue? We'll find out on June 5th when they play Tel Aviv. Will we be getting something similar in Europe? One can only hope. Maybe they'll stick to this exact setlist. Maybe they'll switch it up completely. Because if there is one thing that we've learned, it's that in GN'R world, anything goes.
