January 20th 1991

PRIEST N' GUNS ON TOP IN BRAZIL
- Andre Verhuysen, Metal Hammer, March 1991

The audience were a bit restless and there was some anxiety building up. Small fights broke out and rumours started to spread that outside people had been killed trying to get through the gates. Tension rose and the crowds grew impatient for the headliners - Guns N' Roses. It was their first time in Rio and their first live show anywhere in one and half years, not counting their hastily put together Farm Aid concert last year. Even before they had played one note they had the stadium in their spell. From the moment they came on stage right up until the closing fireworks, Maracana was one big nut house. And this despite the fact it wasn't the band's best ever performance. But that's logical of course if you haven't played for more than a year. They also had a new drummer, Matt Sorum (ex-The Cult). It wasn't his fault if the band looked a bit stiff. He pounded out the beat of killer songs like 'Mr. Brownstone', 'Welcome To The Jungle' and 'It's So Easy'. But it was something more than nerves that seemed to affect the original Guns, Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan. The band played well and were backed up with excellent sound and a great light show but there was something missing - that f*** everything mentality that Guns N' Roses pioneered was lacking. They played a superb version of 'Knocking On Heaven's Door' and I thought things were getting better, but the impression soon faded when they featured super boring drum solo by Matt Sorum breaking the atmosphereat the wrong moment. (How can a drum solo be boring? By definition this must have been the high point of the entire festival! Ed). But maybe the atmosphere was also spoilt because the band were playing too many new songs. A taste of a new album is fine, but to start off with five new songs was too much. However I am sure some of those new songs are destined to be classics. Maybe not the really heavy 'Double Talking Jive' and 'You Could Be Mine' (that's what the title sounded like), but maybe the two longer and quieter songs like 'Estranged' (played between 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and 'Paradise City'), and the really superb 'Civil War ' a really moving performance. The audience didn't know the song but to me it was the highlight of the Guns' show and whole day. Even so the band still tended to come across a tad low key and could have delivered more. Three days later they proved me right, but more about that later.

January 23rd 1991

PRIEST N' GUNS ON TOP IN BRAZIL
- Andre Verhuysen, Metal Hammer, March 1991

For Guns N' Roses there is not much to win anymore, judging by the gig they did on the Sunday. But Guns gave a much more relaxed performance on this night. The set was mainly the same (although I can't remember if they played the new song 'Bad Apples' on the Sunday). But they also played a set that was much more fun. Even Slash was smiling form ear to ear as he looked around him during breaks in the songs. The joy was back and the nerves had disappeared and it became clear at last why Guns N' Roses were the headliners.

It was great to see 'Patience' and 'Knoking On Heaven's Door' whipping up a sea of hands in the air and 'Mr.Brownstone' and 'Welcome To The Jungle' rocked like crazy. Guns N' Roses are now one of the best stadium bands in the world. Their show here augered well for the upcoming tour due to start in Europe.