Guns N' Roses sets Canadian tour dates

Will it be a disaster or will it happen at all?

Wednesday, Oct 21, 2009 7:29 PM

Katie Hasty

Axl Rose

Hey, "Chinese Democracy" ultimately happened, so don't just file this away under Things That Won't Happen: Guns N' Roses is going on tour. But not here (or China, for that matter), but in Canada.

Things kick off Jan. 13 in the great musical mecca Winnipeg and will continue through early February.

It will be what is the first outing since the band released the much-anticipated album "Chinese Democracy" last year. Experts say sales of that set suffered because Axl and Co. refused to tour behind it around the same time.

It's also the first time that the group will have attempted a complete tour since 2007, which was a bit disasterous if you'll remember.

Earlier this year, GNR announced Dj Ashba as their new guitarist -- since Slash is busy washing his hair and simmering in distaste for Axl Rose on those dates.

Much like Whitney Houston's forthcoming European dates, this will be an opportunity for the veteran rock act to show up or ship out before deciding to perform regularly in the United States.

1/13 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
1/16 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
1/17 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
1/19 - Saskatoon, SK @ Credit Union Centre
1/20 - Regina, SK @ Brandt Centre
1/24 - Hamilton, ON @ Copps Coliseum
1/25 - London, ON @ John Labatt Centre
1/27 - Montreal, PQ @ Bell Centre
1/28 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre
1/31 - Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place
2/1 - Quebec City, PQ @ Colisee Pepsi
2/3 - Moncton, NB @ Moncton Coliseum
2/4 - Halifax, NS @ Metro Centre

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Josh

Well, I guess I'm flying to Canada then.
October 21, 2009 at 8:32PM EST Reply to Comment
nerdgerl

If you had bothered to at least follow Slash, you wouldn't have made that silly statement about his hair. How very feminine of you. Slash is publishing a solo album while playing gigs every damn three days. His schedule is crazy. Do your f*ing homework.
October 21, 2009 at 8:35PM EST Reply to Comment
katie, a princess

less so to do with his beautiful flowing locks, moreso to do with "washing one's hair" as an excuse when you don't want to go on a date with someone. same goes for "doing homework."
October 21, 2009 at 10:25PM EST Reply to Comment
southafricanbundy

Yeesh, exactly, do your damn homework. Are you that lazy a writer? It was the 2002 tour that ended in disaster, the 2006/2007 tour was actually very successful, they completed a full world tour and played all the big rock festivals etc....And the tour isnt starting in Canada either. They have been confirmed to be playing in Japan, Taiwan and Korea (where I live) through out December this year. Seriously, take 2 minutes to check some facts dude....
October 21, 2009 at 10:29PM EST Reply to Comment
southafricanbundy

Katie, thats a poor and lame excuse. You dont have to be into or give a shit about a band to do your job as a professional and make an attempt to actually know what you are talking about. Otherwise why report on music, or this particular story at all if you are just going to half-ass it?

You realize it makes you look bad?
October 22, 2009 at 6:37AM EST Reply to Comment
katie, a princess

the 2007 tour had its fair share of disaster, including canceled dates, Axl getting in a much-publicized fights, poor reception at a few stops and tabloidish ugliness from current and former members taking the mainline over performance. granted, not nearly as disasterous as their botched 2002 tour, so you've got me there.

good thing this wasn't a post about Slash...
October 22, 2009 at 11:30AM EST Reply to Comment
- southafricanbundy sure there were problems on that tour too Katie (are there ever not with Axl?) But the fact remains that the 2002 and 2006/2007 tours were still like night and day by comparison. There may have been poor reception at some stops in the States, but internationally the tour was very successful, and they sold out numerous venues. They are doing a full on stadium tour here in Asia. In fact they are playing the Olympic stadium here in Seoul, and its being heavily promoted on tv etc...
  
  Remenber that there is a world outside America Katie....
  October 22, 2009 at 9:07PM EST
- katie, a princess wait, the U.S. isn't the center of the universe?
  
  selling out shows and getting heavy promotion does not a successful tour make. Guns N' Roses could no doubt set up an international tour now where they would sell out all their shows -- much like their tour in 2007. but I would not call the last go-'round a triumph by any means. in fact, I think your namesake (South Africa) was one of the many cities they canceled on. the reception was up and down all over the world.
  
  that's what will be so interesting about this upcoming tour in Canada, as I said above. it will be a chance for the band to prove their muster and relevance in 2009, with 2002 and 2007, hopefully, as templates they've discarded.
  October 23, 2009 at 12:10PM EST
- southafricanbundy lol...you are so right about the South African concerts. Me and my brother had tickets to see them play Cape Town stadium. Obviously we never got to see them...ha ha..
  
  I am well aware of what you are saying Katie, but think about it, they completed a world wide tour in 2006/2007 and sold out many shows throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia. Even a number of shows in the States were sold out.
  
  I consider this successful despite some disasters and poor reception in some places becuase ultimatly we are talking about a band here that has only one remaining original member (albeit arguably the most important), that had no new album out or accompanying music videos or any other such promotion. A band that had effectively dissapered for 15 odd years.
  
  How many bads could get away with doing that? I think that says a lot about just how insanely popular GNR was back in the day. And I think people are still interested in Axl because despite his legendary tardiness, and habit of cancelling shows, when he is "in form" or "in the zone" on stage that dude is still one of the greatest rock stars to ever get on stage.
  
  You only need to go to youtube and look for their performance of nighttrain in 2006 at the Rock AM festival to see what I mean...
  October 24, 2009 at 9:18PM EST