Guns N' Roses fans needed a little Patience at Download Festival as the rock icons delivered a marathon three-hour set that tested the resolve of even the most ardent followers. The performance, headlining the festival at Donington Park, left many questioning whether nostalgia alone can sustain such an extended show.
A Mixed Bag of Hits and Covers
The opening 20 minutes were a masterclass, with the band strutting across the stage to a robust rendition of Welcome to the Jungle. However, Axl Rose's deadpan comment about having 'a few of your close friends drop by' landed with dad joke vibes rather than rock star swagger. Early material like Bad Obsession and It's So Easy sounded sturdy, but Axl clearly struggled to hit the wildcat highs of You Could Be Mine.
As the set progressed, it became a slog. Unnecessary covers such as Black Sabbath's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, the Sex Pistols' Black Leather with Duff McKagan on vocals, and a bewildering rendition of Wichita Lineman left fans scratching their heads. A version of Velvet Revolver's Slither worked but felt hollow, given that band was merely a placeholder when Slash and Duff were absent from Guns N' Roses.
Slash's Solo Overload
Slash, fast becoming a living meme, was arguably the most photographed person at Download in his signature top hat. His soloing on stage was excessive, with endless blues runs that, while impressive at first, left fans fearing he might still be widdling away in November. The crowd began thinning out by the end, and staying for the inevitable finale of Sweet Child o' Mine, November Rain, and Paradise City felt like doing the band a favour.
There has been talk of a new album for the best part of a decade, but if recent humdrum tunes like Atlas are any indication, they might be better off sticking with more covers. Perhaps Patience would have been a more appropriate encore, but by then the hangover had already started to kick in.
