GUNS N ROSES (Part 1) @ Paris Bercy, June 05 2012

GUNS N ROSES (Part 1) @ Paris Bercy, June 05

PART 2 HERE WITH COMPLETE SETLIST & Aftershow robbery

Guns n Roses is playing a few shows in France including this one in Paris Bercy, it's a 17000 capacity arena that is 2/3 full, only empty seats in the back.
There were many competitions to win tickets and the guest list was as long as the Chinese Wall.
Among people on the guest list many girls, with VIPs and Aftershow passes, probably coming from a Model agency.

DJ Ashba

Opening band is French super Heroes Shaka-Ponk, they are very popular over here but we arrived at the venue too late to see them.
As usual GUNS N ROSES is late, Axl and Co are getting on the stage @ 10:30pm.
Axl was already at Bercy around 4:30pm as a couple of friends saw him walking into the venue.

The band hasn't changed that much since the last time they've played in Paris (in 2010) with roughly the same setlist, only the solo parts have all been changed
Last time there were lots of complains about the sound, this time they've fixed it, even though I though that it wasn't loud enough down the front.
The stage has also more screens and more beautiful lightning than 2 years ago.
Great show no matter what people are saying

Axl Rose and band are on Top form, lots of people are talking shit about Guns N Roses and they're WRONG... GUNS N ROSES are rocking !!!

Maybe they should skip some of the solos part but Axl is on stage for 3 hours at every show so he needs a breather every 3-4 songs so that he can rest a bit and change shirt & hat.

Tommy doing his song

Great Video of "Streets of Dreams" (click on link)

GUNS N ROSES ( Part 2) @ Paris Bercy, June 05 2012

GUNS N ROSES (Part 2) @ Paris Bercy June 05 2012

Great atmosphere down the front with the audience singing the lyrics to most of the songs.
Good mix of old & new songs

The first part of the show is smoking with 8 songs played one after another then we have the solo spots and band jams so that Axl can rest a bit, people are complaining very often about that, but you have to remember that the shows were the same in 1992-1993.

Ron Thal is now singing his song, so is Tommy. No more Pink Panther theme.
Dizzy's introduction to "Street of dreams" is The Who song (Baba O'Reiley)

SETLIST : (from our friends @ GnrFrance )

1. Chinese Democracy
2. Welcome To The Jungle
3. It's So Easy
4. Mr. Brownstone
5. Sorry
6. Rocket Queen
7. Estranged
8. Better
   Richard solo
9. Live And Let Die
10. This I Love
11. Shackler's Revenge
12. Motivation (Tommy on vocals)
    Dizzy solo (Baba O'Reilley)
    
13. Street of Dreams
14. You Could Be Mine
    D.J. Ashba solo
15. Sweet Child O' Mine
    Band jam (Another Brick In The Wall)
    Axl piano solo
16. November Rain
17. Glad To Be Here (Ron on vocals)
18. Don't Cry
19. Civil War
    Band jam
20. Madagascar
21. Nightrain
    - Rappel -
22. Knockin' On Heaven's Door
    Band jam
23. Patience
    Band jam
24. Paradise City

It's a must see show for every Guns N Roses fan.

The night ended on a very sad note as Axl had a couple of necklaces worth 200 000 euros stolen in his dressing room where he was having a private party with a few dozens guests including the many beautiful girls we've seen in the vip area at the gig.
I guess that Axl Rose won't invite a dozen girls in his dressing room anymore without hiding the expensive jewellery.
Police were called at the venue after the show, several cars parked outside and a dozen policemen went into the backstage area.
Needless to tell you that Axl was furious and instead of leaving for Dusseldorf with the whole band (Guns are playing in Monchengladbach Germany on June 08, his tour bus went to a hotel in Paris @ 6:00am.

Updated June 06:
Luckily , the model who stole the necklaces went to the police station to give them back this morning, Axl went to the police station this afternoon to collect them before heading to Germany

GoodBye Paris / Pass sheet / After the storm

Merchandising

Tommy & Del James this afternoon @ Bercy

Reminder:
Check our reviews of GUNS N ROSES @ Zénith arena in Lille France
GUNS N ROSES @ bERCY pART 1 pART 2 pART 3 (click on all links for GREAT Pictures, setlist, exclusive videos)
GUNS N ROSES @ L'aRC Club pART 1 pART 2

Next rock concerts/shows in Paris for June 2012

June 02 2012
Garland Jeffreys @ Divan du Monde
June 03
Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth) @ Maroquinerie
June 05
Marilyn Manson @ Zénith (sold out)
GUNS N ROSES @ Paris Bercy (expect a late start)
June 06
Robert Francis @ Fnac St Lazare 6:00pm ( free show)
June 07
Richard Hawley @ Fnac Forum (free show) @ 6:00pm
June 09
Lou Reed + Blue Oyster Cult @ Montereau Festival (40 km outside Paris but it's only 10 euros)
June 11
Lou Reed @ Olympia (between 70 & 140 euros) LoL
June 12
Jerry lee Lewis @ Grand Rex CANCELLED
June 13
Paul Weller @ Bataclan
June 15 -16-17
HELLFEST @ Clisson
June 18
Motley Crue @ Zénith
June 20
Beth Hart @ Cigale
June 22
Chris Cornell solo acoustic @ Trianon
june 26
Lenny Kravitz @ Bercy
June 30
RHCP @ Stade de France
Main Square Fest with Pearl Jam & Miles Kane @ Arras

check first before going !!!
ENJOY !!!

Pop'Pea @ Théatre du Chatelet, Paris May 31 2012

Pop'Pea @ Théatre du Chatelet, Paris May 31 2012
featuring Carl Barât, Marc Almond, Benjamin Biolay, Valerie Gabail, Fredrika Stahl, Anna Madison.

Marc Almond just saw the play ! (far right)

Pop-Rock version of the Monterverdi opera @ Théatre du Chatelet , one of the most beautiful théatre in Paris where we've been many times. We saw Marianne Faithfull with Wayne Kramer, Yoko Ono, Muse, Woody Allen and a few others...

The play began with the most awful way : some rappers saying a lot of "Fuck this... Fuck That..." Ridiculous ! and French singer-actor on a motorcycle "singing" in English...even more ridiculous !
Specially when you know that even when he's speaking or singing in French , he's hard to understand, so imagine in English ! And he's speaking English as good as I would be speaking Chinese after two months classes.
What the hell is he doing here ? They couldn't get an English actor ?

Carl Barât as Néron & Marc Almond as Sénèque

There is a band with 3 musicians on each side of the stage down the front that is playing live musical parts.

They do have some nice costumes and some videos effects done live that are quite good.
Carl Barât & Marc Almond are not actors and you can see/feel it but they're doing OK.
The girls are the best: the acting and the singing are perfect.

After such a ridiculous start, Monteverdi might be turning into his grave, it's hard to really get into the play and not feeling uncomfortable for the actors probably wondering what the hell they are doing here!
For the most of the time we have the feeling that we're attending a School end of year party.
First part is lasting an hour and after a 20 minute intermission the cast is back for the second part (30 minutes long) that is much better.

Benjamin Biolay as Othon & Anna Madison as Drusilla

Valerie Gabail as Poppée with Carl Barât trying to strangle her (or fuck her , we still haven't figure it out)

We have mixed feelings, I never understood why people wanna do rock versions of Opéra, most of the time its a failure.
This one is average, too bad that the beginning of the play is so awful as the play is getting better in the end.

They're playing until June 07 and if you get your ticket at the box office you can get cheap tickets starting at 10 euros, so it's probably worth it but paying 80 euros for that : no way !

Fredrika Stahl as Ottavia (center) Nice Costume !!!

Musicians (far left) Main Cast (far right)