Nowhere are the excesses of Guns N' Roses better showcased than on their new DVD. Where else would scantily clad ladies gyrating on podiums, larger than life light displays, virtual fireworks and infectious rock, fit in so well other than the Hard Rock Las Vegas? Shot as part of their 2012 Appetite for Democracy tour, this release is available as a DVD/ CD combo and Blu Ray 2D/ 3D pack.
Whilst the bands line up may have altered significantly ( Axl Rose is the only original member) their sound remains virtually unaltered, give or take a few heavier elements introduced as a hangover from more recent songs. The set covers the bands hits, newer material and a few covers too all in glossy 1080p and multi camera set ups; just as well considering Axl's propensity to spend the entire time wondering the stage like a cat on hot bricks. On the
downside there was far too many lights from the audience's mobile phones which was pretty distracting for the crowd shots, not to mention disrespectful.
The concert as a whole is average and the band lack the interaction that the original G N' R had. In places the show comes close to a parody of the band's halcyon days with strippers, acrobats, Axl suspended above the crowd singing November Rain and DJ Ashba attempting to fill Slash's shoes by wearing a familiar trademark hat. Individually the band are fine musicians who have a lot to offer during instrumental filler tracks such as Rocket Queen and Ballad Of Death, but spend the rest of the concert propping up Axl's ego. His performance is also a tad disconnected from the audience and the rest of the band, although his voice is as recognisable as ever, the strain does show on a couple of songs. A great live version of This I Love appears, although it's better to listen to the CD for this one to avoid the motion sickness. A cover of Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) is an odd choice for the band and started off well but was let down by being abridged and vocally the wrong song for Axl. Comfortably Numb or Welcome To the Machine would have been a better choice if they had to cover a Pink Floyd track.
When it comes to the bands own material they appear more comfortable with Axl at the helm, strutting his stuff and showcasing his vocal range and performing old favourites such as,Welcome To The Jungle, Sweet Child Of Mine, Live and Let Die and Paradise City
To really get the best from this live concert you'll need a 3D TV and more importantly a decent home cinema set up as most likely your TV's built in speakers won't do it justice, but it's a fun ride.