The Saturday (May 17, 2025) rains and gloomy sky ahead of the American legendary hard rock band Guns N’ Roses performance at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse could not dampen the spirit of the show. In fact, the morning showers on May 17, 2025, seemed like they were welcoming the arrival of ‘November Rain’ in a poetic manner. The rains also caused a major traffic jam that made many fans walk towards the venue from the Mahalaxmi railway station.
After the rains, organisers of the Guns N’ Roses 2025 India tour, BookMyShow Live and Live Nation, the global producers of the tour, issued advisory, asking fans to carry ponchos and raincoats, rain-friendly and comfortable shoes, with a few last-minute changes at the entry gates and ticket counters.
The long queue outside the gates, made people restless, with some complaining of missing the opening act by Indian rock band, Girish And The Chronicles from Gangtok, Sikkim.
The last time when the band came to India in 2012, fan, Avi T., a digital marketing professional from Mumbai, missed the concert, so he had to attend this time. “GNR is one of my all-time favorite bands, their songs have beautiful mix of soft and heavy rock genre. It is great to see how Slash has not lost his touch, and his fingers move as fast as they would years ago. His guitar riff in Sweet Child O’ Mine and November Rain are all time greatest. The band played continuously straight without taking a break, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., we must give it to them for the energy they still carry. I would have come here even if it were raining.”
From gritty riffs to raw, rebellious anthems to romance, the concert was a full-blown musical pilgrimage. Fans wearing band’s t-shirt, jackets, bandanas and even leather jackets, had arrived from across India including neighbouring countries to experience the golden age of hard rock, lifetime experience for many.
Guns N’ Roses took the fans to the golden era of hard rock music at their performance in Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Racecourse on Saturday.
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Special Arrangement
At 7 p.m., Axl Rose, the lead vocalist and lyricist of the band opened the show with Welcome to the Jungle, the raw, relentless track, everything that makes the band what they are: chaos, energy, danger and defiance. After the song, Rose said, “It is good to see you again, Mumbai. How are we doing?”
As Slash (lead guitarist) played the opening riff of Sweet Child O’ Mine, the audience screamed the chorus in unison, waving at the band.
In between the singing, Rose introduced Michael Andrew McKagan famous as Duff McKagan (bassist), Darren Arthur Reed famous as Dizzy Reed (keyboardist), Melissa Reese (keyboardist), Richard Fortus (guitarist) and Isaac Carpenter (drummer).
Wearing a black sequin blazer over his black tee, Rose set the mood right with the spotlight just on him and the piano as he sat down to play the classic masterpiece November Rain.
Fans were also treated with the all time hits such as: You Could Be Mine, It’s So Easy, Estranged, Pretty Tied Up, Paradise City, Yesterday, Patience, Bad Obsession, Live And Let Die, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, Better, and Civil War.
Published – May 18, 2025 03:14 pm IST
