This most excellent adventure started when @AmwayCenter tweeted:
And by a random-and-ever-so-lucky turn of events, I won TWO tickets to the GnR Chinese Democracy Tour 2011 leg with Buckcherry!!
I have never attended a Rock concert, but I’m into Rock Music (among many other music genres). I especially adore Def Leppard,The Beatles, The GazettE, David Bowie, X Japan and of course Guns N’ Roses! I share this love with my sister. So naturally the second thought after ” Oh &*#%, I won!” was ” My sister is going to flip!” I had to invite her, she’s my partner in crime!
So Excited, My sis and I headed to the Amway Center, not expecting much out of Comp tickets, yet extremely appreciative, it was smooth sailing at will call. It was awesome to see all kinds of people there, no stereotypes just folks who love ROCK. All ages all backgrounds. I forgot to mention another first, although I live here the City Beautiful[Orlando's Nickname], I had yet to step inside the Amway Center Multimillion Dollar venue. Are you keeping count on the firsts?
Rock Concerts Attended: 1
Been to Amway Center a year and half later: 1
We were ushered to our seat and we notice that we were stepping closer and closer to the stage (stage right to be exact) I’m freaking out in the best kind of way. AMWAY hooked us up!!! I actually tweeted this on my cheap phone but it didn’t go through. (Gracias Amway Center for the best seats!)
Since my sister and I were born shutter-happy, we start clicking away, taking pictures of whatever:
Here are some Highlights:
Buckcherry started to rile up the crowd. Wow such energy and am not going to pretend to have recognized who they were until they played the song (sorry) and I was like “ah I know them. DUH!” My bad to all the Buckcherry hardcore fans and the band, but they now have gained 2 new rookie fans! Then after everyone was pumped up, we waited…
GnR took over an hour to come on after Buckcherry
N’ waited…
… N’ waited for Guns N’ Roses to come on. I can’t say I was upset. Although the woman in the row in front of us decided to smoke inside her jacket like a 13 year old in Middle school [I guess its part of the Rock Concert experience]. So we decided to go out to the lobby and get some fresh air.
I’m glad we did because we ran in to some fans who were in Halloween Costumes. I had to take a picture…
Shakira! Maria and John, such cool people!
Axl Rose, he is still Rockin'!
So we go back to our seats to wait. Finally GnR started, I even forgot what time it was (It was close to midnight the concert started at about 9-ish) Axl had to say Good Morning [LOL] and then he greeted us in Spanish too!!
One Dynamic Piano Dude!
Frank Ferrer on the Drums, he was jammin'
I was surprised I knew the words to most of the songs. I was specifically waiting to listen to November Rain, I wasn’t disappointed! Earlier in the day, I cringed because I saw an unfortunate rendition on youtube from last year, of Slash’s solo in the song ♫♪. Then bam! My jaw was on the floor, I had goosebumps, it was amazing, the sound [that was the signature of Richard and Dj made it awesome] and the emotion was definitely there.
Kisses and Touching; we were smoked out of our seats, after talking to unmoved ushers to handle the situation we moved to clearer air. I’m S0 glad we did! We got closer and was able to understand Axl’s singing. The sound was 1000 times better where we moved.
I developed an instant crush on Richard Fortus he can rock his guitar with such an energy and is ever so sexy! because of that, you know where my camera was pointing at all night. I walked down to the side when he walked up to the stage right platform to play. I waved at him he waved back [AHHH (*v*)].
Richard Fortus Waving back, AAAAAAAHHHH! * The man played with X Japan in '08!
I took the blurry pic and I blew him a kiss [as to say thank you] then he blew a kiss back [FAINT (x_x)]! I thought all the great things are over until Dj Ashba, who is a stunning musician and Rock Fashionista, decides to jump into the crowd, into our section. I run out of the way as to not be trampled. My sister takes the opportunity to touch his sweaty arm [in her words "ooh, he is really real!"] She now nick named Dj Ashba, Sexxy 1 and Richard, Sexxy 2!
They finish the concert and I stick around wanting more. They do an Encore that included PARADISE CITY!!! I actually head banged and included the ‘Yay yeah’s’ for Axl’s ‘Take me Home’s'! My body was exhausted at 2 am, but electrified with the music!
Dj Ashba is a born Rock Star!
I read a few comments on YouTube of past performances by the current GnR, that were sadly disappointing and downright offensive. I also thought I was going to experience a cover-type of band, without the GnR members of the 80′s-90′s. But The band I saw on Friday WAS Guns n’ Roses v.2011! The Concert was Phenomenal and Mind-Blowing! Definitely a Concert not to miss! I say to Anyone who bought tickets for the rest of the tour, Enjoy and ROCK ON!!
*Soon to be uploaded are the Fan Video clips of some of the songs for Buckcherry and Guns n’ Roses, at our PoP Jun Ki Youtube channel! as well as more pics to the image Gallery.
I would love to hear from all of you about your live concert experiences!
Hasta Later
-Cinéany
