Just a little patience, yeaaaaah.
Guns N’ Roses fans know all too well that that’s the chief requirement of loving the influential (life-changing for some – including NOW’s music editor) L.A. hard rock superstars. After shooting out of the gates with Appetite For Destruction in 1987 and the Use Your Illusion albums in 1991, it was a full 17 years before we got a follow-up of original music, and 2008’s Chinese Democracy wasn’t exactly mind-blowing.
Nor did it feature most of the classic lineup. Slash, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin were long gone, having moved on to careers in Velvet Revolver, Loaded, Slash’s Snakepit and others, while Axl Rose sporadically toured as Guns N’ Roses with a rotating cast of backing musicians. Despite reunion rumours, it’s taken another eight years for them to mend bridges, but with a first show already under their belts (last week at L.A.’s Troubadour) – sans Stradlin – and 20 dates announced, it looks like the Not In This Lifetime tour is really going to happen in our lifetime.
Don’t forget, though, that patience is also required at the shows themselves. Eat a hearty dinner and pack snacks before heading to the Rogers Centre for the Toronto stop. You never know how long it’ll take Rose to get onstage. But once it happens, every human being in there will be losing their shit, guaranteed.
At the Rogers Centre (1 Blue Jays Way) on July 16, 8:30 pm. $49.50-$250. On sale Friday (April 8). livenation.com, ticketmaster.ca.
Images Opening Night Party with Cris Derksen, Petra Glynt, Amy Wong at The Garrison doors 9 pm. $10, free with opening night ticket stub. April 14.
Ice Cream, Scott Hardware, Man Made Hill at Smiling Buddha Record release. Doors 9 pm. $8-$12. ticketfly.com. April 23.
Pierre Bensusan at Saint Stephen-in-the-Fields Church doors 7:30 pm. $35. tinyurl.com/pierre2016. May 7.
The Magician, Jonathan Rosa at Velvet Underground doors 10 pm. $20. ticketweb.ca. May 12.
Peach Kelli Pop, Twist, Bueller at Smiling Buddha doors 9 pm. $10. eventbrite.ca. May 19.
Young Guv at Bovine Sex Club 10 pm. $12, adv $10. ticketfly.com. May 20.
Electric Island: Gui Boratto, Jamie Jones, Green Velvet, Nicole Moudaber, Bicep, Fatima Yamaha, DJ Tennis, Nitin, Sven Väth, Dixon, Guy Gerber, Ben Klock and more at Hanlan’s Point Beach Concert series. $149 pass for five shows. ticketweb.ca/electricisland. May 23, July 1, August 1, September 4 & 5.
Drone Therapy at Music Gallery National Drone Day. 3-6 pm. Free/pwyc (proceeds to CAMH). musicgallery.org. May 28.
Sister Nancy at Adelaide Hall doors 10 pm. $20 adv. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, playderecord.com,ticketfly.com. May 28.
Berner, Kool John, Anonymous That Dude at Mod Club doors 8 pm, all ages. $20. On sale now. ticketfly.com. May 30.
Getter at The Hoxton doors 10 pm. $15. ticketweb.ca. June 3.
Bryson Tiller, Anderson .Paak at Echo Beach doors 5 pm, all ages. $52-$78. On sale now. ticketmaster.ca. June 3.
Untimely Demise, Spewgore, Corporal Punishment at Hard Luck Bar doors 8:30 pm. $10 at the door. June 4.
Mandroid Echostar at Velvet Underground doors 9 pm. $12. On sale now. ticketweb.ca. June 4.
GOrdi at Drake Hotel doors 8 pm. $13.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 7.
Liz Harris (Grouper) & Paul Clipson perform Hypnosis Display, Wyrd Visions at The Great Hall 7:30 pm. $18. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 9.
Pkew Pkew Pkew, Bond Girls, Junior Battles at Smiling Buddha doors 9 pm. $10. On sale now. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com, ticketfly.com. June 10.
Black Pistol Fire at Adelaide Hall doors 8 pm. $15. On sale now. soundscapesmusic.com, rotate.com,ticketfly.com. June 10.
Grandmaster Flash at Velvet Underground doors 10 pm. $20-$25. On sale now. playderecord.com,soundscapesmusic.com, ticketweb.ca. June 18.
Dagoba, Kreise Coalition doors 9 pm. $12.50. ticketfly.com. June 18.
Ben Watt & His Band (Feat. Bernard Butler) at Drake Hotel doors 8 pm. $25. On sale now. ticketfly.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com. June 20.
Flag, DOA, War On Women, the Dirty Nil at Lee’s Palace doors 7 pm. $32. ticketweb.ca. June 23.
Agnostic Front at The Dance Cave doors 9 pm. $20.50. On sale now. ticketfly.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com. June 23.
Steve Gunn, Promised Land Sound at The Great Hall doors 8 pm. $17.50. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. June 25.
Melanie Gardot at Danforth Music Hall 7 pm. $59.50-$72.50. On sale now. ticketmaster.ca. June 27.
David Bazan, Laura Gibson at The Great Hall doors 8 pm. $20. On sale now. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. July 2.
Guns N’ Roses at Rogers Centre Not In This Lifetime Tour. 8:30 pm. $49.50-$250. On sale April 8. ticketmaster.ca. July 16.
The Lumineers, Langhorne Slim & The Law, Rayland Baxter at Molson Amphitheatre 7 pm, all ages. $25-$60. On sale April 8. ticketmaster.ca. July 28.
Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Kevin Gates, Jhene Aiko, Casey Veggies, DJ Drama at Molson Amphitheatre The High Road Summer Tour. 7 pm, all ages. $28-$125. On sale April 8. ticketmaster.ca. July 29.
Veld Festival with The Chainsmokers, Deadmau5, DVBBS, Flume, Kygo, Martin Garrix, Steve Aoki, Travis Scott, Attlas, Duke Dumont, Galantis, Excision, Hucci and more at Downsview Park gates 11 am, all ages. $159.50-$189.50, VIP 19+ $199.50-$229.50. On sale now. ticketmaster.ca. July 30-31.
Wye Oak at Lee’s Palace doors 8:30 pm. $20. On sale now. rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. August 5.
Kiran Aluwahlia at Hugh’s Room 8:30 pm. $40, adv $35. August 6.
Bob Log III at Horseshoe doors 7:30 pm. $13.50. On sale April 8. horseshoetavern.com, rotate.com, soundscapesmusic.com, ticketfly.com. August 14.
Sigur Rós at Massey Hall 8 pm. $79.50-$249. On sale April 8. roythomson.com. October 3.
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