Guns N' Roses play to half-full NYC club

Rose goes on late - too late for some folks
Rose goes on late - too late for some folks (Image credit: Mate Nandorfi/epa/Corbis)

Apparently, Axl Rose and the band he calls Guns N' Roses know how to clear a room. Friday morning in New York City (or late Thursday night, whichever you prefer), the group performed at what used to be the famed CBGBs - and by the time they finished, the place was half empty.

According to Brooklyn Vegan, Rose and GN'R played at the John Varvatos boutique in the East Village, hitting the stage just after 1am for a 17-song set that weighed heavily on songs from the album Appetite For Destruction. (See video of My Michelle below.)

"This was the best fucking show of our tour!" exclaimed Rose to an intimate (and extremely fashionable) crowd of nearly that included Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Rachel Hunter, Kelly Cutrone, Mick Rock, Sean Lennon and Rose's good friend Sebastian Bach.

Axl's enthusiasm and the band's loose vibe, however, weren't enough to hold the audience, many of whom had exited by the time the group finished their last song, Night Train. Guess Rose shouldn't be 'fashionably late' to all of his gigs.

Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar WorldGuitar PlayerMusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.