By Maia Engelbrecht
In the midst of the upcoming Guns n’ Roses’ performance in Singapore, there was an implicit promise that they would deliver one of the greatest concerts in years since the COVID-19 pandemic, and a vehement hope among fans and casual concert-goers alike, that they would be the ultimate break from everyday monotony. But is Guns n’ Roses, a band that had definitively defined a previous generation, the answer to represent this one?
In Singapore, the obscurity of any past or current music scene has often been the root of its predicament: any potential patronage is lost due to their inability to access those unlikely to know about it. Even then, the often insubordinate nature of the music has and likely will continue to be the subject of scrutiny by the authorities. Despite this, Guns n’ Roses, one of the most notoriously permissive bands of the last century, had become one of the most highly anticipated concerts in Singapore since those of artists such as Billie Eilish. However, the question arises of whether or not they represent the spirit and indulgences of a bygone era, and if that manifests physically within their shows.
The concert in question was relatively jovial, as almost everyone there was clad in merchandise, while few were noticeably dressed in elaborate costumes to resemble several of the members: particularly Slash. However, to the surprise of very few, the band was around an hour late and ended the show much later than expected. But what’s curious is that many of the attendees treated it as something similar to a family outing, with couples bringing along their children seemingly as young as seven or eight, as if, to some extent, they knew it would be an experience in which they would only passively observe rather than to actively be part of, a significant commonality amongst those who sat in the seats of the stadium, far from the stage.
Whether or not the boisterous experience of older Guns n’ Roses concerts is of any value, is up to the audience themselves; however, within the performance, there was a certain complacency: Singapore was but a fleeting night within decades of touring and performing, and although not incredibly apparent, one could pick up on the sense that it was not an experience, but simply just another job for the ageing band.