Chinese Democracy Blows Panama City Away

Guns N’ Roses fans needed a little patience last night at the Chinese Democracy Tour show in Panama City.

Los 33, a local band, quietly opened the show at 8:30 p.m.  Former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach came on at 9:30 p.m., rocking out with an hour-and-a-half mane-shaking, microphone-twirling performance.  He included Van Halen’s “Panama” toward the end of his set list to get the audience really riled.

And then came the  lengthy intermission, now characteristic of the tour, before Guns N’ Roses took the stage at 12:30 a.m.  Just a few seconds into opening with Chinese Democracy, Axl Rose stopped the music when something thrown from the crowd hit him in the face.  Incidentally, a similar incident occurred at a March 13 Guns N’ Roses Sao Paolo, Brazil.

“Next person does something, we go home,” Rose said. “We have no problem with that.  We’ll go home.  You all want to have a good time? Let’s try this again.”

Then, Guns N’ Roses launched into a 15-song, convention center-shaking set with frequent explosive pyrotechnics, followed by a three song encore.  The crowd went particularly wild for GNR classics “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Live and Let Die”, “Sweet Child ‘O Mine”, “Paradise City” and the second to last song, “Patience.”  By the final encore, “Nightrain”, the VIP section barriers came down and the non-VIP audience rushed the stage where confetti exploded over the remaining spectators.  The band downed shots and beers on stage before turning in.

During the show, the talent of the new Guns N’ Roses band mates was featured with maniacal individual solos.  A slimmed-down Axl Rose changed either a shirt, bandana, sunglasses or hat between each song – with signature swaying, leg-kicking and running from one end of the stage to the other – during a memorable and perhaps worth the wait, high-energy show.

The Panama City set list was as follows:

Chinese Democracy - Welcome To The Jungle - It’s So Easy - Mr Brownstone - Better - If The World - Richard Fortus Solo - Live And Let Die - This I Love - Rocket Queen – Dizzy Reed solo – Street of Dreams – You Could Be Mine - DJ Ashba Solo - Sweet Child O’ Mine - November Rain - Bumblefoot Pink Panther Theme Rock Solo - Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door - Paradise City

With Encores: Madagascar – Patience – Nightrain

Guns N Roses Panama Show