A packed MCG was on show for all to see at the Guns N’ Roses concert in February.
More than six months in the planning, and eight years after hosting its most recent concert, the Guns N’ Roses performance on Valentine’s Day was memorable for all the right reasons.A crowd of 73,756 packed the arena and the grandstands to see Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan and Dizzy Reed perform together as part of the Not In This Lifetime Tour that had been earning rave reviews wherever it went.
It was the second-highest concert crowd in MCG history, falling narrowly behind the last concert at the ‘G when 80,518 fans gathered for Sound Relief, to raise money for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal in 2009.
With little recent concert experience, and a Twenty20 international to be played at the ground less than 72 hours later, there were some understandable nerves as 54 semi-trailer loads of equipment and a 300-strong workforce began bumping into the stadium four days before the show.
It was a major logistical and planning exercise that we are pleased to report was achieved with little impact on the turf, and with our standing as a major concert venue enhanced. Don’t take our word for it; let’s hear from ‘Opie’ the production manager for Guns N’ Roses:
“The last time I was in the venue was in 1995 with the Rolling Stones,” he said in an email to the club after the show. “I had a great experience then and was very much looking forward to coming back.
“The venue most certainly did not disappoint. We had a tremendous time from the moment we walked in to the time that we left.
The MCG is at the top of its class and I was honoured to be able to do a show there. I would recommend the venue to anyone and just hope that it is not another 22 years before I can visit again.”
This was not your standard MCG event. There was no MCC Reserve, and clearly some of the attire being worn in those areas would not have passed muster at the football or cricket.
However, the club was pleased to be able to secure four rooms in which to allow 400 members and their 600 guests to enjoy some fine hospitality before enjoying the gig.
The Frank Grey Smith Bar, Long Room, Members Dining Room and Jim Stynes Grill were all in use for pre-concert functions. Another 650 members took the opportunity to purchase concert tickets in a pre-sale period last August.
While much has been made of the band appearing 50 minutes late, and the unfortunate ‘Welcome, Sydney” introduction to the crowd, the show itself was spectacular.
The two-and-a-half hour performance featured 23 songs, including popular classics such as Welcome to the Jungle, Civil War, November Rain, Live and Let Die, You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O’ Mine and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, before the finale of Paradise City whipped the crowd into a frenzy once more. We were even treated to a special guest appearance by AC/DC rocker Angus Young.
No sooner had the fans departed and the band left the stage that work began on dismantling the entire setup and preparing the pitch and outfield for the cricket match three days later. That there was barely any trace of the concert’s presence so soon afterwards is a testament to the efforts of all involved, and a nod to the quality of Australia’s favourite playing surface.
After a show like Guns N’ Roses, we remain hopeful and confident that it will not be another eight years before we are planning to host our next large-scale musical act.