Appetite for more stadium rock: Guns N' Roses loaded for McDonald Jones

by · Newcastle Herald
Los Angeles hard rockers Guns N' Roses are scheduled for McDonald Jones Stadium next summer. Picture supplied

If you love your rock'n'roll served wild and dangerous, then you're in luck, because next summer Newcastle will be transformed into your Paradise City.

Iconic American rockers Guns N' Roses will play McDonald Jones Stadium on Tuesday, December 8.

The announcement comes hot on the heels of fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, the Foo Fighters, selling out their November 12 McDonald Jones Stadium show last week.

The Newcastle concert is part of Guns N' Roses' seven-date Australian and New Zealand leg of their world tour, which kicks off with an already-announced performance at the grand final of the Supercars in Adelaide on November 29.

The other newly announced shows land at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville (December 2), Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane (December 5), Marvel Stadium in Melbourne (December 11), Engie Stadium in Sydney (December 14) and Eden Park in Auckland (December 17).

Warrnambool-raised hard rockers Airbourne will join 'the Gunners" at their Australian shows.

Guns N' Roses need little introduction.

Once known as "the world's most dangerous band" in their late '80s to early '90s prime, they have sold more than 100 million records globally.

Hits such as Welcome To The Jungle, November Rain, Paradise City, Sweet Child O' Mine, Patience and You Could Be Mine have become radio staples and fixtures of rock'n'roll playlists.

Led by charismatic frontman Axl Rose and legendary lead guitarist Slash, the band toured Australia in 1988 and 1993 during the halcyon days of their massive albums, Appetite for Destruction and Use Your Illusion I & II.

The former is the highest-selling US debut album ever.

It will be the first time bassist Duff McKagan, left, and lead guitarist Slash, right, have joined singer Axl Rose, centre, in Newcastle for a Guns N' Roses show. Picture supplied

Guns N' Roses also toured in 2010, 2013, 2017 and 2022. The 2013 tour included a concert at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

The Newcastle date in 2013 was originally scheduled for McDonald Jones Stadium, which at the time had not hosted a concert in 23 years.

However, promoters downgraded the show to the much smaller indoor Newcastle Entertainment Centre, citing a scheduling clash with the Knights' first home game of the 2013 NRL season two days before.

While the show was received warmly, fans could argue it was an Axl Rose performance, not a true Gunners concert.

The tour fell before Slash and bassist Duff McKagan's 2016 return, after a two-decade absence from the band.

The current Guns N' Roses line-up is Rose, Slash, McKagan, Dizzy Reed (keyboard), Richard Fortus (rhythm guitar), Isaac Carpenter (drums), and Melissa Reese (keyboards).

Guns N' Roses' last album was 2008's troubled Chinese Democracy, but the band has been busy releasing new singles in recent years.

Last year they unveiled the new tracks Atlas and Nothin'.

The Guns N' Roses presale for Newcastle tickets starts next Wednesday, March 11, at 1pm, but you must have signed up by noon on Sunday.

Nightrain Fan Club members will have first access to tickets during a presale starting on Friday at 1pm.

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