Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour

Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour
The Guns N' Roses/Metallica Stadium Tour was a co-headlining concert tour by American rock bands Guns N' Roses and Metallica during 1992. It took place in the middle of Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion Tour, promoting their Use Your Illusion I and II albums, and between Metallica's Wherever We May Roam Tour and Nowhere Else to Roam, promoting their eponymous fifth album Metallica. The tour's initial opening act was Faith No More as Axl Rose had originally wanted Seattle rock band Nirvana to be the opening act, but frontman Kurt Cobain refused.
History
On May 12, 1992, Metallica's drummer, Lars Ulrich, and Guns N' Roses' lead guitarist, Slash, held a press conference at the Gaslight in Los Angeles, California, announcing that both Metallica and Guns N' Roses would tour together that summer, beginning in Washington, D.C., at RFK Stadium on July 17, 1992. Footage of Metallica's opening song "Creeping Death" was later recorded for their documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica.
On July 22, 1992, at the Hoosier Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana; Blind Melon's lead vocalist, Shannon Hoon, joined Guns N' Roses onstage for the original version of their song "Don't Cry".
Following James Hetfield's injuries stemming from his burns during their ill-fated performance in Montreal, the tour resumed in Avondale, Arizona, at the Phoenix International Raceway on August 25, 1992, with Hetfield wearing a thick elbow-to-finger bandage and unable to play guitar until his arm was fully healed. Former Metallica roadie, former Metallica guitar tech, and Metal Church guitarist John Marshall filled in for the rest of the tour on rhythm guitar, while Hetfield continued to sing. Metallica's performance of "Nothing Else Matters" was recorded for their documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica.
Faith No More lead guitarist Jim Martin joined Metallica onstage for their cover of the Misfits song "Last Caress" on September 5, 1992, at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas.
Body Count was hired to open the tour on September 22, 1992 after Faith No More was fired from the bill the day prior. Body Count performed their first concert as the opening act in Kansas City, Missouri, at Arrowhead Stadium on September 17, 1992, and continued opening for the rest of the tour, along with Motörhead on the last three dates of the tour. Motörhead opened for the show at the Los Angeles Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, on September 27, 1992, as Body Count was dropped from the bill for the Coliseum show.
Comedian Andrew Dice Clay introduced Guns N' Roses before they came onstage on October 3, 1992 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California.
The tour was financially successful for Metallica, however; Guns N' Roses did not benefit nearly as much. According to Slash, in his self-titled autobiography, the band lost about 80% of their earnings primarily due to Rose's extravagant spending, which included funding expensive backstage theme parties at every show, as well as the band being fined heavily for multiple late appearances. The tour also earned both bands a Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award in 1992, when it was voted "Best Concert Tour".
Incidents
On July 21, 1992, when Guns N' Roses was performing at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, when the band was done performing their song "You Could Be Mine", Axl Rose vomited onstage and left soon afterwards, but returned to the stage and apologized to the audience for the poor performance, so the band performed the song again.
On July 29, 1992, while Guns N' Roses was performing during the second show at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, frontman Axl Rose encountered severe pain in his throat, but continued the show until he was hit in the genitals by a cigarette lighter thrown from the audience during "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", forcing him to retreat backstage to recover, while bassist Duff McKagan took over on vocals as the set would be immediately be cut short soon afterwards.
On July 30, 1992, while on a rest day in New York City, Rose was diagnosed with severe damage to his vocal chords, and was told by doctors that he could not sing for at least a week, resulting in three shows of the tour being rescheduled.
On September 21, 1992, Faith No More was fired from the tour due in large part to the band's dissatisfaction with Guns N' Roses' management and singer Mike Patton's obscene retaliatory behavior in which he allegedly urinated on Axl Rose's teleprompter.
Montreal Riot
On August 8, 1992, during the performance at Montreal's Olympic Stadium; several songs into Metallica's set, during the song Fade to Black, frontman and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield was accidentally burned by improper pyrotechnics forcing the band to cut their set short as Hetfield was rushed to the hospital. After Hetfield was taken to the hospital, lead guitarist Kirk Hammett, bassist Jason Newsted and drummer Lars Ulrich promised a makeup concert to quell the sold-out crowd of 54,666. After lengthy delay, the audience became increasingly impatient as Guns N' Roses eventually took the stage after a two and a half hour wait. However; the shortened time between sets did not allow for adequate tuning of the band's stage monitors, resulting in multiple band members noticing audial issues. Singer Axl Rose later blamed the issues on bad audio and vocal problems stemming from his diagnosis on July 30. Rose forced the band to end their set short after performing only nine songs, then proclaiming to the crowd "This is going to be the last you'll hear from us in a long time, I'm out" before throwing his microphone and storming offstage. Following the set, an estimated crowd of 2,000 people began rioting within the stadium and surrounding areas, the fans would overturn police cars, loot various souvenir booths, and set multiple bonfires within the stadium causing an estimated $600,000 in damage to the stadium and surrounding areas. Footage from the incident was later included in Metallica's 1992 documentary A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica. According to multiple reports from Metallica's road crew, in addition to guitarist Kirk Hammett, Rose showed little remorse for the incident following the mayhem, and was even reported by Hammett to have returned to his dressing room drinking with other band members while the bands were forced to remain inside the Expos' locker rooms during the destruction.
Six shows were forced to be rescheduled due to Hetfield's injuries, including a cancelled performance in Vancouver at BC Place for August 17.
On August 27, 1992 during a performance of U2's Zoo TV Tour, frontman Bono jokingly imitated Rose regarding the incident to the crowd, asking fans "Oh hey, what time is it? looks like we gotta go!".
Metallica would later perform two half-priced shows at the Montreal Forum in February 1993. The Régie banned Guns N' Roses for life from the venue.
On August 11 and 13, 2023, as part of their M72 world tour playing two shows for every city, Metallica will return to the Olympic Stadium for the first time since the events.
Guns N' Roses setlists
First setlist
(Taken from the Orchard Park, New York, Rich Stadium show on July 25, 1992)
"Nightrain"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"Bad Obsession"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"It's So Easy"
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"You Could Be Mine"
"It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)
"November Rain"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Don't Cry (Original)"
"Paradise City"
Second setlist
(Taken from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Three Rivers Stadium show on July 26, 1992)
"It's So Easy"
"Nightrain"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"Bad Obsession"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"Move to the City"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"You Could Be Mine"
"November Rain"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Don't Cry (Original)"
"Paradise City"
Third setlist
(Taken from the Houston, Texas, Astrodome show on September 4, 1992)
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"Nightrain"
"Bad Obsession"
"It's So Easy"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)
"November Rain"
"You Could Be Mine"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Don't Cry (Original)"
"Paradise City"
Fourth setlist
(Taken from the Columbia, South Carolina, Williams-Brice Stadium show on September 7, 1992)
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"It's So Easy"
"Bad Obsession"
"Nightrain"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"Move to the City"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"You Could Be Mine"
"It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)
"November Rain"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Paradise City"
Fifth setlist
(Taken from the Foxborough, Massachusetts, Foxboro Stadium show on September 11, 1992)
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"It's So Easy"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"Nightrain"
"Out ta Get Me"
"You Could Be Mine"
"It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)
"November Rain"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Don't Cry (Original)"
"Paradise City"
Sixth setlist
(Taken from the San Diego, California, Jack Murphy Stadium show on September 30, 1992)
"Welcome to the Jungle"
"It's So Easy"
"Mr. Brownstone"
"Nightrain"
"Attitude" (Misfits cover)
"Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney and Wings cover)
"Bad Obsession"
"Wild Horses" (The Rolling Stones cover)
"Patience"
"Double Talkin' Jive"
"Civil War"
"You Could Be Mine"
"It's Alright" (Black Sabbath cover)
"November Rain"
"Sweet Child o' Mine"
"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)
"Don't Cry (Original)"
"Paradise City"
Metallica setlists
First setlist
(Taken from the Orchard Park, New York, Rich Stadium show on July 25, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Fade to Black"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Second setlist
(Taken from the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Three Rivers Stadium show on July 26, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Fade to Black"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Third setlist
(Taken from the Houston, Texas, Astrodome show on September 4, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Fade to Black"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Fourth setlist
(Taken from the Columbia, South Carolina, Williams-Brice Stadium show on September 7, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Fade to Black"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Fifth setlist
(Taken from the Foxborough, Massachusetts, Foxboro Stadium show on September 11, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Fade to Black"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Sixth setlist
(Taken from the San Diego, California, Jack Murphy Stadium show on September 30, 1992)
"Creeping Death"
"Harvester of Sorrow"
"Welcome Home (Sanitarium)"
"Sad but True"
"Wherever I May Roam"
"Of Wolf and Man"
"For Whom the Bell Tolls"
"The Unforgiven"
"The Shortest Straw"
"Bass Solo"
"Guitar Solo"
"Fade to Black"
"Master of Puppets"
"Seek & Destroy"
"Whiplash"
"Nothing Else Matters"
"Am I Evil?" (Diamond Head cover)
"Last Caress" (Misfits cover)
"One"
"Enter Sandman"
Tour dates
Personnel
Guns N' Roses
W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, piano, whistle, whistling, tambourine
Slash – lead guitar, backing vocals, talkbox
Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals
Matt Sorum – drums, percussion, backing vocals
Dizzy Reed – keyboards, piano, organ, synthesizer, percussion, tambourine
Gilby Clarke – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Metallica
James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Kirk Hammett – lead guitar, backing vocals
Lars Ulrich – drums, percussion
Jason Newsted – bass, backing vocals
John Marshall – rhythm guitar (August 25 – October 6)
Faith No More (July 17-removed September 21)
Mike Patton – lead vocals
Jim Martin – lead guitar, backing vocals, rhythm guitar on "Last Caress" during Metallica's set
Billy Gould – bass, backing vocals
Mike Bordin – drums
Roddy Bottum – keyboards, backing vocals
Motörhead (September 27-October 6)
Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister – lead vocals, bass
Phil "Wizzö" Campbell – lead guitar, backing vocals
Würzel – lead guitar
Mickey Dee – drums
Body Count (September 17-October 6)
Ice-T – lead vocals
Ernie C – lead guitar
D-Roc the Executioner – rhythm guitar
Mooseman – bass
Beatmaster V – drums
Touring musicians for Guns N' Roses
Teddy Andreadis – keyboards, backing vocals, harmonica, tambourine
Roberta Freeman – backing vocals, tambourine
Traci Amos – backing vocals, tambourine
Diane Jones – backing vocals, tambourine
Anne King – trumpet
Cece Worrall-Rubin – saxophone
Lisa Maxwell – saxophone
Additional musicians for Guns N' Roses
Shannon Hoon – backing vocals on "Don't Cry" (Original) (July 22, 1992)
References
1992 concert tours
Co-headlining concert tours
Guns N' Roses concert tours
Metallica concert tours