February 17, 2005 - Christchurch, New Zealand - Westpac Centre

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General Information

Date: February 17, 2005
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand
Venue: Westpac Centre; Jack Hinton Drive, Addington; Christchurch, New Zealand [ Venue website ]
Box Office Number: (64 3) 366 8899
Additional Info: Support Act: The D4

Thanks to Andrew for the set list!

Set List

• Sucker Train Blues
• Do It for the Kids
• Headspace
• Superhuman
• Crackerman
• Illegal I
• Fall to Pieces
• Dirty Little Thing
• Big Machine
• It's So Easy
• Sex Type Thing
• Set Me Free
• Used to Love Her
• You Got No Right
• Mr. Brownstone
• Slither

Reviews (8) [ send in your own review/pictures of the Christchurch show ]

Thanks to Michael: Well what can I say. ROCK AND ROLL MOTHERFUCKER!!!! They tore the roof off the place! Slash-even after all this time-can still play those G n R classics note for note. As for the new stuff, you can still hear some Guns n roses and Stone Temple Pilots in them, but there seems to be little mixing between the two. And it sounded amazing. FUCK YEAH!!!

Thanks to Stacey: Wow what an amazing concert (Yes it was in February but just got internet). I have never been to such a fantastic concert in my whole life. Opening act was New Zealand band the D4 which was great. I was up the front squashed in the mosh pit the entire concert. Came out black and blue but stoked as because I caught Slash's cigarette that he threw out (still alight faintly burnt my hand) and Matt gave me his drumstick!!! At the end of the concert he came to the front of the stage and pointed to me. I leapt over the security gate and got the drumstick off him! I couldn't believe it! Unfortunaly I was pretty much mauled for it by a group of guys but I didn't let go. My ears were ringing for a couple of days afterwards and I was bruised for weeks but I would do it all again to have that experience :)

But wow! Matt (who posted a review) - I'm no guy but I got a drumstick of Matt's :). He personally pointed me out and made sure I got it - I hope you weren't one of the guys who beat me up for it - they left me in bruises for ages. Not only that I got Slash's cigarette when he threw it into the crowd - well, I got two but gave one to the avid fan (maybe Zach) that was standing next to me. Spent the entire concert up front including when the D4 were on. I was bruised and sore for several weeks after this concert (in February I maybe a bit late getting on here :P) but it was sooooo worth it. Matt Sorum thank you so much for the drumstick you made me the envy of many :). Pleasse come back to New Zealand when your new album comes out.

Thanks to Matt Brown: When you see a Velvet Revolver concert you get a stage show and they throw in the music for the same price as the ticket. STP since 1992, I've owned every album god knows how many times, to finally get to a show without it been cancelled was amazing Scott as per usual on fine form spinning everything from a mike stand to a set of maracas. Band looked in fine shape. As we waited to fly home the band were waiting to go to the Auckland show. Was lucky enough to get a little chat with Scott himself on the other side of security without the PR guy. The guy is amazingly choerient and funny and almost jovial. He walks around with this silly grin on his face. Good to see there is pretty normal human behind all that eye liner.

Thanks to Matt: WOW what can I say! Was a real dream come true to finally see the guys in person after years of watchin their videos on mtv etc with their past bands. Had a great time, it was massive. One thing that really hacked me off tho was the guys on either side of me at the front of the mosh pit scored one of Matt's drumsticks each and as a drummer of 15 years you can kinda understand how bad I wanted one.

Falling to pieces wow that song went off the crowd went nuts what an anthem!! Velvet Revolver FOREVER!!

Thanks to Becky: The Velvet Revolver Christchurch concert was fucking amazing! They all equally rocked the stage like pros like usual. They played a few Guns and Roses songs as well, and Stone Temple Pilots. Scott with his amazing red hair look georgeous as ever as he rocked the stage with his tight silver pants, Duff preformed phoenominal as usual with feeling to his fans, giving them smiles every now and then and eye contact, Slash was Slash..he always fucking rocks! With some incredibly amazing solos by himself left everyone speechless. And Dave and Matt were just as awesome as the other three. As everyone wildly moshed to Velvet Revolver's rock Scott talked to the audience with his usual wild personality. "Let's have an orange!" then the audience was waiting for something else and he bursts out "what are you afraid to fuck or something? I will never forget Scott's advice to us all. He told us how great it is to be free...and to never let anyone take it away from us...even if we don't know it" that was some inspirational comments that I won't forget. It was a long wait queering up to see Velvet Revolver but it was damn fucking worth it by a mile! And I hope they come back to New Zealand again soon! thanks.

Thanks to Jeremy: This ain't technically a review as I ain't planning on being impartial OR objective - it's more my experience of the show. I missed the Guns when they played New Zealand sometime around 1990 so it's been a long wait for this Slashoholic. Watched the D4 from just outside the venue to save my hearing then tried to get to the front after they finished. Didn't get too far but after a long wait Velvet Revolver appeared and forward movement became easier. The crowd was far more into it than I expected (reminiscent of that for Metallica at last year's Big Day Out) having watched a fair few live Velvet Revolver vidz. My 'memory metal' specs (without which I'm pretty much blind!) flew from my head early on so to the floor I went (not easy with crowd in full mosh). Miraculously I found them among the plastic beer bottles after some effort and after a quick repair job to a bent arm at the side of the pit and a quick clean in the men's loos (missed Fall To Pieces :( ) I returned cautiously to the show... (I won't be able to forget this gig too quickly - the lenses are scratched to fuck!).

After "Big Machine" Duff said something like "it feels special to have played this next song here 15 years ago with one band and to be back again to play it with another". And then layed into the "It's So Easy" intro... which dragged me to the front let me tell you! To my great surprise and enjoyment "Mr. Brownstone" was also played and I was taken with the variety of guitars Slash used (surprised to see him playing a GIBSON Les Paul when I know he normally plays a non-Gibson) and how well kept they were! (Adam Day can you set up MY Charvel PLEASE?!?!?!?!) I wondered how certain band members would be with anti-smoking laws just introduced here in NZ (the ticket also clearly stated smoking was not permitted) but it wasn't too long before Slash appeared to grab a few sly puffs at the same time as Duff brazenly lit up a cigar!

Then it was all on. I'm still sore after my frail frame's time at the front but hell was it worth it! Slash spoke more than I expected and said that the crowd was one of the most into it he'd seen this tour (Christchurch don't see a lot of overseas talent). My plans to go after-party hunting didn't come off (was there one???) nor did my attempt to get a GnR/Velvet Revolver tribute gig pre- or post- show organised (thx to lack of "axl" - sound familiar?!?!). Had no idea how many Slash nuts there were down here but while waiting for Velvet Revolver to begin a group near me were chanting "we want Slash"! I managed to start a chant between songs by yelling "guitar solo!" at Slash which started a chant of "solo! solo!" around me...the man himself grinned sheepishly and came thru for us later in the set. Duff seemed so much more mature to me than Slash (not saying that's a good thing!) and donned Dave-style headwear about 2/3rds thru.

Slash's famous headwear/marlboro appeared for "You've Got No Right" (played on a double neck acoustic/electric I hadn't seen him use before - couldn't work out what was about to be played when I saw it!) and stuck around 'til the end. Scott spent a while near the end talking about freedom, asking us if sex made us feel free and telling us never to let anyone take our freedom away (I gather he's had recent experience of this!) especially when we don't know it's happening (the logic here escapes me...). Was impressed Velvet Revolver's huge electric backdrop made it to NZ (most bands that come here I've seen leave such stuff behind). Had to laugh as when band members left the stage (band walked off 3 times in all) they were wrapped in Velvet Revolver-logo robes like boxers. Slash played the "It's So Easy" solo (NOT the outro leadwork) as recorded if memory serves... just last night (19th) the "Grammy's" played on NZ TV and I got to see Velvet Revolver perform just before they left for NZ...

Thanks to Jacs: Seeing the boys again (Duff, Slash and Matt) after such a long absence was excellent. Scott is a great showman, however the sound at the beginning of the concert was not quite correct with the singers voice too faint to overcome the music. This appeared to be corrected after the first five or so songs. The order of play was brilliant and it was great to hear some old favs being re-aired. All in all a great performance.

Thanks to Andrew: Show opened with The D4 who cranked thru there set, then Velvet Revolver came on and rocked the place. After first song they had some small technical problem with power, but got it sorted and continued to belt out the Rock and Roll. Lot of people where GnR fans that where their and the GnR songs got a big response. They stopped twice at the so call end of the set and did two more songs and then stopped again and then did last two.