TV REVIEW : Vintage Guns N’ Roses

“The feel-good band of the ‘90s,” is how Guns N’ Roses was introduced in its first pay-per-view TV concert on Saturday.

And, sure enough, half an hour into the band’s set came one of those warm W. Axl Rose Moments, as the singer took time to lay into Warren Beatty in a verbal barrage that to most viewers must have seemed like it was beamed in from Venus instead of the Hippodrome of Paris, where the concert took place. (To explain, Rose has been linked with Stephanie Seymour, whose former links include Beatty.)

The thing is, as bizarre as the tirade may have sounded, everyone knew there would be one. There always is from Rose. His once-captivating unpredictability has become that predictable. Which means he’s ready for prime time. And reduced to the small screen, the big GNR spectacle was just a step or two short of a rock ‘n’ roll variety show.

Sure enough, we got guest stars Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry (Jeff Beck, who had been scheduled, was said to be ill) and more outfit changes from Rose than you’d get from Cher.

Guns N’ Roses played hard although perfunctorily in a set that didn’t differ appreciably from the ones on last year’s U.S. tour. The show was shot unobtrusively although unimaginatively and whatever editing that was done was fairly smooth. But it wouldn’t have been inappropriate for everyone to gather on stage at the end and sing “Thanks for the Memories.”