By Anna Fitzpatrick, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Following recent Guns N’ Roses form, Axl Rose kept fans waiting in the rain for an hour and a half before appearing as the closing headline act for this year’s Rock in Rio. He eventually came on stage, jokingly shouting “good morning” to waiting fans, who, after hours in the heavy downpour were impatient, wet and cold.
After opening with “Chinese Democracy” though, the crowd was won over by the rendition of “Welcome to the Jungle” – one of many hits from their 1987 Appetite For Destruction album.
They also played hits “Patience” and “Live and Let Die” – originally written by Paul McCartney. It is the fourth time the band has appeared at the festival, and the second time in eighteen months in Rio.
Last night’s performances by System of a Down and Evanescence ended the concert that has seen Rihanna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motorhead and Metallica play to audiences of around 100,000 every day, making it one of the largest music festivals in the world.
Even before the end of this year’s Rock in Rio, creator Roberto Medina was already planning improvements for the next concert in 2013 – reduced numbers and improved access are high on the agenda.
The Multishow channel in Brazil has promised to rebroadcast many of the performances, as well as offers Online videos. Much of the festival can also be seen on the organization’s Youtube page, which provided constant streams of the epic festival.
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