{"data":{"id":"07b87111-6cb5-48e4-83ae-e4c5634da644","originKind":"SYNDICATED","title":"Edmonton prepares to host Guns N' Roses at Commonwealth Stadium","summary":"We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.\n\n‘Festival City’ turns into ‘Paradise City’ this week.\n\nEdmonton’s classic rock summer continues Wednesday when Guns N’ Roses slither onto the Commonwealth Stadium stage and frontman Axl Rose screeches “ You’re in the jungle baby/ You’re gonna diiiiiieeeeeee” for the umpteenth time.\n\nAxl, Slash, Duff McKagan and co. are currently on a world tour, with Edmonton being the only Alberta stop. It will be the band’s eighth concert here, the first being a 1987 show at the Edmonton Convention Centre supporting its monster debut, Appetite for Destruction, and the most recent show taking place at Rogers Place in 2023. Wednesday’s tour stop comes hot on the heels of the last rock concert at Commonwealth, AC/DC, which, in a bit of rock ‘n’ roll synchronicity, Axl moonlighted for in 2016. Do you think Angus Young and Axl maintain a group chat?\n\nThe City of Edmonton is reminding concertgoers that Wednesday’s show will take place rain or shine, but “small, collapsible umbrellas without pointed tips are permitted” inside Commonwealth Stadium. However, keep the large beach umbrellas at home. With the soaking Edmontonians received at the Post Malone/Jelly Roll show in July, it’d be a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast, which, as of Monday, is calling for a sunny day, with a 100 per cent chance someone will be wearing a doofy Slash-style top hat in the stands.\n\nThe usual clear bag policy will also be in effect at Commonwealth, with only bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6 inches and small clutch bags that are not clear, but do not exceed 4.5 by 6.5 inches allowed in. For $20, a limited bag check is being offered on a first-come, first-served basis on the west side of the stadium, near the Gate 5 entrance.\n\nGates will open at 5 p.m., and opening act The Black Crowes are set to start at 6:25 p.m. As for when GNR will start, who knows? The band didn’t hit the Rexall Place stage until 10:30 p.m. back in 2010. Prior to that, Axl and crew made a legendary late start closer to midnight at Rexall in 2006.\n\nIt’s been a few years since the last proper album from GNR, 2008’s Chinese Democracy (Buckethead, we hardly knew thee), but the band has released a few loosies that sometimes sneak their way into setlists. For Wednesday’s concert, you can expect the Appetite for Destruction hits classic rock radio stations are still playing ad nauseam, but the band has been sprinkling a few curveball covers into their shows. The expected Wings, Bob Dylan and Velvet Revolver songs are in rotation, but joining those are tracks from the likes of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, Misfits and even a rendition of Wichita Lineman. Talk about range.\n\nCurrently, tickets to the concert are still available on Ticketmaster.\n\nGuns N’ Roses Edmonton concerts timeline Aug. 26, 1987, Edmonton Convention Centre\n\nMay 25, 1988, Northlands Coliseum\n\nMarch 28, 1993, Northlands Coliseum\n\nJournal review snippet: “Edmonton was the 18th city on the band’s current 21-city North American Skin N Bones tour – a back-to-basics rock show with all the backup singers, horns and lights shows of past Guns N’ Roses concerts. Yet it wasn’t all “loud ‘n’ proud.” The band performed a well-received acoustic section during which an overstuffed couch was wheeled to the centre of the stage. In the middle of the set, four topless women dispensed drinks to the band – all in keeping with the band’s image as the most notorious rockers on tour today. At one point, Rose passed out beer and pizza to fans in the front row.”\n\nDec. 7, 2006, Rexall Place\n\nJournal review snippet: “Thankfully, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, who joined GN’R in 1990, picked up the pace again by playing a rambunctious, bluesy cover of Angie on piano while Rose was backstage, changing his shirt for the umpteenth time. Then again, he was pretty hyperactive – constantly running across the stage, jumping, throwing his microphone stand or doing his trademark side-to-side sashay. He even attempted a jig when Bubbles of Trailer Park Boys came out to perform his cult hit, Liquor and Whores.”\n\nJan. 17, 2010, Rexall Place\n\nJournal review snippet: “Whatever the reason, (Axl Rose’) vanishing act was the only major bummer of G N’ R’s 150-minute spectacle of fire, rebellion and rock ‘n’ roll, which started at 10:30 p.m. (Almost 90 minutes earlier than the band’s last Rexall show in 2006.) Whenever Rose wasn’t wailing and skulking across the stage – stomping his leg, twirling his microphone stand or shimmying his shoulders – the concert tended to lose momentum. His bandmates, including keyboardist Dizzy Reed and bassist Tommy Stinson, might be wizards with their instruments, but they didn’t possess his charisma or those of their G N’ R predecessors.\n\nRead the review.\n\nAug. 30, 2017, Commonwealth Stadium\n\nJournal review snippet: “Never mind how long they played, Slash was such a presence it was like there were two simultaneous concerts happening — his versus Rose’s. After the guitarist’s seriously 10-minute solo that included Johnny Be Goode and the Godfather theme, he managed to make the full-length Sweet Child O’ Mine seem like it was just part of his one-man show. He also answered the timeless question: what is the right number of skull rings to wear to a stadium concert? Turns out it’s three.”\n\nRead the review.\n\nOct. 19, 2023, Rogers Place\n\nRelated Anonymously donated Guns N' Roses guitar goes to auction in Sherwood Park\n\nWelcome to the Commonwealth jungle: Stadium set for massive rock concert as Guns N' Roses returns\n\nBookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.\n\nYou can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.","url":"https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/music/edmonton-guns-n-roses-commonwealth-stadium-axl-rose-slash","imageUrl":"https://smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital/edmontonjournal/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/afp_q05c3_96865749.jpg","publishedAt":"2026-08-24T20:19:11.000Z","sourceLabel":"Edmonton Journal Music","tags":["Entertainment","Music"],"authorName":"Chad Huculak","contentHtml":"\"Axl

We independently select everything we recommend. Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.

‘Festival City’ turns into ‘Paradise City’ this week.

Edmonton’s classic rock summer continues Wednesday when Guns N’ Roses slither onto the Commonwealth Stadium stage and frontman Axl Rose screeches “ You’re in the jungle baby/You’re gonna diiiiiieeeeeee” for the umpteenth time.

Axl, Slash, Duff McKagan and co. are currently on a world tour, with Edmonton being the only Alberta stop. It will be the band’s eighth concert here, the first being a 1987 show at the Edmonton Convention Centre supporting its monster debut, Appetite for Destruction, and the most recent show taking place at Rogers Place in 2023. Wednesday’s tour stop comes hot on the heels of the last rock concert at Commonwealth, AC/DC , which, in a bit of rock ‘n’ roll synchronicity, Axl moonlighted for in 2016. Do you think Angus Young and Axl maintain a group chat?

The City of Edmonton is reminding concertgoers that Wednesday’s show will take place rain or shine, but “small, collapsible umbrellas without pointed tips are permitted” inside Commonwealth Stadium. However, keep the large beach umbrellas at home. With the soaking Edmontonians received at the Post Malone/Jelly Roll show in July , it’d be a good idea to keep an eye on the weather forecast, which, as of Monday, is calling for a sunny day, with a 100 per cent chance someone will be wearing a doofy Slash-style top hat in the stands.

The usual clear bag policy will also be in effect at Commonwealth, with only bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed 12 by 12 by 6 inches and small clutch bags that are not clear, but do not exceed 4.5 by 6.5 inches allowed in. For $20, a limited bag check is being offered on a first-come, first-served basis on the west side of the stadium, near the Gate 5 entrance.

Gates will open at 5 p.m., and opening act The Black Crowes are set to start at 6:25 p.m. As for when GNR will start, who knows? The band didn’t hit the Rexall Place stage until 10:30 p.m. back in 2010. Prior to that, Axl and crew made a legendary late start closer to midnight at Rexall in 2006.

It’s been a few years since the last proper album from GNR, 2008’s Chinese Democracy (Buckethead, we hardly knew thee), but the band has released a few loosies that sometimes sneak their way into setlists. For Wednesday’s concert, you can expect the Appetite for Destruction hits classic rock radio stations are still playing ad nauseam, but the band has been sprinkling a few curveball covers into their shows. The expected Wings, Bob Dylan and Velvet Revolver songs are in rotation, but joining those are tracks from the likes of Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Sex Pistols, New York Dolls, Misfits and even a rendition of Wichita Lineman . Talk about range.

Currently, tickets to the concert are still available on Ticketmaster.

Guns N’ Roses Edmonton concerts timeline

Aug. 26, 1987, Edmonton Convention Centre

May 25, 1988, Northlands Coliseum

\"

March 28, 1993, Northlands Coliseum

Journal review snippet: “Edmonton was the 18th city on the band’s current 21-city North American Skin N Bones tour – a back-to-basics rock show with all the backup singers, horns and lights shows of past Guns N’ Roses concerts. Yet it wasn’t all “loud ‘n’ proud.” The band performed a well-received acoustic section during which an overstuffed couch was wheeled to the centre of the stage. In the middle of the set, four topless women dispensed drinks to the band – all in keeping with the band’s image as the most notorious rockers on tour today. At one point, Rose passed out beer and pizza to fans in the front row.”

\"

Dec. 7, 2006, Rexall Place

Journal review snippet: “Thankfully, keyboardist Dizzy Reed, who joined GN’R in 1990, picked up the pace again by playing a rambunctious, bluesy cover of Angie on piano while Rose was backstage, changing his shirt for the umpteenth time. Then again, he was pretty hyperactive – constantly running across the stage, jumping, throwing his microphone stand or doing his trademark side-to-side sashay. He even attempted a jig when Bubbles of Trailer Park Boys came out to perform his cult hit, Liquor and Whores.”

\"

Jan. 17, 2010, Rexall Place

Journal review snippet: “Whatever the reason, (Axl Rose’) vanishing act was the only major bummer of G N’ R’s 150-minute spectacle of fire, rebellion and rock ‘n’ roll, which started at 10:30 p.m. (Almost 90 minutes earlier than the band’s last Rexall show in 2006.) Whenever Rose wasn’t wailing and skulking across the stage – stomping his leg, twirling his microphone stand or shimmying his shoulders – the concert tended to lose momentum. His bandmates, including keyboardist Dizzy Reed and bassist Tommy Stinson, might be wizards with their instruments, but they didn’t possess his charisma or those of their G N’ R predecessors.

Read the review.

\"

Aug. 30, 2017, Commonwealth Stadium

Journal review snippet: “Never mind how long they played, Slash was such a presence it was like there were two simultaneous concerts happening — his versus Rose’s. After the guitarist’s seriously 10-minute solo that included Johnny Be Goode and the Godfather theme, he managed to make the full-length Sweet Child O’ Mine seem like it was just part of his one-man show. He also answered the timeless question: what is the right number of skull rings to wear to a stadium concert? Turns out it’s three.”

Read the review.

Oct. 19, 2023, Rogers Place

Related

Bookmark our website and support our journalism:Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.

","slug":"edmonton-prepares-to-host-guns-n-roses-at-commonwealth-stadium","publicPath":"/news/2026-08-24-edmonton-prepares-to-host-guns-n-roses-at-commonwealth-stadium"}}