On the night of September 1st, Guns N’ Roses took the stage in Saratoga Springs, where Axl Rose, the band’s iconic frontman, took to his official Twitter account to express his apologies to fans for his hoarse voice and performance:

“Apologies, I was a little hoarse… Fun night, great crowd!! Great venue!! And great to be back!! Again, my apologies and thank you!!”

Some fans, including former Headbangers Ball host Riki Rachtman, were quick to point out that Axl Rose did not rely on pre-recorded tracks, underscoring the authenticity that defines the essence of ‘rock n’ roll’:

“But never on tape! Always live!!!!! Rock n roll isn’t flawless. Rock n Roll is raw, and most importantly, live, not on tape.”

However, not all fans shared the same optimistic sentiment regarding Rose’s performance. One user took to Twitter to express a less favorable opinion:

“I try to stay positive, but I was at this show, and it was the worst vocal performance that I have ever seen live. Everyone who is saying otherwise is not keeping it real.”

A fan-captured video from the concert made its way to YouTube, where Axl Rose addressed the issue with his voice and reassured fans of his commitment to doing his best:

“My voice is a little off in between those lows and highs because, in the last show – for whatever reason – in between every time when we disappeared, I was throwing up. And then, over the course of the next couple of days till I got here, I’m feeling pretty good now, but I don’t know. So, I’m gonna try to improvise the best I can and not let you down.”

Axl Rose is expected to make a swift recovery as Guns N’ Roses continues their tour, with numerous stops scheduled until October 16. Fans can find the tour dates and ticket information on their official website. Below, you can see the tweets mentioned earlier.

But never on tape Always live!!!!! Rock n roll isn’t flawless Rock n Roll is Raw & most important LIVE not on tape

— Riki Rachtman (@RikiRachtman) September 2, 2023