Dubbed "Motor City's biggest rock event so far this year," by the Detroit Free Press, the partial reunion of the classic lineup of GUNS N' ROSES kicked off its "Not In This Lifetime" tour last Thursday night, June 23 at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. GUNS N' ROSES performed a high-impact, hard rock show to a packed stadium. A lot has changed in the concert touring world over the past two decades, but GUNS N' ROSES didn't skip a beat. With a custom-built stage and scenic set equipped with electrifying video animation created by TAIT, the band brought the '80s and '90s rock experience to the twenty-tens. To produce a monumental return for one of the most important bands in rock history, a team full of rock and roll geniuses is required. For the "Not In This Lifetime" tour, GUNS N' ROSES brought on production manager Dale "Opie" Skjerset, known for his previous work with the original lineup, set designer Phil Ealy, and tour manager Bernie Gilhuly. With TAIT's long-standing relationship with Opie, working together on tours such as AC/DC, BLACK SABBATH and THE ROLLING STONES, GUNS N' ROSES brought TAIT on board for full stage production and automation. "Working on a tour that reunites the GUNS N' ROSES originals after over two decades was an opportunity that we couldn't miss," said Matt Hales, project manager, TAIT. For such a buzzed-about reunion, the set and stage needed to give fans the full GUNS N' ROSES rock experience. TAIT built a 71-foot-wide main stage, including band risers, LED staircases made with TAIT's P9 LED video tiles, LED fascia and amp stacks, and a self-climber piano lift used for Axl Rose's performance of "November Rain". Additionally, TAIT developed an 80-foot automated video track truss system installed with power transmission units to automate Screenworks background video screens. TAIT Navigator, a proprietary automation software, operated and controlled the self-climber piano lift as well as automated Screenworks' video screens into variations of three to six columns. GUNS N' ROSES next plays on Wednesday night (June 29) in Kansas City, Missouri. GUNS N' ROSES singer Axl Rose just finished a stint as lead vocalist for AC/DC on that band's European festival run, and is slated to play at least ten North American shows with that group right after GUNS complete their stadium trek in late August. Photo credit: Katarina Benzova
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