Rock On The Range is set to kick off in just a few short days, with bands and fans alike preparing for one of the hardest and loudest concert experiences of the summer. It is only fitting that Friday, the first of three days for the festival, will be headlined by the iconic Guns N’ Roses.
Coming off a long tour of South America, Rock On The Range is one of just a handful of shows in the United States that Guns N’ Roses are playing over the summer.
“We’re kind of still in the zone and we’re ready to rock. We’re always ready to rock,” keyboardist and pianist Dizzy Reed said. “The preparation is – give us our instruments, give us a crowd and we’ll come do it. We’ll come play some kick ass rock n’ roll music.”
For Dizzy, playing festivals like Rock On The Range are usually a great experience for him on a personal level and prove to be a lot of fun, so long as he can remember to find the bathroom before Guns N’ Roses’ set.
Dizzy Reed has been with Guns N’ Roses since 1990.
“It’s really cool that we can still do this and it’s great that people are still coming out and enjoying great rock n’ roll music,” Dizzy said of festivals. “If we can provide that, on a personal level, it is so satisfying and I am so thankful that we can still do this.”
Dizzy related to The Pit a specific story about a festival he’s played in the past. During a brief intermission in the band’s set, he had to use the restroom but had no idea where one was. So Dizzy decided to jump off the stage area in the back and found a trough. He soon realized he couldn’t reach anything to pull himself back up onto stage. Before he had a chance to panic, a few stagehands saw him and helped lift him back onto stage just as he was due back out in front of the live crowd.
The moral to the story for all touring bands, according to Dizzy, is to always know where the restrooms are before your set to take the stage.
Dizzy said fans can expect Guns N’ Roses to rock hard Friday night at Rock on the Range, but that’s all the insight he had as far as the band’s performance goes.
“You never know what’s gonna happen,” Dizzy said. “Guns N’ Roses shows, I think, are a lot like snowflakes or fingerprints. They’re never exactly the same.”
Guns N’ Roses have a set list every time they go out on stage, but according to Dizzy, nothing is ever really etched in stone.
The band will be sharing the stage with other acts Friday, including the likes of Killswitch Engage and Black Label Society.
“Both those bands are great. Zakk Wylde is a great friend of mine and a great friend of ours so it’s always great to see him. We actually just saw him at the Golden God Awards,” Dizzy said. “Killswitch Engage is a great band. Those two right there, I’ll probably go check them out.”
Guns N’ Roses are leaving almost immediately after their set at Rock On The Range to head back west. They will be playing a series of shows at The Joint at Hard Rock Casino from May 21 through June 7.
“We are always moving,” Dizzy said.
While there are no definitive plans for Guns N’ Roses over the summer, Dizzy said his fingers are crossed that the band can get in the studio to work on some new material.
“There’s a lot of music that has been recorded over the years, there’s a lot that’s in the can that just needs to be finished up and it needs to be collected and put out,” Dizzy said about the possibility of new music. “So, we don’t have any concrete plans but I’m always the last to know.”
Dizzy and the guys have nothing in the works for more touring this summer, though he hinted at the possibility of touring the States a bit in the fall. This makes Rock On The Range one of the few dates they are playing this summer.
Guns N’ Roses will be playing at 9:30 p.m. on the Monster Energy Main Stage at Rock On The Range this Friday to round out the first day of festival fun. To listen to The Pit’s interview with Dizzy Reed and learn more about his favorite golf courses, the Colorado Avalanche and to hear some fun tour stories, please download The Pit: Podcast from iTunes or from The Pit here.
