Posted on Back To The Riff Blog š¤
Well, here we go again, mun⦠another rock legend revving up for a āFINALā tour ā this time itās Guns Nā Roses with their 2026 knees-up called āOne Last Rideā.
Before you grab your parka, remortgage the shed for VIP lanyards, and start queuing outside the Principality Stadium, letās ask the big one:
“Didnāt they already say goodbye like⦠four tours ago?”
š§Ø Not In This Lifetime (But Apparently The Next One Too)
Letās not forget, GNR already did a massive āthis is itā tour back in 2016. It was called Not In This Lifetime, which aged like a pot of cockles in a heatwave.
Now weāre back again? I was tamping the first time they faked the goodbye! š¤
If this really is āOne Last Ride,ā someone tell the driver heās been doing donuts in the Tesco car park since 2008.
Next weāll get the āNo Seriously, This Time Itās Farewellā tour, sponsored by Voltarol and Wertherās Originals.
š After Back To The Beginning, Do We Even Dare?
Letās be honest, butt ā Back To The Beginning had more drama than Pobol y Cwm.
Half the bands only played 3 songs, the sound was sketchy, and the whole day was running on more delays than the Arriva Trains to Aberystwyth.
So do we really want to emotionally commit to another farewell? Only to end up stood in the rain shouting “Whereās Axl, like?!” for 40 minutes while Slash noodles away like a pub jam night in Tonypandy?
š· Ticket Prices? Iād Rather Sell My Kidney at Barry Market
Have you seen the ticket prices, butt?
Standard Standing: £120
Seated (behind a pillar and next to a man who smells like pickled eggs): £150
VIP Golden Circle āAxls Angelsā Pit: Ā£600
SuperMegaUltra GNāR Jungle Pack with Backstage Lanyard and Signed Coaster: Ā£1,200
(Does not include water, merch, or a glimpse of Slashās sunglasses)
At that price, you might as well buy a Les Paul, learn the intro to Sweet Child Oā Mine, and headline the Ebbw Vale Working Menās Club yourself.
š„² What We Will Miss If This Is It…
Alright, weāll behave for a second. (Donāt get used to it.)
- November Rain in the pouring rain? Tidy.
- Slash being the coolest man alive without saying a word? Lush.
- Everyone howling Paradise City like theyāre in a Valleys karaoke bar? Iconic.
- The smell of stale lager, petrol station burgers, and nostalgia? Only in Wales, mun.
So aye, thereās a part of us that wants to be there, fist in the air, crying into our Brains Bitter. But thereās another part going “nah, Iāll watch it on S4C highlights and save meself the grief.”
š§¢ Farewell Tour or Just Another Excuse for a T-Shirt?
Letās be honest with ourselves ā this probably isnāt the end. Rock farewell tours are more dramatic than a rugby ref at a wedding.
But if it is the last one⦠weāll raise our pints, scream the lyrics, and pray the sound desk doesnāt go kaput halfway through Rocket Queen. š¤
š¤ So⦠Are We Going?
If youāre going ā respect. Youāre braver than someone ordering pineapple on chips in Merthyr.
If youāre skipping it ā also fair. Youāve seen the glory days, and you donāt need to end your GNR journey fighting someoneās uncle for a Ā£45 T-shirt that shrinks in the wash.
Either way ā donāt cry, butt.
Weāve all been Gunned one last time š„
š§¢ T-Shirt Idea: āI Survived The One Last Ride⦠And The One Before That⦠And Probably The Next Oneā
šļø Next up on Back To The Riff: āWhen Is A Farewell Tour Not A Farewell Tour?ā (Spoiler: Always)
š“ #CmonButt
š§Ø #TidyOrTragic
šø #BackToTheRiff
š #GNR2026
š¶ļø #WelcomeToThePensionFund
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene specialāfrom legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether heās battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, heās always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When heās not writing or interviewing artists, youāll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than musicātheyāre about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. Thatās exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. š¤
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