IT’S called the Not In This Lifetime tour for good reason.

The last time Guns N’ Roses played in Melbourne in 2013 it was just Axl Rose fronting a bunch of ring-ins and after decades of disagreements and sniping with former band mates, the prospect of the classic line-up ever touring together again seemed more remote than Slash sporting a short back and sides.

But time and money are wonderful healers and the patient fans got their just reward at the MCG last night when Rose joined forces once again with the members who formed the core of the band, guitarist Slash and bass player Duff McKagan.

And despite some of the issues common to many stadium gigs namely distance and at times muddy sound  together they showed why the Gunners are among the best-selling and most revered hard rock bands in history.

But time and money are wonderful healers and the patient fans got their just reward at the MCG last night when Rose joined forces once again with the members who formed the core of the band, guitarist Slash and bass player Duff McKagan.

And despite some of the issues common to many stadium gigs namely distance and at times muddy sound together they showed why the Gunners are among the best-selling and most revered hard rock bands in history.

Many of the fans in the stadium of a certain age may have still been traumatised by the 1993 Calder Park debacle, but had their faith restored as the outfit tore through their catalogue of hits, leaning heavily on fan-favourite albums Appetite For Destruction and Use Your Illusion 1 and 2.

Even if the band introduced themselves to a ‘Sydney’ crowd over the PA before they began.

They later apologised for the error on social media: