Axl Rose rolls out the hits as Gun N' Roses play through rain in Melbourne Guns N' Roses perform at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne. NOVEMBER Rain was a massive hit for Guns N' Roses in 1992 but it was March rain - and plenty of it - that put a dampener on the veteran hard rockers' return to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl last night. The grim and soggy weather doubtlessly kept plenty away - and somewhat thin crowd suggested the love for retro rock and the nostalgia for the time when lead singer Axl Rose's penchant for kilts and bike pants passed for high fashion may have been slightly overestimated. But those who braved the elements were treated to a solid if not spectacular two-and-a-half hour show, crammed full of hits, a few misses and a smattering of well-chosen covers. Although these days it's more like Guns For Hire and Roses, with Axl the lone remaining member of the classic Gunners line-up, there is still no denying the enduring power of the music and the band's golden run of albums from Appetite For Destruction to G N" R Lies and Use Your Illusion 1 and 2 have aged much better than many of their big-haired contemporaries. Certainly that's what the fired-up fans had come to hear so it was a little baffling that the band played as much as it did from Chinese Democracy, the long awaited 2008 comeback album, which was one of the most crushing disappointments in rock history. The biggest cheers came for rock classics including Mr Brownstone, You Could Be Mine, Sweet Child O'Mine and the still soaring power ballad November Rain. If at times the show had the feel of a Gunners covers band, it was a damned good one. Replacement guitarist DJ Ashba made for a more than serviceable Slash-alike, right down to the top hat of sorts, peeling off searing guitar solos that stacked up to the originals. He was ably supported on guitar duty by Richard Fortus and Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal, with plenty of "80s style posturing and even a double-necked guitar that strayed dangerously close to Spinal Tap territory. And if Rose's voice is not quite what is used to be, the crowd was more than willing to help him out, spouting back every word, particularly on covers such as Live and Let Die and Knocking On Heaven's Door. There were touches of "80s excess with the booming pyrotechnics as well as a bizarre reminder of their bad-boy past, with a leather clad woman brought out on stage to bare her boobs for no apparent reason but to roars of approval from the mainly male audience. A true fans" moment came when Rose called out veteran rocker Angry Anderson, who had earlier played a support set with Rose Tattoo (an early influence on the Gunners), to join him singing the Aussie band's Nice Boys. Guns N" Roses play the Myer Music Bowl again tonight. Tickets still available from Ticketmaster.