THOSE who managed to secure tickets for Guns N' Roses' imminent, mostly sold-out return to Slane Castle received a value for money boost this week with the addition of Mark Lanegan, Royal Blood and Otherkin to the one-day festival bill next month.
Axl Rose and co return to Slane on Saturday May 27 as part of their aptly named Not In This Lifetime Tour, 25 years since they last appeared at the legendary Irish venue.
Dublin indie rockers Otherkin follow in the bootsteps of Kilkenny outfit My Little Funhouse, who opened Slane 1992, while former Screaming Trees leader Mark Lanegan has his own GN'R connection: Guns bassist (and fellow Seattle-ite) Duff McKagan and original guitarist/songwriter Izzy Stradlin had guest spots on Strange Religion off his 2004 solo record, Bubblegum.
Sadly, Izzy has declined to join the ongoing GN'R reunion due to good old fashioned 'monetary differences', while OG drummer Steven Adler has made only a couple of rabidly received guest appearances with his former comrades since they regrouped last year.
Is there any hope that Adler might now be invited to bring his signature swing to bear on a few of the Appetite-era songs they'll be performing at Slane?
Only the lawyers know for sure.
:: General admission tickets are sold-out. VIP Castle Compound (€249.50), Platinum (€280.00), 'Golden Circle (With Early Entry) Package' (€328.35) and Welcome To The Jungle Ultimate Package tickets (€1075.77) are still available via Ticketmaster outlets.
