Image: Guns N’ Roses

Guns N' Roses Wows Fans With Surprise Live Cover Of 80s Rock Classic

Guns N' Roses are one of the most influential rock' n roll bands of the 80s and 90s. The group has undergone several big lineup changes over the years but continues performing some of the genre's most beloved hits. And then, out of nowhere, they wow live audiences with a cover of a banger from 1983.

Videos by Wide Open Country

Guns N' Roses just performed the second show of their 2025 World Tour. The tour has one of the wordiest names I've ever seen in 'Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things,' but I respect it! According to Loudwire, the band performed on Monday night at the K-Arena in Yokohama, Japan. The set had several new additions compared to their premier gig of the tour in South Korea, but even the most die-hard fans never expected a Thin Lizzy cover.

The band played a beautiful rendition of the classic Thin Lizzy hit 'Thunder and Lightning' from the album of the same name. As this was a surprise number in the set, there isn't a studio recording available. However, one tour-goer caught a pretty decent video of the performance.

Duff McKagan, the Bassist, took over the lead vocals, and the group added some spicy frills to the legendary guitar solos of Thin Lizzy's original. In addition to 'Thunder and Lightning,' Guns N' Roses also played 'Absurd,' 'Don't Cry,' 'You Could Be Mine,' 'Madagascar,' and 'Hard Skool,' which they didn't use in Korea. Per Loudwire, the band also played 'Happy Birthday' in honor of Duff's wife, Susan. They then finished with their mega-hit, 'Paradise City.'

Guns N' Roses Are No Strangers To Covers

Guns N' Roses have performed many fantastic covers over the years. They covered Aerosmith's 'Mama Kin' in 1987 and 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan in 1991' to name a couple. They even covered 'The Seeker' by The Who, which is a personal favorite of mine, with a superb heavy rendition.

The next Guns N' Roses gig is scheduled for May 10 in Taoyuan, Taiwan. After that, the band goes to Bangkok, Thailand, and all across the world, finishing on July 31 in Waken, Germany.