Who Is Opening for Guns N' Roses on the 2026 Tour?
Guns N' Roses are back on the road in 2026, and the North American leg carries one of the most eclectic support bills the band has ever assembled. Rather than a single opener for the whole run, GNR booked a rotating cast that swings from hip-hop to Southern rock to metalcore. The North American dates run from Raleigh on July 23 to Atlanta on September 19, after a spring start in Florida and a summer swing through Latin America and Europe. Here's who opens each stretch and what to expect.
How the Lineup Works
The support slots are split across legs rather than handed to one act. Public Enemy anchors the opening run of summer dates, The Black Crowes take a four-show West Coast stretch, and a handful of one-off and short-run openers fill the rest, including Ice Cube, Pierce the Veil, and the newer Barbarians of California. If you are buying tickets for a specific city, the opener is worth checking, because the bill changes meaningfully from one date to the next.
Public Enemy
Public Enemy open the first long stretch of the North American leg, eight straight shows beginning July 23 in Raleigh and running through August 16 in St. Louis. Chuck D and Flavor Flav remain one of the most important groups in hip-hop history, and a Public Enemy set in front of a rock crowd is exactly the kind of culture-clash booking GNR have always leaned into. Expect "Fight the Power," "Bring the Noise," and a high-energy live show that has not slowed down.
The Black Crowes
The Black Crowes serve as support across four straight shows, beginning August 22 in Las Vegas and concluding September 2 in San Diego. This is the most natural stylistic fit on the whole bill: bluesy, swaggering Southern rock that sits comfortably next to GNR's own roots. The Robinson brothers have been touring hard behind their recent material, and this run pairs two of rock's most enduring live bands on one stage.
Ice Cube
Ice Cube takes the marquee Pasadena date on September 5, GNR's first show at the Rose Bowl since 1992. A West Coast hip-hop legend opening a stadium homecoming is a fitting big-stage moment, and Ice Cube's catalog of solo and N.W.A material makes for a loud, hometown-leaning warmup.
Pierce the Veil
Pierce the Veil cover a pair of Texas dates, Arlington on September 9 and San Antonio on September 16. The San Diego post-hardcore band is the youngest act on the bill and brings a modern metalcore energy that skews toward a different slice of GNR's audience. For fans who came up on heavier contemporary rock, these are the dates to target.
Barbarians of California
Barbarians of California open Kansas City on August 19 and the Ridgedale, Missouri show on September 12. They are the newest name on the run, the kind of up-and-coming act that gets a major stadium audience for the first time on a tour like this.
Opener Schedule at a Glance
| Dates | Cities | Opener |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 23-Aug 16 | Raleigh through St. Louis | Public Enemy |
| Aug 19 | Kansas City, MO | Barbarians of California |
| Aug 22-Sep 2 | Las Vegas through San Diego | The Black Crowes |
| Sep 5 | Pasadena, CA (Rose Bowl) | Ice Cube |
| Sep 9 | Arlington, TX | Pierce the Veil |
| Sep 12 | Ridgedale, MO | Barbarians of California |
| Sep 16 | San Antonio, TX | Pierce the Veil |
What to Expect
GNR have leaned into a deep, career-spanning setlist on recent runs, mixing Appetite for Destruction staples with Use Your Illusion deep cuts and the occasional cover. The 2026 shows are built around the stadium and amphitheater scale the band has played for the better part of a decade, with the Pasadena Rose Bowl date standing out as the signature night of the North American leg. With openers ranging from Public Enemy to Pierce the Veil, the night you pick really does change what you see.
How to Get Tickets
Tickets for the 2026 North American dates are on sale now through Ticketmaster, with availability varying by market. Check the Guns N' Roses page on TourWax for current dates and direct ticket links as resale and additional inventory appear.
Browse more upcoming concerts on TourWax or explore Classic Rock tours for similar stadium runs.