[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd2xVtDdY8k&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]
During their performance at the U.K. Reading Festival this past Friday night (August 27), Guns N’ Roses set was cut short after organizers of the festival pulled the plug due to curfew issues. The band reportedly went onstage an hour later than scheduled, despite the organizer’s warning that he would not let the band go past legal curfew. However, that didn’t stop Axl and company from trying to continue. Even though their sound was cut off at midnight (which gave the band a half hour longer than originally said), the band tried to continue on and play “Paradise City,” armed with only a megaphone, acoustic guitars and fans singing along. Video of the incident can be seen above.
It wouldn’t be a real GN’R drama, though, if it just ended there. At first saying that they wouldn’t perform at the Leeds Festival (ran by the same organizers) because of the incident, Axl proclaimed the following via Twitlonger.com:
“We are in constant talks to ensure the fans attending Leeds get what they paid for without undue bureaucratic interference. We thank you for your understanding. . . In regard to Reading, we feel at the very least the fans deserve an apology from those responsible for the nonsense. We’d also like to thank the fans for being so great, singing along n’ not tearing the place apart!!”
Guitarist DJ Ashba shared his boss’ resentment via Twitter as well, saying:
“This was clearly not a curfew thing because after cutting our power like a selfish, money-grubbing prick, he allowed music blasting throughout the venue ’till the early morning. For us this was all about the fans, the show and the music. For the promoter it was all about the money and not about the fans or the music. The promoter was already being a cocky f$#k in the press before we arrived. So yes, we went on a little late, and for this we apologize. However, our fans paid to see a show, and that’s why we showed up, to give them just that. Sad that this promoter’s music festival has little to do with the fans or the love for music.”
That’s right, cutting a band’s set short is rude and disrespectful. In fact, it’s just as shitty of a thing to do to the fans as showing up over an hour late to you performances, or even not showing up at all! Oh wait…
