AXL: "We will not be at Leeds"

[Follow Your Illusion]

Ive already posted this but thought it would be relevant here

Being the crafty veteran of English festivals I thought I could offer a little bit of information regarding English festivals especially Leeds and Reading....

In 2002 GnR played only Leeds as part of Leeds/Reading, this was the first time in the history of the dual events that this has happened. Guns decided to do this because the previous week they had played London and R/L allowed them to do this because it was GnR's big comeback gig. At Leeds Guns went on at about 11.30 15-30 minutes AFTER they were due to finish their set. This was a little due to The Prodigy running over but not enough for it to be entirely their fault. Anyway they play the set, Axl mentions that they are supposed to finish and somehow manages to stay on and complete the set close to 2.00am. The festival organiser Melvin Benn organises with the local city council to extend the music curfew way into the night to allow the band to finish. The festival then later suffers riots (which was in no way related to GnR despite what some people might say) and as a result the whole festival site had to move location.

Fast forward 8 years and Guns are announced to play Reading AND Leeds. Melvin Benn says he is excited but also mentions that Guns cannot go past there curfews (11.30 Reading and 11.00 Leeds) so even if they go on late they come off at the same time regardless. He says this is due to the fact that the city councils could literally shut the festival down and it wouldn’t be seen again.

(In my opinion this is totally possible as although Reading is a British institution its is close enough to London for any wealthy promoter to take over the space and start a new festival that all of the London hipsters would come to).

So GnR come on at 10.30pm one hour before they are due to come off and play to a crowd of 16 year olds away from home for the first time. This is a crowd in which I've heard people say they hadn’t heard of Rage Against The Machine or The Smashing Pumpkins, the same crowd that Kings Of Leon the most popular "rock" band in the world at the time became enraged at for only knowing there 3 biggest hits. Guns manage to play until Midnight, which I’m sure Melvin Benn had predicted and had already worked something out with the council to allow and then..... the plug is pulled and the rest as they say is history.

Hope this helps.

[Steamboat]

I wonder if he gets paid in advance for these 2 shows like he usually does, that would suck for the old man

[neon]

I wonder if he gets paid in advance for these 2 shows like he usually does, that would suck for the old man

afaik usually no one gets paid in advance for concerts....

[LesPaul_Player_91]

I hope they don't cancel Leeds because it's a festival not a GN'R show so people won't be able to get refunds as most festivals say "lineup subject to change."

Whilst Axl may want to make a point to this promoter, this isn't the way to do it as it's only the GN'R fans who will lose out. I could see this happening if there were any incidents at Reading. I do however think that this will be the last time GN'R ever play a UK festival because the festivals here finish early compared to the ones in mainland Europe meaning no late starts if it is or isn't the band's fault.

Although personally I think the promoter was naive for believing Guns would be on stage at 21:30, if you're so paranoid about the curfew don't book GN'R then.

Edited August 28, 2010 by LesPaul_Player_91

[Tater Totts]

I hope they don't cancel Leeds because it's a festival not a GN'R show so people won't be able to get refunds as most festivals say "lineup subject to change."

Whilst Axl may want to make a point to this promoter, this isn't the way to do it as it's only the GN'R fans who will lose out. I could see this happening if there were any incidents at Reading. I do however think that this will be the last time GN'R ever play a UK festival because the festivals here finish early compared to the ones in mainland Europe meaning no late starts if it is or isn't the band's fault.

Although personally I think the promoter was naive for believing Guns would be on stage at 21:30, if you're so paranoid about the curfew don't book GN'R then.

Download 2006, Guns went on stage 7 minutes early.

[LesPaul_Player_91]

I hope they don't cancel Leeds because it's a festival not a GN'R show so people won't be able to get refunds as most festivals say "lineup subject to change."

Whilst Axl may want to make a point to this promoter, this isn't the way to do it as it's only the GN'R fans who will lose out. I could see this happening if there were any incidents at Reading. I do however think that this will be the last time GN'R ever play a UK festival because the festivals here finish early compared to the ones in mainland Europe meaning no late starts if it is or isn't the band's fault.

Although personally I think the promoter was naive for believing Guns would be on stage at 21:30, if you're so paranoid about the curfew don't book GN'R then.

Download 2006, Guns went on stage 7 minutes early.

Fair point but there is always a chance they won't be on time. Also, the promoter saying "we'll pull the plug" earlier in the week didn't help at all as Axl probably wanted to see if he really would, and he didn't really as they still played half an hour past curfew time. Anyone else see Bumble at the side of the stage during the wait for them to come on?

[ChristianGNR]

From @tommy_stinson:

@EddieValentine unless you know something i don't. i'm fuckin playing leeds tomorrow.lol

Edited August 28, 2010 by ChrisMaciel

[LesPaul_Player_91]

From @tommy_stinson:

@EddieValentine unless you know something i don't. i'm fuckin playing leeds tomorrow.lol

If GN'R do play Leeds I think we can expect one hell of an Axl rant!

[Use Your Delusion 1]

From @tommy_stinson:

@EddieValentine unless you know something i don't. i'm fuckin playing leeds tomorrow.lol

If GN'R do play Leeds I think we can expect one hell of an Axl rant!

Paradise City to open, so they can cut it off again?! Followed by Better? Looking forward to the rant mind, should be a explosive gig (if GN'R shows up!)

[J Dog]

From @tommy_stinson:

@EddieValentine unless you know something i don't. i'm fuckin playing leeds tomorrow.lol

If GN'R do play Leeds I think we can expect one hell of an Axl rant!

Aint it Fun!

[SunnyDRE]

This band. **facepalm**

[Cdlove]

This band. **facepalm**

This is the same shit that went down 20 years ago, yet you supported them. I think this kinda solidifies the fact they are a real band.

[SunnyDRE]

This band. **facepalm**

This is the same shit that went down 20 years ago, yet you supported them. I think this kinda solidifies the fact they are a real band.

I grew up, to bad.....**nevermind**

[axl_on_drums]

They'll be at Leeds tomorrow.

And it's gonna be fucking interesting

[Tater Totts]

Come out ontime and play PC then leave the stage to return an hour later.

[Cdlove]

This band. **facepalm**

This is the same shit that went down 20 years ago, yet you supported them. I think this kinda solidifies the fact they are a real band.

I grew up, to bad.....**nevermind**

Are you saying I didnt? LOL.

[The Sandman]

This band. **facepalm**

This is the same shit that went down 20 years ago, yet you supported them. I think this kinda solidifies the fact they are a real band.

Yup.

And fuck me, are they a tight band!

[kevdo242]

Fucksake. This man has no regard for his fans. Hes pissed off at the promoters, fine, but its his fans who are getting punished because of this.

Axl Rose is a complete and utter prick, and people who are saying this is 'rock n roll' are just juvenile.

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

I have said it before and i will say it again.

This could be such a huge chance for good PR, show up and fucking blow the place away, show them that despite so called promoters hidden agendas the fans count, go down in festival history for the performance and not the childish petty fucking shit.Honestly i would love them to show and bring the crowd and media to their fucking knees.Lets be honest this band has tied everything to fuck things up so why not try and do something so mind blowing people forget some of the shit.People go on about negative reviews but if i sit down and deliberately write a negative review on a Guns show at least 5 out of 10 times i wouldn't need to edit it after the show.

The only bonus was i finally found Biffy Clyro, now that was a fucking set worth seeing

[The Sandman]

You git GOAB, you never found us >

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

You git GOAB, you never found us >

I wasn't actually there Sandy, i meant in terms of watching them streaming and finding a band i had been dismissive of.If i had of been there i would have sought you out though bud

[The Sandman]

You git GOAB, you never found us >

I wasn't actually there Sandy, i meant in terms of watching them streaming and finding a band i had been dismissive of.If i had of been there i would have sought you out though bud

Ah sorry, misunderstood. There were a fair few of us old guard repping it! Next tour eh?

[Anahzul]

he was on stage at 10:30.

seems perfectly reasonable to me. he hit the stage at 10:45 in halifax and i was almost late. 10:30 is exceptional!

yeah, 10.30 was ok. But promoters had personal issues with Axl...

[GET OFF AXLS BACK]

You git GOAB, you never found us >

I wasn't actually there Sandy, i meant in terms of watching them streaming and finding a band i had been dismissive of.If i had of been there i would have sought you out though bud

Ah sorry, misunderstood. There were a fair few of us old guard repping it! Next tour eh?

Count on it

[HB3]

I have a feeling they'll still play Leeds. Whether they play to a huge crowd or just find a crowd of GN'R fans to play a private set to. If they play to a big crowd then I'm looking forward to a new rant. Some people may say rants are immature, but I believe they're part of the Guns N' Roses legacy. Out Ta Get Me would be an appropriate song after the rant. Double Talkin' Jive would be a sweet song to play after a rant too, but I highly doubt that will happen. Scraped may be appropriate too.

Edited August 28, 2010 by HB3