Guns n' Roses played the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK over the weekend. The bands Reading Festival set ended in tatters, with organisers cutting the power after the band took took to the stage an hour late and then proceeded to play beyond their allotted curfew. With the PA cut off and lights Axl and Co. then attempted to perform an acoustic version of 'Paradise City', staged a "sit-in", and then addressed the crowd through a megaphone before finally disappearing from view.


Guns n' Roses refuse to leave stage - Reading 2010

Once offstage, Guns' (current) guitarist DJ Ashba took to Twitter and lashed out at the promoters, whom earlier had stated explicitly that the band "can't go on late":

"The promoter was already being a cocky fuck in the press before we arrived. So yes, we went on a little late, and for this we apologies (sic). 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."


Guardian reviewer Dan Martin saw it differently, calling the band's performance "dire":

"There was no charisma, no chemistry and actually, so little vocal that the rumour of the night was that Axl had drafted in Mickey Rourke as a body double. Certainly, the boos negated his vocals down to nothing. And when history is written, it shall be told that the GNR dream ended with an unedifying sit in - in which Axl tried to whip up a disinterested crowd into voicing outrage over the shortened set."

After threatening to boycott their headlining set at the following nights Leeds Festival (the festivals are held concurrently and share the majority of the bill), the band instead came onstage half an hour late. Virtualfestivals.com called it "one big disappointment":

"Axl (dressed like your embarrassing uncle in a Jacko costume) is every inch the Gazza of rock, a sad old figure riding on past glories who leaves you pining for the genius days gone by, while the new guitarist is just an extremely poor Slash - top hat, checked shirt and sunburst Gibson Les Paul and all.

If we did care at all, it was about hearing our favourite 80s guitar tracks - not for a bunch of random musicians we don't know jamming while Axl disappears for another pointless costume change."

Ladies and gentlemen!

GUNS N ROSES - AUSTRALIAN TOUR - DECEMBER 2010
with special guests Korn

December 1 - Reid Park, Townsville
December 4 - Telstra 500 V8 Supercars, Sydney Olympic Park
December 7 - Adelaide Entertainment Centre
December 11 - Perth Motorplex, Perth

Go here for ticket info.

(Pic of Axl Rose at Leeds 2010: Nick Pickles/WENN)