2002.11.08 - Rolling Stone - GN'R Cancel Show, Fans Riot

by **Blackstar** Sat May 09, 2020 3:57 pm

GN'R Cancel Show, Fans Riot

Crowd members break doors, throw rocks at police in Vancouver

Guns n' Roses cancelled the Vancouver, B.C., opening date of their North American tour Thursday night, sparking an hour-long riot at GM Place arena.

After workers at the venue posted signs announcing the cancellation at 7:37 p.m., a crowd of thousands chanted "bullshit!" Some rioters then rammed steel barricades through the venue doors and box office windows, as well as threw rocks and fired bottle rockets at police, who responded with pepper spray and nightsticks. Police could not be reached for immediate comment, but News 1130 radio reported that between ten and twenty people were arrested.

According to a band spokeswoman, the cancellation was the result of technical difficulties on singer Axl Rose's plane, and Guns n' Roses' Friday night show in Tacoma, Washington, is expected to go on as scheduled. A representative from promoter Clear Channel Entertainment did not return calls Thursday night. The outing is the band's first American tour in nine years.

Fans, some of whom had traveled from as far away as Toronto and Calgary for the $80 show, largely blamed Axl Rose, the only remaining original member of Guns n' Roses, for the melee. "He tries to put on airs that he's changed, but he's not any different," said Beth Wood, twenty-one, of Toronto.

"He cancelled here before, twelve years ago, I think," said thirty-year-old Lori Hoffman of Vancouver. "I bought tickets both times. I'd be kind of reluctant to [do it again]. It's a waste of time."

CHRIS NELSON

https://web.archive.org/web/20040324043041/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/newsarticle.asp?nid=17028&cf=344

by **Blackstar** Tue May 19, 2020 7:45 pm

Related article in NME, November 8, 2002:

APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION!
Police use pepper spray as thousands vent their fury in Vancouver...

Thousands of GUNS N’ ROSES fans rioted in VANCOUVER last night (November 7) after frontman AXL ROSE failed to turn up for the opening gig of the North American leg on their world tour.

According to eyewitness reports, barriers were hurled through box office windows at the GM Place and police were drafted in using pepper spray and clubs to disperse the crowd, who pelted them with rocks in return.

According to reports on Canadian site canoe.ca, trouble began after the doors didn’t open at 6.30pm as scheduled, with fans shouting “B.S.” in the queue. An announcement was made at 7.40pm, ten minutes after the show was due to begin, saying it would not go ahead, and trouble flared, with windows at the GM Place being smashed and barriers being thrown through them.

Police were called, and, according to Canada.com, used pepper spray on the crowd. Fireworks were set off in their direction and rocks hurled at them from across the car park. The trouble lasted for around an hour.

A spokesperson for the band said Rose’s plane was grounded by poor weather at Los Angeles airport and it was impossible for him to make the gig. The rest of the band had rehearsed at the venue on Wednesday without him. The spokesperson said that tonight’s scheduled show at Tacoma, Washington would go ahead as scheduled.

Guns ‘N Roses have a history of running late and no-shows. At this year’s Carling Weekend Leeds Festival in August, the band went on stage two hours late, demanding to be allowed to finish their set – despite the fact festival organisers can be fined for over-running stage curfews – with Rose declaring from the stage that there would be a riot if they were not allowed to play their whole show.

If you were at the GM Place in Vancouver last night, email news@nme.com and tell us what happened.

https://www.nme.com/news/music/guns-n-roses-345-1371337

2002.11.08 - Rolling Stone - GN'R Cancel Show, Fans Riot

2002.11.08 - Rolling Stone - GN'R Cancel Show, Fans Riot

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