2010.01.24 - Blabbermouth - Guns N' Roses Representative Denies Slash Gear Ban At Concert (& related articles)

Guns N' Roses Representative Denies Slash Gear Ban At Winnipeg Concert

Fernando Lebeis, the son of Beta Lebeis — Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose's personal assistant — has denied reports that security at GN'R's Winnipeg concert banned fans from wearing Slash gear inside the show.

According to TMZ.com, concert security informed fans at the January 13 show that they were required to turn their Slash t-shirts inside out .... and leave their top hats outside.

TMZ.com spoke with a member of the concert security team who "confirmed the marching orders — and told [the web site] the instructions were passed down from a producer for the band."

However, Fernando Lebeis has denied that any such ban ever took place. Writing on a GN'R message board, he said, "We did not advise any security to ban any sort of apparel.... If they did, they did it on their own accord, or under someone else's order — from within their management."

https://archive.blabbermouth.net/news/guns-n-roses-representative-denies-slash-gear-ban-at-winnipeg-concert/

The TMZ article was posted on the same date (Jan. 24). Apparently the Blabbermouth article above was updated with Fernando's comments. In the earliest archived version of the TMZ article, as well as in the later ones, the show in question was the one in Regina on Jan. 20 (although the location is not mentioned specifically):

Slash Gear Banned from Guns N' Roses Concert

Posted Jan 24th 2010 7:16AM by TMZ Staff

Guns N' Roses fans were forced to take sides in the legendary war between Axl Rose and Slash -- after security at a recent GNR show banned fans from wearing Slash gear inside the show.

It all went down at the GNR show in Canada last Wednesday -- concert security informed fans that they were required to turn their Slash t-shirts inside out .... and leave their top hats outside.

TMZ spoke with a member of the concert security team who confirmed the marching orders -- and told us the instructions were passed down from a producer for the band.

We're told a few fans took the high road and went home ... but most just sucked it up and did what they were told.

https://web.archive.org/web/20100127184821/http://www.tmz.com/2010/01/24/slash-guns-and-roses-axl-rose-clothing-shirts-hat/

Pollstar, January 25, 2010:
--------------------------------

About That GNR Item

Evidently the story about Guns N’ Roses banning Slash gear at its shows is nothing but a lot of hot air.

During the weekend TMZ reported that fans wearing T-shirts depicting former GNR guitar slinger Slash were to turn the shirts inside out if they wanted admittance to Axl Rose & Company’s gig in Regina, Sk., last Wednesday. The same report claimed fans wearing top hats similar to Slash’s trademark topper were told to leave the hats outside.

But now it’s looking as if the item is merely the latest less than factual factoid attributed to the band. Several media outlets claim they came up empty when trying to find anyone who actually experienced a Slash ban at a GNR show last week. Or, for that matter any week.

--Jay Smith

https://web.archive.org/web/20100128202944/http://www.pollstar.com/blogs/news/archive/2010/01/25/706730.aspx

The Montreal Gazette, Jan. 25, 2010:
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Guns N' Roses denies banning fans in Slash attire

Axl Rose denies having little patience for fans of former Guns N’ Roses bandmate Slash.

Rose appears to have fallen victim to the Internet rumour mill.

TMZ had reported that on Jan. 20, security banned Slash paraphernalia at a Guns N’ Roses concert in Regina. Citing security for Regina’s Brandt Centre as their source, the story alleged that fans were told to turn their Slash shirts inside out and to leave their top hats (Slash’s trademark head attire) outside.

Guns N' Roses management has put out a statement denying it has banned fans from wearing Slash apparel at recent gigs. Senior officials at the Brandt Centre also deny the claim.

Pollstar also reports that several media outlets have come up empty-handed finding anyone to confirm TMZ’s story.

TMZ’s source, one of the security personnel allegedly working the concert, claimed the Slash ban was ushered by one of Guns N’ Roses’s producers.

https://web.archive.org/web/20100129122713/http://www.canada.com/entertainment/Guns+Roses+denies+banning+fans+Slash+attire/2483271/story.html

I looked this up a little more.

The rumour started at mygnrforum the day after the Winnipeg show (Jan. 15) citing people that were at the show and said they witnessed it:
https://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/158425-security-was-telling-people-at-wpg-show-they-would-not-be-allowed-in-with-slashvr-shirts/

That thread was locked, and then there was another thread by Madison (mygnrforum moderator) on Jan. 15, saying that she had a source that confirmed it really happened:
https://www.mygnrforum.com/topic/158462-security-at-winnipeg-show-instructed-to-turn-away-people-if-they-showed-up-in-slash-shirtstophats/

The issue was brought up at htgth message board on the same day, and there Fernando refuted the rumour:

Fernando wrote:We did not advise any security to ban any sort of apparel....  If they did, they did it on their own accord, or under someone else's order - from within their management.

Can we squash it now?  Or should we discuss it for like 10days, then discuss about why we discussed it for 10 days, for another 2weeks... then, reignite the conversation on how Axl himself was at the venue doors, telling everyone that Slash linkings and/or apparel is not allowed.

http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/board/index.php?topic=58713.msg1227295#msg1227295

Then an unknown fan/forum member did his own investigation and posted two audio clips on youtube on Jan. 16, supposedly from his communication with people from the venue security saying they hadn't heard anything about a banning policy:




So TMZ picked the story up about 10 days later probably from mygnrforum, and Blabbermouth was correct that it was about the Winnipeg show.