Axl blasts fans at GN’R gig

FROM the King of Rock to stage diva. Avid followers of Guns N’ Roses were left frustrated and bewildered when frontman Axl Rose stormed off stage with his band.

After just four songs and 22 minutes at the O2 arena on Wednesday night, the intemperate rocker pulled the plug on his show and walked, after restless fans threw water bottles on stage.

The sell-out gig even attracted fans from abroad for the reformatted band.

But after the support band finished at 9pm, there was a dead silence on stage for nearly an hour and a half.

Frustrated fans booed and hissed with no sign of Axl and his rockers.

When the band did finally turn up, Axl said nothing and went straight into a number from his flopped new album Chinese Democracy.

We should have expected it. Previous gigs on the European tour saw Axl arrive at least 45 minutes late.

Claps and cheers were heard all around to Welcome to the Jungle after the dismal start. That’s where the fun ended.

After a bottle flew on to the stage the broody singer warned fans: “Here’s the deal, one more bottle, we go home.”

And that’s just what the band did two songs later during the fourth song Mr Brownstone.

What proceeded after that was just farce.

Understandably, MCD promoter boss Denis Desmond appeared and told fans attempts were being made to get Axl back on stage and to stop throwing items.

It was suggested to many fans to take their tickets if they were leaving and complain to MCD.

In the meantime, until after 11.15pm with the bar shut and anxious parents keen to get their children home, the crowd waited... almost half an hour.

When the king of rockers did finally appear again, his sulky, apathetic appearance was a shadow of his earlier self.

Rooted at the back of the light-up stage, Axl belted out classics like Sweet Child of Mine and November Rain. But it was all put on.

MCD yesterday said every effort had been made to get Guns N’ Roses on stage at the beginning of the night. The promoters apologised to fans but also admitted the artist was prevented from leaving the venue after his strop.

MCD also said no artist should be subjected to “missiles” being thrown at them.

Agreed, but fans who put up with Axl’s hissy fit ended up walking home at close to 1am. And that was after thousands had earlier left.