YOUR GNR RIOT STORY???

[anythinggoes]

I was at the Philadelphia riot.? I was actually in the four row center- amazing seats.? Just looking at the fatigued and concerned look on Mix Master Mike?s face let me knew that something wasn?t right.? That suspicion was confirmed when I went to order more beers and discovered the taps were all turned off.? I went back to my seat, told my friend there was going to be a riot, called a few of my friends to let them know that things were about to get interesting in South Philly, and then waited patiently for someone to throw the first chair.? Eventually, someone did, and then all hell broke loose.? My friend took off, fearing for her life.? I did my best to help the disturbance turn into a full blown riot.? I personally think everything that went on was hilarious (I say this especially since nobody was injured).? The Christmas tree in the lobby was ripped down and all of the prop gifts were unwrapped, the soundboard was decimated, I watched some guy smash one of the video cameras to pieces with a chair- I laughed so hard I cried.? I?m sure by now you have all seen the pictures and heard numerous accounts.? Hopefully this will be different from the rest since not only did I participate, but I think Axl got exactly what he deserved: his property destroyed, the tour cancelled, and being sent back into obscurity for what looks to be for good.

I know there are going to be tons of comments about how it?s not cool to trash Axl?s stuff and how I should have more respect for the band.? My reply to that is:? I am a very busy man, I?m in law school, have a job, and plenty of other responsibilities; my time is very valuable, so when I make time to go to any event, I expect it should take place, absent a legitimate and announced excuse.? If the artist doesn?t have the courtesy to explain (Ozzy?s absence from Ozzfest this year was explained and there was no insurgence), then fuck him.? When people get really frustrated they have to release it somewhere, where better than on the artist?s stuff- I wasn?t about to go home pissed and be in a bad mood for my girlfriend for reasons beyond her control.?

Axl, if you come back to Philly you better be on your best behavior and give a sincere apology because if you don?t you can count on having all of your stuff destroyed again.? Remember, it only takes a few people to bring about catastrophe.

Law School??? what need is there to participate in a riot. Axl didn't turn up so what you should half expect it which means you went to the concert ready to have a fight/riot not most peoples idea of a good night shame you didnt get locked up fot the night eh

[Rain]

I don't get people that think that the world revolves around them .... ie Axl doesn't show up, I paid for the ticket I have the right to crash everything as if it was a personal attack or something. 

I don't know ... in 2001 I bought 3 tickets to see them in Europe ... I was refunded ... I got to see them at the pukkelpop and in London in 2002 ... and I bought a ticket for Vegas, I paid for the plane and the hotel ... too bad Philly happened ... was I mad ? No because when I booked everything in the first place I knew that these shits happen all the time w/ GNR. When you buy a gnr show ticket you know what to expect. But when it occurs it's a blast and you forget about the cancellations.

[PhillyRiot]

Hey I flied from Philly to Vegas to see Axl.  When I see a GNR concert, I take time to buy the tickets, and take time out of my schedule to see a show.  Expecting the performer to show up doesn't translate to thinking the world revolves around me.  Yes, we don't know exactly what happened in Philly, but we do know what happened in Vancouver, where Axl was extremely tardy, and we know what happened in Montreal and we know what happened in St. Louis.  If GNR ever tours again, I will buy tickets, and I will EXPECT to see a show, I don't think that is asking too much. 

[Jessica]

JESSICA AND JARMO - Axl knows by now, that if he doesn't get to a venue on time, or even walks off the stage, fans will riot.  Of course Axl wasn't the one throwing chairs, sodas, or anything else that night, that was fans acting crazy and being criminal.  HOWEVER, Axl know what happens when he pulls his antics and does not perform, and that automatically gives him a responsibilty to show up on time, and not indirectly create a dangerous enviroment for his fans.  He is a grown man, and he should no better.  There is no excuse for fans to turn violent, but Axl should be a little more responsible.  Not to mention if you aren't going to play a show, don't sell tickets for it!  Do you agree with anything I am saying here?

Yeep.

But i do still think that axl not showing up or being late is no excuse for stupid mentally retarded drugs addicted yobbos to turn places into war zones and make it dangerous for everyone else ( especially since i saw 2 very small kids in front row at pukkelpop and it could have been disastrous if things had gone worse).

Fans have a collective responsability when they are  at concerts and i am sick and tired of them, they want want want and give nothing but shite in return !

AS for axl : i'll buy you a nice watch for xmas.

[Jessica]

JESSICA AND JARMO - Axl knows by now, that if he doesn't get to a venue on time, or even walks off the stage, fans will riot.  Of course Axl wasn't the one throwing chairs, sodas, or anything else that night, that was fans acting crazy and being criminal.  HOWEVER, Axl know what happens when he pulls his antics and does not perform, and that automatically gives him a responsibilty to show up on time, and not indirectly create a dangerous enviroment for his fans.  He is a grown man, and he should no better.  There is no excuse for fans to turn violent, but Axl should be a little more responsible.  Not to mention if you aren't going to play a show, don't sell tickets for it!  Do you agree with anything I am saying here?

it seems like GN'R fans have a thing for wrecking the arenas.



/jarmo

Take 13 year old kids who skip school; who drink beer all day, smoke ciggarettes, hash as soon as they can, who do nothing ?

Take the same ones 5 years later and you have " these"GNR fans.

Stupid gits who would be better off getting themselves an education instead of showing everyone they never got one.

[PhillyRiot]

Agreed.  But the bottom line is: Axl showing up to a concert venue on time and doing a full set decreases the odds of a riot.

BTW - VR showed up at the Spectrum last night and I had a GREAT time.

[F*ck Fear]

Education has nothing to do with people tearing up an arena.....I didn't finish school,but I know for damn sure that I won't be ripping seats off the floor and throwing them around just because Axl doesn't show...If people are taking drugs they can't control that's something they shouldn't be doing.....But to have a few drinks at a show and catch a buzz is fine IMO.

In Toronto I was worried that he wouldn't show....And the longer we waited I heard more comments from people,about how Axl is an asshole,but once he delivered all was forgot.

[Budweiser Froggs]

i dont mind having shows cancelled.  I just had tickets to a sevendust concert and it was cancelled before I went and I didnt mind.  What bothers me is they wait so long to cancel them.  By then your in your seat and all excited for the night.  I never went to a cancelled gnr concert but that woulda pissed me off if i was sitting in my seat and drove all that way to see "the great axl rose."  axl should have a decision by the afternoon at least to say "ya know what im going to do this thing."

[KeVoRkIaN]

I was at the Toronto tour with Skid Row  and on the way home on a public (go) bus everyone was docile until the bus driver came over the loudspeaker and said "what wrong with you pussies? lemme hear some rock and roll fans"  a riot started on the bus - one guy had a knife and was demanding the driver to go to Montreal people broke the seats , opened up the fire escape and threw them out of the moving bus.  It was really fucked up.  The driver got the bus to Hamilton and ran off of it leaving all of us to run away from the scene.  By friend still has an armrest as a souvenir.  Pretty scary in such close quarters.

[journey]

I think if Axl is unable to make it to a venue, but the rest of the band is already at the venue, that one of them should sing the songs. This would probably help mollify the crowd.  All options should be exhausted before calling it quits. Because, people do pay to see a show and they wait patiently as well. Rioting is very ignorant to me, and useless. But, there are individuals who are ignorant and useless (by choice).

[Jessica]

JESSICA AND JARMO - Axl knows by now, that if he doesn't get to a venue on time, or even walks off the stage, fans will riot. Of course Axl wasn't the one throwing chairs, sodas, or anything else that night, that was fans acting crazy and being criminal. HOWEVER, Axl know what happens when he pulls his antics and does not perform, and that automatically gives him a responsibilty to show up on time, and not indirectly create a dangerous enviroment for his fans. He is a grown man, and he should no better. There is no excuse for fans to turn violent, but Axl should be a little more responsible. Not to mention if you aren't going to play a show, don't sell tickets for it! Do you agree with anything I am saying here?

it seems like GN'R fans have a thing for wrecking the arenas.



/jarmo

Take 13 year old kids who skip school; who drink beer all day, smoke ciggarettes, hash as soon as they can, who do nothing ?

Take the same ones 5 years later and you have " these"GNR fans.

Stupid gits who would be better off getting themselves an education instead of showing everyone they never got one.

Crazy lady talking more nonsense.

Bla bal bla. Reality is that you have two sorts of people :

The ones who are pissed off and who are educated enough to think before they act and who go home angered.
The ones who are pissed off and who lack education so much that they were never told breaking material good's belonging to someone else was a felony and morally wrong and who go home feeling very proud of themselves for breaking things and endangering people.

And now, since you cheese me off, i'll take you whenever you want, however you want, IN FRENCH !

Because the day you'll speak french as good as i speak english, pigs will FLY !

[K-Rock]

I was in Philly and acted like a responsible human being and left as the riot was starting.

A person in law school who openly violates the law and is proud of it??  America is gonna be a better place if you start practicing law.

I'll bet you're aspiring to be a defense attorney so you can stand by pedophiles, drug dealers and murderers.

So you waited patiently for the first person to throw the chair??  What's the matter, didn't have the balls to throw it yourself. 

Your time is valuable??  That's the only funny part about your post.

It has been explained........Axl called out sick.  Clear Channel let the show go on.  Why do you think they had people hired off the street selling tickets for the next show for $10.00.  Those tickets could not be refunded.  Clear Channel knew they were losing money and decided to cash in as best they could on the last night. 

[the dirt]

It has been explained........Axl called out sick.? Clear Channel let the show go on.? Why do you think they had people hired off the street selling tickets for the next show for $10.00.? Those tickets could not be refunded.? Clear Channel knew they were losing money and decided to cash in as best they could on the last night.?

I don't think it has officialy been explained. Not by CC or Axl, or management, for that matter.

However, I do believe 2 band members gave 2 different stories as to what happened, so maybe your explanation came from what one of these guys said about it. (i forget which one's mentioned the reason for what happened, but it doesn't really matter anyway)

[K-Rock]

However, I do believe 2 band members gave 2 different stories as to what happened, so maybe your explanation came from what one of these guys said about it. (i forget which one's mentioned the reason for what happened, but it doesn't really matter anyway)

Tommy Stinson.

I didn't hear any other explanation from any other band member.

Dizzy seems to be the only other band member willing to share with GNR fans.  I'm guessing it was him.