Guns 'N' Roses warned to be on time
Axl Rose The 'Paradise City' rockers will headline the Leeds festival on Friday (27.08.10) and Reading festival on Sunday (29.08.10) but organiser Melvin Benn says he will pull the plug if the band turn up late for either show - as happened when the group played at the Leeds leg of the festival eight years ago.
He said: "If Guns 'N' Roses decide to take to the stage as late as they did in Leeds some years ago then the performance just won't happen. I've had a very heavy warning from the local councils. There is a curfew - it's a very strict curfew. We got away with it once. We won't get away with it for a second time."
Melvin added he felt a late performance would not be fair to fans, saying: "It's just not an option. I mean, it is certainly an option for them to go on late, but that for me is just disrespecting their fans.
"There isn't an option for them to carry on late, past the curfew though."
The Axl Rose fronted band are notorious for starting shows behind schedule and being difficult with promoters, but Mr. Benn said there is no chance of any exception being made as it threatens the viability of the whole festival.
He explained: "The truth is - it's threatening the viability of the whole festival. It threatens the licence. It really is quite important."
