Some would say it was typical Axl … very last minute and very dramatic.
Guns’N’Roses European tour is very much on, Axl Rose announced Friday afternoon via Twitter literally a couple of hours before taking the stage as the headliner at this weekend’s Reading Festival in the U.K.
“Bkstage at Reading,” the frontman tweeted. “Tour's ON! Our apologies 4 any inconvenience. Peace!”
The band, of which Rose is the only original member left, plays Reading on Friday, followed by the Leeds Festival on Sunday and then across Europe until Oct. 23.
Late Thursday, guitarist DJ Ashba, the most recent addition to GNR, had posted a picture on his personal Twitter and wrote: “Just woke up from a nap, here in London, getting ready for the concert tonight @ Reading Festival!!” Just before, the notoriously tempestuous Rose posted his confirmation of the tour really being on, a tweet went up on the band’s official account that said, “What a nice place for a little democracy (@ Reading Festival w/ 14 others)”
The reference to the band’s long awaited “Chinese Democracy” album from 2008 aside, the tour has been in doubt since Aug 15, just two days after GNR’s first official U.S. show in four years, when Rose’s Twitter account said, “All upcoming Guns N' Roses dates are officially cancelled. Please contact your place of purchase for any refunds.”
Later that day the Reading and Leeds promoters put out a statement claiming that the Twitter account had been hacked and that "Festival Republic are informed by GNR management that Guns N' Roses have NOT canceled their performances.”
Meanwhile, as Rose prepares to take the stage in the U.K., former GNR guitarist Slash is being honored in L.A. at the Sunset Strip Music Festival. After a star and six-string studded ceremony at the House of Blues on Thursday night, Slash’s solo band play the on the street festival Saturday in a line-up that includes the Smashing Pumpkins among others.
