[Dawn]

Guns N' Roses warned to be punctual for Leeds and Reading
by James Lawrenson, Posted Aug 24, 2010

Filed under:Festival News

Guns N' Roses have been threatened with having the sound cut on them if they arrive late on stage at the Leeds and Reading festivals.

The last time the band played the festival, in 2002, they rocked up more than two hours late on the Leeds leg. Unsurprisingly, the local council at the time were not best pleased.

Melvin Benn, the head of Leeds and Reading festival, told the BBC: "If Guns N' Roses decide to take to 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."

Under the terms of their licence festivals are usually fined if they breach their curfew, a fate which Benn is trying to avoid.

Benn said: "We got away with it once. We won't get away with it for a second time. Unfortunately, if the band chose not to take to the stage on time there's really nothing I can do. I won't be allowed to break the curfew."

"The truth is -- it's threatening the viability of the festival. It threatens the licence. It really is quite important."

Last week, as Spinner reported, fears that Guns N' Roses had cancelled all their upcoming appearances had to be assuaged, after Axl Rose's Twitter account was hacked and a tweet issued stating that "All upcoming Guns N' Roses dates are officially cancelled."

Presuming the band are punctual they will headline Reading on Friday (27 August), and Leeds on Sunday (29 August).