When another GNR rocked Gateshead ...
IN the early 1990s, there were few bigger rock bands in the world than Guns N’ Roses. It is 30 years since the hardliving fivesome from Los Angeles performed at Gateshead International Stadium. They were one of a succession of big-name music acts at the time to perform at a venue best-known for playing host to athletics events and the town’s football team.
During the 1980s and ‘90s the likes of The Police, U2, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, Simply Red and Tina Turner all drew huge crowds there. Only four days before Guns N’ Roses hit the stage, Dire Straits had performed before a sell-out crowd.
Singer Axl Rose, guitarist Slash and the lads were in the midst of their mammoth worldwide 194-date Use Your Illusion Tour and the June 16 date at the International Stadium was one of three outdoor shows in the UK, the other two being at Wembley Stadium and Manchester City’s Maine Road.
As it turned out, the 25,000 in attendance at Gateshead weren’t the only ones who would hear the band’s performance. The highvolume music could be heard right across Tyneside. The Chronicle reported how “fans wilted in the heat – and others got hot under the collar at bad language from lead singer Axl Rose on the stage.” A police spokesman said: “We got telephone calls from people in Newcastle saying they could hear bad language floating through the air, but we do not intend to take any action.”
Meanwhile, it was also revealed Guns N’ Roses had been unable to secure their first choice of overnight accommodation in the North East.
The band and entourage had turned up at Lumley Castle in Chester-le-Street demanding 28 double rooms, 24-hour room service and round-the-clock security for three nights, but the hotel were unable to manage and the group decided they would stay in London instead.
Thankfully, the show itself was a success with the band kicking off with It’s So Easy, Mr Brownstone, and their hard-hitting cover of the Wings classic – and Bond film tune – Live and Let Die.