Guns N’ Roses Abu Dhabi show cut short after Axl Rose becomes ‘severely ill’
An ailing Axl Rose gave it his best but still had to cut short Guns N’ Roses’ set in Abu Dhabi on Sunday night. He managed to last about 20 songs, according to the music website Loudwire. “They’ve got me on IVs and a bunch of injections, ‘cause I got sick today, I’ve been throwing up for about the last five hours,” Rose, 56, explained to the crowd in the United Arab Emirates at the beginning of the concert. “So, instead of cancelling, I’m gonna do the best show we can for you.” His bandmates, who famously feuded with Rose for two decades, were in awe of his efforts. In a tweet thanking the Abu Dhabi crowd, bassist Duff McKagan called Rose’s performance nothing short of “a damn miracle”.
“The man was beyond ill, and pulled off something I’ve never seen in my 40 yrs of playing. You all pulled him thru. Til next time!” he added in the tweet.
“Axl was severely ill,” guitarist Slash confirmed in a tweet. “But you all were hugely supportive. Thanks for that. We’ll see [you] again next time! Cheers!”
In 2016, Rose broke his foot as Guns N’ Roses was warming up for its reunion road trip (dubbed the “Not In This Lifetime” tour after a famous Rose quote about the band’s chances of getting back together), putting the whole venture in jeopardy.
McKagan sprung into action to make other arrangements, calling Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl to borrow the mobile rock throne he had built, so he could continue that band’s 2014 tour after having broken his own leg, onstage in Sweden.