Reading And Leeds Festivals boss Melvin Benn has said that Guns N’ Roses won’t be allowed to go on late at this year’s events – like they did in Leeds in 2002.
Axl Rose‘s band went on stage in Leeds after 11pm (BST) eight years ago – over an hour after their scheduled start time. Benn told Uncut‘s sister-title NME that this year the band will simply not be allowed to break the noise curfew.
“It’s just not an option,” he said. “I mean, it is certainly an option for them to go on late, but that for me is just about disrespecting their fans. There isn’t an option for them to carry on late, though.”
He added: “You may remember they played Leeds festival in 2002, and they actually went onstage after their curfew should have started. They went on after they should have finished. We sort of were allowed to do that on that one occasion.
“Unfortunately, [this year] the police and the local authorities in particular have reaffirmed their position to me that the curfew has to be adhered to. It’s 11pm at Leeds and it’s 11:30pm at Reading. The truth is that I can’t allow the performance to go on beyond that – it’s just that simple.”
The Reading And Leeds Festivals take place on August 27-29. Arcade Fire and Blink 182 are the other headliners.
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