1992.05.16 - Slane Castle, Slane, Ireland

Guns N’ Roses at Slane 1992: Appetite for self-destruction

Twenty-five years ago, while on the brink of falling apart, the rock band came to Ireland

Sat, May 27, 2017, 06:00
Ronan McGreevy

Twenty-five years ago, Guns N’ Roses were the biggest band in the world. The musicians – waifs and strays who had emerged from the scuzzy Los Angeles hard rock scene – had conquered the planet musically in the previous five years.

But by 1992 they were falling apart.

Their brilliant debut album Appetite for Destruction, released in 1987, took a year to reach the top of the Billboard 200, propelled there by the constant rotation on MTV of the videos for Paradise City and Sweet Child O’ Mine. It would go on to become the bestselling debut album of all time.

The follow-up double album, Use Your Illusion I and II, released in September 1991, was a protracted affair far removed from their incendiary debut. It was “ridiculously self-indulgent”, confessed lead guitarist Slash many years later, the sound of a band trying too hard to recreate the sound and sense of desperation which had made them special.

Nevertheless, it sold millions of records, at a time when sales were still measured in hard sales.

In May 1992, Guns N’ Roses arrived in Ireland at the start of their European tour on Saturday 16th. They came trailing a reputation for unpredictability. The “most dangerous band in the world” tag was not just record company hype.

Crushed to death

At Donington Park in Britain in 1988, two fans had been crushed to death during the band’s set; in 1991 singer Axl Rose had stopped a show in St Louis when he had discovered a fan was filming the show. Fans had wrecked the venue; Rose had been charged with inciting the riot.

A year later fans had trashed an arena in Montreal, after Rose again stormed off stage.

Trouble followed Guns N’ Roses wherever they went. Rose’s habitual lateness for every concert tried the patience of fans, and the band racked up huge fines from promoters. When they did go on stage, the ever combustible Rose was capable of anything. They were unpredictable and exhilarating and almost constantly drunk, stoned or both.

At Wembley, a month before they arrived in Ireland, bass player Duff McKagan was so drunk during a tribute concert to the late Freddie Mercury, who had died the previous year, that he had to be carried on to the stage by Elton John.

The concert at Slane had personal resonances for McKagan. His maternal grandfather Jon Harrington was from Co Cork. McKagan was the first of his eight siblings to visit Ireland.

A reception committee of his Irish relatives was on hand, 100 people who hosted a barbecue in his honour. It was preceded by a pub crawl in which his cousins tried to match the man whose gargantuan appetite for booze had earned him the moniker “Duff, the king of beers”.

McKagan knew he was in trouble when he realised he could drink more than his Irish relatives.

“I was around a bunch of Irish relatives who were drinking a ton and then this old gal, a relative, grabbed me by the cheeks and said ‘you’re drinking too much’,” Duff told The Irish Times six years ago.

“I looked around. All these f***ers were drinking. I drink too much compared to these folks? Really?”

Half a gallon

Duff was drinking a half a gallon of vodka a day; at that stage Slash too was drinking heavily and ingesting vast quantities of cocaine, heroin and crack.

Slash’s verdict on Slane? He told Hot Press years later: “I remember the place, but not the performance, which is indicative of how blurred my life had become.”

The culture of excess extended to every aspect of this now-infamous tour. The band didn’t even have suitcases until their record company Geffen bought them some with their first advance.

In a few short years they had gone from travelling in a transit van to a custom-fitted Boeing 727 borrowed for this tour from the MGM casino in Las Vegas. Slash and McKagan began by smoking crack in the toilet before it had even left the ground in Los Angeles.

As they watched the smoke curl up an air vent, McKagan recalled saying to himself: “Of course we can smoke on here, it’s our plane.”

By the time of the Use Your Illusion tour, two original members of the band, guitarist Izzy Stradlin and drummer Steven Adler, were no longer with Gun N’ Roses. Adler had been fired in 1990 over heroin addiction (being sacked for excessive consumption was a singular feat within the band). After attaining sobriety, Stradlin had left in 1991, later saying he was sick of the band’s antics.

Guns N’ Roses now had a horn section, a keyboard player and backing singers, as Rose pursued his vision of turning Guns N’ Roses into a hard-rock version of Elton John.

In the music industry at that time, live tours were staged in order to sell albums (now it’s the other way around), and for a band as big as Guns N’ Roses money was no object.

Every night the band hosted themed parties: based on Roman baths, a Mexican fiesta and horror films. Even the band, incorrigible partygoers that they were, grew bored by them.

Hired yachts

They booked out restaurants and hired yachts. They went snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef and booked out a bowling alley in London.

Occasionally, Slash would ask himself who was footing the bill, but would think twice lest he disturb the already-delicate atmosphere.

The answer was that he and the other witless band members were paying for it themselves. Despite playing to seven million people over two and a half years, the tour barely broke even.

McKagan was so shocked by the profligacy that when he got sober later after a near-death experience, he went to business school and founded a wealth management firm.

At Slane, Guns N’ Roses were supported by My Little Funhouse and Faith No More. Slash, Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum arrived early by helicopter and went fishing in the River Boyne behind the stage.

Rose was still in his hotel room in the Conrad Hotel in central Dublin. There was nothing unusual about this. At that stage his semi-detached relationship with the rest of the band was entrenched.

Time ticked on. The restive audience started making human pyramids, the top body mooning to an appreciative audience. Compared with the atmosphere of menace in other venues – one German promoter locked the band into the arena fearing a riot – it was all very good-humoured.

But Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles was worried. The band were supposed to be on stage. Where was Axl Rose? Slash didn’t know and pointed Mountcharles in the direction of the band’s manager Doug Goldstein, who was blithely fishing in the Boyne.

Rose was still in his hotel room in Dublin when he was supposed to have been on stage. (At least he could be found. In Stockholm he had been spotted watching a fireworks display as the band searched frantically for him.)

No apology

He was taken by helicopter from Dublin to Slane. Eventually the band went on stage two hours after the appointed time without an apology. It was growing cold by then.

Denis Desmond of MCD was the promoter – and is again for this year’s Slane concert. He admits there was a “a couple of anxious moments” in 1992. “Those were the days before mobile phones. We had to find a pay phone to call the hotel reception.”

Rose was taken from the hotel by limousine to Dublin Airport, and to Slane by Sikorsky helicopter. He did turn up late, but not the often reported two hours late, says Desmond.

“Believe me, he’s been later,” says Desmond, referring to a 2010 concert in the O2 venue, which ended in farce after Axl Rose stormed off stage.

Was it worth the wait in 1992? “When they went on stage, they really turned it on,” said Henry Mountcharles, recalling the gig this year.

Reviewing the concert in The Irish Times the next day, critic Dave Fanning was a little less complimentary.

“Guns N’ Roses gave everything they had but the problem is that with only two or three albums on release they don’t really have a lot. They’re just a very famous hard rock band who have five or six fine songs.”

Ironically, given what we know now, he wrote that Axl Rose had “worked the stage like a true professional”, but said that a long drum solo had been “ludicrous” and that Guns N’ Roses would “have to do better to make it on musical merits”.

And the cracks were evident. Presciently, Fanning mused that the band were “in danger of becoming just another hard-noise outfit on Rock’s lost highway . . . 1992 may be seen in years to come as a period of transition for Guns N’ Roses.”

Incendiary brilliance

If you want to make up your own mind about the gig, there is a shaky but watchable video is on YouTube. Surprisingly, in the days before smartphones, somebody filmed the whole concert.

Guns N’ Roses had blown all the lipstick-pouting, spandex-wearing hair-metal bands away with their incendiary brilliance, but in 1993, they in turn flamed out. The original incarnation of the band quit and Guns N’ Roses faded away. Their brand of hard rock excess was replaced by the plaid-wearing, morose cheerlessness of grunge.

We may never see their likes again, but we thought the same thing in 1992, and now they are back. Some 80,000 tickets sold out within one day last December for the band’s return to Slane Castle this weekend.

Core members Axl Rose, Slash, Duff McKagan, and Dizzy Reed will take to the stage, alongside guitarist Richard Fortus, drummer Frank Ferrer, and keyboardist Melissa Reese.

Fans are advised to get there early. Axl apparently turns up on time these days. “They’ve done 100 shows plus on this tour and have turned up on time every time,” says Denis Desmond.

Guns N’ Roses tickets going well

THERE has been a ‘good run’ on the sale of tickets for the forthcoming Guns Ν’ Roses rock concert at Slane, according to Tommy Leddy, proprietor of the Sound Shop in Drogheda.

‘There has been a great deal of interest in them so far,’ he said, adding that he expected there would be a major rush for them over the next couple of weeks.

And he advised people who were interested in going and who had not yet bought tickets, to do so quickly as in previous years, many music fans were disappointed as they had left it too late.

"If you want to go you would want to start buying your tickets now,' continued Tommy. Tickets are on sale for the Saturday, May 16 concert at £22.75 each.

Meanwhile, as in the past, there are no plans by locals to block the concert. As many as 50,000 are expected to converge on Slane next month.

Extra Gardai will be drafted into the scenic village to prevent a repeat of the scenes at the Bob Dylan concert, where there was a considerable amount of trouble and a number of arrests made.

Guns N’ Roses is currently one of the most successful, but controversial, rock bands in the world. They have attracted a massive following wherever they play, and it is expected there will be a capacity crowd in Slane.

They have been accused of inciting trouble in the past but this has been vehemently denied by management, and their lead singer Axel Rose.

The American rock stars will follow in the footsteps of bands such as Thin Lizzy, the Rolling Stones, Queen. Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen, who have topped the bill.

Why they’re the world’s most dangerous band

World’s wildest Roses...

Eamon Carr on the talent and taste of Guns N' Roses

IN CASE anyone doubts Guns Ν' Roses commitment to rock 'n' roll, I should reveal that wildman Axl Rose brings his own Exercycle on tour with him.

While his fans might imagine the singer psyching up for a gig by downing a bottle of Rebel Yell whiskey and a handful of mind-expanding pills, Axl lurks backstage pedalling up a storm!

Despite their ferociously hedonistic image, the real casualties in the Guns N' Roses' firmament are the fans.

When the band appeared in a lowly place on the bill at Castle Donnington in I988, two fans were crushed to death.

Last July on the band’s Get In The Ring, Motherf...er Tour, Axl was miffed to see an unauthorised member of the audience taking snaps of him.

He waded into the audience to sort the individual out. The fans rioted. There were 60 casualties.

Fans were again disappointed when, more recently, the Gunners cancelled a number of shows in America at short notice.

Axl had taken the coward's way out and gone into hiding rather than face charges arising from the St Louis incident at which $200,000 worth of damage had been caused.

On the first gig of last year’s tour the band got a shock. As they paraded on stage in Wisconsin one group member was convinced he was on some evil drugs 'n booze horror trip. "It was dark and I saw this big hairy thing hit Slash's mike stand."

The ensuing apparitions weren't his described "bunch of dead raccoons landing onstage." Rather, they were huge sods of clay and grass which the audience had ripped up and flung on stage.

In the ensuing melee four fans were hospitalised. They were diagnosed as suffering from "turf poisoning"!

On the meanest streets, where every second hobo has an armful of rock'n'roll fantasies. GN'R quickly gained a reputation for excess. Their early L.A. club gigs were billed as “Fresh From Detox: Only The Strong Survive.”

Soon they were attracting an army of youthful admirers. "People love dirt and if you die, that's really great too,” Slash has postulated.

That they were an intense and intolerant bunch of misfits was part of GN'R’s appeal. Living on rollercoasters of confusion and mental anguish, their music reflected both despair and ecstasy. It's a potent brew which is often overlooked in the rush to marvel at Axl's electro-shock treatment in '87 or Slash's capacity for vodka-guzzling.

Throughout the band's career an on-off flirtation with hard drugs has threatened to cancel their musical ambitions. Many onlookers expected the band to sink under the rigours of maintaining a lifestyle of junkie chic.

Their multi-million selling album Appetite For Destruction seemed to be prophetically titled. Success gained them access to the ranks of Hollywood's decadent elite and their toxic exploits fuelled both PR mythology.

Then, as support to the Stones in L.A. in October '89, Axl issued an ultimatum "Unless certain people in this band get their s...t together,” he declared by way of introduction to the band's heroin anthem Mr. Brownstone, "these will be the last Guns N' Roses shows you'll ever see."

The following night, while Izzy hung his head, Slash admitted, "Last night I was up here and I didn't even know it. Smack and all that crap ain't what it's all about." To illustrate his good intentions he sported a Betty Ford Clinic T-shirt!

Despite some squalid attempts, he failed to become a celebrity casualty. Instead the guitarist guested on sessions with Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop and Michael Jackson.

But drummer Stephen Adler didn't fare so well. He got booted out of the band. "We tried our best to get Stephen back together,” Slash has claimed. “He couldn't understand why he couldn't be a junkie and be in a rock'n'roll band.”

These days Guns N' Roses insist they're drug free. From coping with the problems of addiction the band have turned their attention to the problems of success which "can eat you alive,” as Axl has claimed.

Nowadays the singer is learning to cope with life's crises through a series of regression therapies. Izzy Stradlin has opted out of the rock'n'roll rat race and is planning a solo career on his own terms. The top-halted Slash makes himself available to the press though if he doesn't like the questions he's prone to complain to his manager. The other players keep as low a profile as possible.

Meanwhile their rip-snorting albums continue to smash sales records and their very existence reasserts rock'n'roll's essential delinquency.

Coming after more than a decade of the deliberate dilution of rock's mutinous message by the music industry, Guns N'Roses at Slane should reaffirm all that's nasty, brutal and sublime about the primeval beast that's rock'n'roll.

Slash shoots at wildlife!

GUNS N' ROSES star Slash has taken up wildlife photography. Slash, who'll be rocking Slane Castle on
Saturday admits: "It sure beats smashing up hotels."

The A to Z of GN'R

Eugene Moloney’s guide to everything you’ll need to know about Slane

A IS for the astounding record sales Guns Ν' Roses have notched up. To date they have sold 36 million albums worldwide. A is also for alcohol which is banned both on and near the concert site.

B IS for buses which will be leaving from Dublin's Upper O'Connell Street for Slane every 13 minutes between 9am and 12.30am on the day of the concert and returning from Ashbourne Road, Slane after the concert. Tickets, price £9, are available in advance from Dublin Bus outlets. A £1 discount applies for holders of Guns Ν' Rows special bus leaflets.

C IS for backstage crew which will include carpenters,technicians and wardrobe assistants and number 98 in all.

D IS for doctors and nurses who will be among the 160 medical staff on duty during the day. It’s also for Don't which means don't try and camp out before the gig. don't try to bring booze or drugs into the concert site and don't cause trouble. Any of the above will at the very least mean you'll be barred from the gig.

E is for the emergency unit which will be in operation throughout the day in the castle grounds next to the concert site. It will be manned by fully qualified medical staff from the North Eastern Health Board.

F IS for Faith No More, the American band who will play second on the bill.

G IS for gates which will open at 12 noon and close after Guns Ν' Roses finish their set - estimated time for end of gig is 8.30 pm.

H IS for helicopters for those who want to arrive and depart from Slane with the minimum of worries.

I IS for the information tent which will at the rear of the site between the two main exits. It will serve as a meeting point and lost and found area.

J IS for the specially recruited janitors who will have to clean up all the litter left behind.

K IS for Kilkenny band My Little Fun House who will be first on the bill with a set due to start around 1.30 pm.

L IS for the private Learfan jet which will fly the group to and from Ireland.

M IS for merchandising. There will be numerous official merchandising outlets on site.

N IS for the telephone number of Slane Garda Station which in caseof emergencies is 041-24202 or 041-24330.

O IS for orange which will be the colour of the vests worn by official security supervisors on hand to help anyone who is lost. They will be in regular radio contact with all emergency services. In all there will be 300 security staff on duty.

P IS for parking. There will be bus and car parks on each of the approach roads to Slane. Do not attempt to drive too near the ground and at all times obey the directions of the official stewards and Gardai.

Q IS for the queue which will be the order of the day whether you want to buy a burger, visit a local bank cash dispenser or go to the loo.

R IS for the three Red Cross tents erected on the site. There will also be a fully equipped field hospital and first aid tent beside the stage.

S IS for Slane village, a quiet peaceful town which the residents would like to stay that way.

T IS for toilets which in total will number 200 and will he in two separate blocks, one for males and one for females. There will also be toilets in the village and at the official car and bus parks. T is also for tickets which are still available from recognised outlets price £22.73.

U IS for the Guns Ν' Roses Use Your Illusion tour which kicks off its European dates in Slane with the band due to take the stage at 6pm. For the first time ever the usual line up will be augmented with an additional six musicians featuring a horn section, backing vocalist and harmonica player.

V IS for the £50-a-head VIP tickets which entitle you to use a VIP car park and to have access to the castle and a buffet lunch. A full paying bar will be in operation as well as a VIP champagne bar. Tickets can be purchased from Slane Castle. Tel 041-24207.

W IS for warnings: do not carry your ticket openly, do not bring bottles or tins into the site, beware of touts, those tickets could be forged.

X IS for for the Xtremely large stage. The promoters say the 150x40 metre stage is the longest ever erected in Ireland. The stage which will be 75 metres above the ground will feature 35 tonnes of scaffolding transported to and from Slane in 14 giant articulated trucks.

Y IS for yardstick — the Slane concert and whether it passes off trouble-free will be one of the decisive factors in granting permission for future outdoor events.

Z IS for all the zeroes which will feature on the cheque paid to Guns Ν' Roses after they finish their 22 city tour taking in 13 countries. At Slane 30,000 people will see the band but by the end of the tour that figure will rise to more than 7.5 million.

Slane travel plans

Behave and we’ll get you there in safety promise Gardai

A MASSIVE garda operation will swing into action for the 50,000 rock fans who will flock to the Guns ’N Roses concert in Slane Castle.

Senior gardai appealed to concert goers to help make the event happy and trouble-free.

Sergeant John Clarke of Slane said the garda plan adhered strictly to the recommendations of the Hamilton Report on public safety and included provisions for dealing with a major emergency.

Detectives

"Our aim is to get people to and from the concert as safely as possible with the minimum disturbance to the residents of Slane," he said.

The Meath village will be effectively sealed off to traffic from 10 pm tomorrow to 2 pm on the Sunday. Only emergency vehicles and residents with garda passes will be allowed access.

Garda barriers will be erected on all major roads leading into Slane and traffic from Dublin, Navan, Drogheda and Kells will be diverted. Parking restrictions will also be in force within a radius of several miles of the village.

"Our aim is to get people to and from the concert as safely as possible with the minimum disturbance to the residents of Slane," he said.

For the first time at a Slane concert, no one without a ticket will be allowed into the village. Gardai will check all fans for tickets before they approach the concert site. No drink will be allowed within the grounds of Slane Castle where a large force of Drugs Squad detectives will mingle with the crowds.

Dublin Bus will operate a special return service from O'Connell Street and expects to fill 100 double deckers with fans. Special bus parking areas, complete with temporary toilets, will be provided near the Castle. Fans travelling by car will be directed to fields where local farmers will operate temporary car parks.

Gardai will crack down on illegal trading in the vicinity of Slane and have warned they will be checking for casual trading licenses.

Chief Superintendent Steve Faughnan of the Garda Community Relations Unit, urged fans not to camp overnight in the area. He also asked them to respect local residents and to behave peacefully.

"I can assure the public that the gardai will have adequate resources to deal with anyone who thinks he can behave in an anti-social manner," the Chief Superintendent said.

Meanwhile Slane Castle owner, Lord Henry Mountcharles said he was pleased with ticket sales for the concert.

"The sales are on target and I am happy," he said. "All I am praying for now is good weather".

John Drislane

IRA deny link to porn video racket

THE IRA denied last night that it was involved in a pirate videos racket along the border.

Gardai say the huge haul of pirate videos found this week were linked to IRA fundraising operations.

But in a statement the IRA said the claim was part of a dirty trick campaign by the British Government.

Gardai yesterday displayed a range of material included in the seizure of more than 120,000 pornographic videos and audio cassettes.

Around 20,000 of audiocassettes, described by a gardai as a new arrival on the pom market, were discovered ready for sale here.

A number of pirate cassettes featuring rock band Guns 'n' Roses were also uncovered.

All set to rock Slane...

All smiles... Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose arriving at Dublin Airport. The rock band flew in last evening for their concert in Slane tomorrow.

Rockin’ the castle once more

The mega-gig is back with a bang at Slane, as American superband Guns n’ Roses bring their hedonistic brand of rock music to the sleepy Boyne village

By TONY O’BRIEN

THE PICTURESQUE Co. Meath village of Slane is today bracing itself for an event which it thought it was hardly likely to witness ever again: an invasion by thousands of boisterous, noisy rock music fans heading for a mega-outdoor gig at the village’s historic castle.

It has been five long years of peace and tranquility for Slane since David Bowie brought his Glass Spider tour to Lord Henry Mountcharles' back garden in 1987, and with last November's devastating fire at the Castle, it seemed the village would never again suffer such an invasion.

But nobody had reckoned with a bunch of hell-raisin' American rockers with the deadly title Guns n' Roses and a wily promoter called Denis Desmond. Those two factors, combined with Henry Mountcharles' urgent need to raise funds to refurbish his castle, sealed the issue.

Guns n' Roses at Slane Castle tomorrow marks the opening of one of the busiest summer seasons of outdoor shows ever for music fans. Next comes Prince at the RDS showgrounds on June 13, followed by Neil Diamond at Croke Park at the end of June and Michael Jackson in Lansdowne Road on July 23.

Putting Slane back on the rock music map, however, has not been without its problems, and some local opposition remains. “There is a certain number of people who object to Slane being used as a concert site but my understanding from our dealings over the last 12 weeks is that that is a minority opinion." said Denis Desmond, who claimed “the opposition is not as vocal as it was in the past."

That past has included a riot which saw the local Garda sergeant and his family trapped in their home, and a drowning in the River Boyne during the Bob Dylan concert in 1984. Previous superstars to play at Slane have included Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Queen, David Bowie, U2 and Thin Lizzy.

Clean-up

Mr Desmond stressed that there had been very good co-operation with the gardai, under Navan Chief Superintendent Brendan Bums, and added: “It is very much our intention to reduce the flow of people through the village to minimise disturbance. A clean-up operation will begin immediately the show ends on Saturday night."

Lord Henry Mountcharles has been keen to revive the rock concerts at his ancestral home for some time, and there were rumours at one stage that U2 would perform there to help raise funds for the £2m restoration plan for Slane Castle. He maintains that the area has missed the boost to the local economy and the temporary jobs provided by the concerts.

But from Friday night Slane will become a village under siege. Only residents, those with business there or ticket holders for the concert will be allowed past a series of barriers ringing the village with diversions for traffic coming from the Dublin, Navan, Drogheda and Kells roads.

Whereas in the past concerts like the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Queen have attracted attendances of over 80,000 to the natural amphitheatre which runs down to the Boyne, this time a strict limit of 50.000 has been put on the number of tickets to be sold, making the whole event much more manageable in terms of crowd ·- control and safer for everyone concerned and in compliance with the new guidelines for major public events set down in the Hamilton Report.

A 300-strong force of gardai along with 300 concert security staff will aim to ensure a trouble-free event. No alcohol will be allowed on the concert site and no camping facilities are being provided, in order to discourage weekenders. Fans are also reminded not to bring cameras, video or tape recorders, as these will be confiscated at the gates.

For the first time, fans will be stopped at barriers on the approach roads and only ticket-holders will be allowed through. New entrances will be opened up so that fans coming from the Dublin or Navan/western directions won't enter the village: only those from the northern direction will pass through Slane. And to combat greedy touts a limited number of the £22.75 tickets will be on sale at four points on the perimeter barriers.

Planning

In the event of any mishaps, a series of first aid stations will dot the site staffed by a 160-strong medical staff who will also man a special emergency unit in the castle grounds provided by the North Eastern Health Board. An information/meeting point will be located near the main exits, while 240 portable toilets will serve other needs.

Military-style planning has gone into preparations for the concert between the promoter, gardai and other services. “Our aim is to get people to and from the concert as safely as possible with the minimum disturbance to the residents of Slane," said Sgt. John Clarke, who himself was besieged in his station house during the riot which preceded the Bob Dylan show at Slane in 1984.

The gates will open at 1.30pm, with the show getting underway at 2.30pm with Ireland's latest tip-for-the-top, young Kilkenny band My Little Fun House, who have just signed a major deal with Guns n' Roses label Geffen Records. American band Faith No More will then set the scene for a grand entrance by Guns n‘ Roses sometime around 5.30pm: they have been known to play for anywhere between two and three hours but by agreement with locals, the concert will end sometime around 8.30 pm.

Even before the band actually go on stage, the scale of the Guns n' Roses operation is immense. According to Denis Desmond, the show is costing £1/2m to stage "and that excludes the band's fee."

The stage is 160' wide and 80" deep and weighs 20 tonnes: it takes 11 trucks to transport the stage and a further 55 tonnes of equipment: a quarter-of-a-million watts of power is used for the show which is lit by 900 different lights.

Slane will be the kick-off for a major European tour for Guns n' Roses during which they will play 21 cities in 13 countries and be seen by an estimated 1.3m people. When it's all over, the equipment will be flown back to the US in a specially-chartered 747 Jumbo.

***

Making a theatrical entrance

IT WAS worse than the Pope, worse even than Ronald Reagan. But then these were American rock stars we were dealing with and so security had to be almost as theatrical as the stage act.

“Here is what we will do, you stand here and they will be over there. I'm trying to be as co-operative as I can," remarked burly Bob in generous fashion.

Bob is the head of Guns 'Ν' Roses personal security and he takes the job of looking after his delicate charges very seriously. Protecting the band's jet-lagged sensibilities at Dublin Airport last night meant protracted negotiations about exactly where your humble reporter and photographer would stand!

Guns 'Ν' Roses had just stepped off a IS hour flight from LA which involved much delays and fraying of tempers as this most controversial of rock bands attempted to get to Dublin for their show at Slane Castle tomorrow.

But we were ultimately rewarded — thanks to Bob and Wendy, the band's patient PR lady from London - and W Axl Rose, lead singer and notorious wild man, spoke to the Irish Independent as he was hustled out to his waiting limo.

Are you glad to be in Ireland? we queried modestly.

“Yeah, I wanted to do ‘Paradise City’ here years ago but they would not let us,” replied Axl dressed in t-shirt, shorts, sneakers, dark glasses and baseball cap.

This cryptic reference to one of Guns 'N’ Roses biggest hits left even the helpful PR lady and promoter Denis Desmond gasping for an explanation. Guns 'N' Roses have never played in Ireland before but as one watching wag commented: “He probably thinks he’s somewhere else, not Dublin."

Whatever, W Axl Rose, Slash and the rest of them were chaperoned one by one to their waiting fleet of limos to be ferried to the Berkely Court Hotel before later checking out some hoemgrown music in Bab Bob's and the Rock Garden.

Guns ’n Roses set to rock Slane!

All set for big concert

by Jody Corcoran

US Rock Group Guns ‘Ν’ Roses are expected to arrive in Slane this Wednesday or Thursday for their mega concert which is set to rock the Boyneside village. Lord Henry Mountcharles confirmed that the group would arrive early to get the feel of the venue before they explode on stage on Saturday afternoon.

'The fact that they are arriving so many days before the concert itself is an indication of how seriously they are taking the whole thing,' Lord Mountcharles said.

‘The Slane concert will be the first of the band's European tour so they are taking a very avid interest in it,’ he said.

Lord Mountcharles said the band was aware of the November fire which gutted the famous Meath castle which was one of the reasons they were anxious to play at Slane. ‘They would also like to follow in the footsteps of such stars as Queen, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie,’ he said.

Up to 90 people were working on the site this week to erect a massive stage structure - in fact the biggest ever mounted in this country.

'The weather I'm told is going to be great so we're hoping for a weekend to remember here in Slane,’ Lord Mountcharles said.

Many Slane residents remain very apprehensive about the concert going ahead. Slane Households
Tom Maloney has said residents 'will be virtually prisoners in their own home for 48 hours.’

Ticket sales for the concert had been a bit slow but were picking up rapidly in the last few days, according to Tommy Leddy of Drogheda’s Sound Shop.

‘In the last few days before the concert they will sell like good-oh. That’s always the way. Every second ticket we’re selling now is for Slane,’ he said. Tickets are priced at £22.50 each.

Concert promoters MCD have told Slane Tidy Towns committee that they would do everything possible to protect property in the area and said they would pay compensation for any damage done to shrubs and trees.

The promoters also said they would carry out a thorough clean up of the area within seven days of the concert.

An overall Garda Plan in relation to traffic is formulated to allow free flow around Slane Village over the period of the concert. Foremost in the Gardai’s consideration is that intrusion on the residents of Slane will be minimised.

Motorists are asked to exercise tolerance and caution and to avoid, accept in absolute necessity, driving in the Slane area over the week-end. The gardai say co-operation would be particularly appreciated between 10 p.m. on Friday May 15 and 2 p.m. on Sunday May 17. The area will experience high density traffic flow between 8 p.m. and 12 midnight on Saturday 16 with traffic returning from the concert.

Garda barriers will be erected at Macken’s Car park on the Collon Road and only buses and vehicles with garda passes will be permitted to proceed beyond this point. No roadside parking will be permitted between Balrenny Cross and Slane Village. Traffic approaching Slane Village from Grangegeeth will be directed left at Slane Cemetery.

A diversion sign will be located at Collon Village and south-bound traffic will be directed via Drogheda. After 8 p.m. on Saturday a one-way system will operate between Collon Road and Mitchells on Drogheda Road to enable buses to return to Drogheda.

Diversion sign will op-erate at Melf diverting traffic for Navan and Kells via Collon. No parking will be permitted on this road to a point approximately a quarter of a mile from Slane Village.

Buses will be permitted on this road to Slane Village where they will be directed north to Collon Road with parking facilities north of Slane Cemetery on this road. Buses will return to Drogheda via Monknewtown Road. Passengers should be advised exactly where their bus will be parked after the concert in order to avoid confusion.

Buses approaching Drumconrath are advised to travel via Ardee and Collon. No roadside parking will be permitted. A car park is available a short distance from Concert Site.

No parking of cars/vans will be allowed between Rathdrinagh Cross and Slane Bridge. Private buses will be allowed to park on the south side of McGruder’s Cross. Garda barriers will be in place at Loughran’e car park which is adjacent to Fennor Cross and only vehicles with garda passes and Dublin Bus vehicles will bo permitted to proceed beyond this point.

All buses are requested to park parallel to roadway. Traffic approaching Fennor Cross from Beau-parc or Donore areas will not be permitted to proceed beyond Fennor Cross in the Slane direction. Traffic approaching this route will be directed in the Dublin direction.

A diversion sign will be erected at Kilmoon Cross at which point northbound traffic will be diverted to Drogheda. From 8 p.m. on Saturday May 16 no traffic will be permitted to travel towards Slane from Rathdrinagh. No roadside parking will be permitted on the Rathkenny Road.

All set for Slane ...

SLANE is where it is all happening this week end with Guns n Roses headlining the rock concert on Saturday.

At the time of going to press ticket sales are going well and there certainly seems to be a good contingent of locals going.

It promises to be quite a spectacular show for those going along. Indeed the biggest stage ever to be erected in this country is to be used by the American rock band.

Village ready for the Guns Ν’ Roses invasion

The trek to Slane

AS dawn broke over the sleepy village of Slane today a mass security clampdown began for the Guns Ν' Roses concert.

Story: TERRY KAVANAGH; Pictures: Kyran O’Brien

As the long trek οf 50,000 rock fans to the picturesque Meath village started from early morning, shopkeepers boarded up their windows and served the early arrivals through hatches.

Hundreds had started arriving late last night and every car coming into the village was stopped and searched. Gardai confiscated drugs and alcohol from a few.

But, although hundreds of reinforcements were drafted in from neighbouring garda divisions, the presence of so many boys in blue did nothing to dampen the carnival atmosphere.

Local pubs were packed to bursting point when they opened this morning and revellers took advantage of the balmy weather to sit outside with their pints.

Checkpoints turned cars away from Slane and those that made it into the village were searched for drugs.

By the time the gates opened, nearly 1,000 policemen were on hand to deal with any trouble.

A few arrests were made overnight, mostly for drunkeness, but a number were also held for the possession of drugs.

On the whole, however, gardai described the night as largely trouble-free.

Fans began queueing outside the castle gates shortly after midnight, hoping to get close to the band this afternoon.

And, as they caught their first glimpse of the massive stage and sound system — the biggest ever seen in Ireland — they all agreed that it was going to be a concert to remember.

Fans were dressed up for the occasion, wearing the special headbands and tee shirts on sale around the grounds.

Some fans had travelled hundreds of miles to see the band and others had made the journey over from Britain and the US.

The stage is the most technically advanced yet seen in Ireland. Over 500 separate lamps make up the lighting sytem while 176 speaker cabinets pump out 80 megawatts of power.

Official tour tee shirts were on sale at £13 each while sweatshirts cost £25. Guns 'n Roses knickers went for £12.

• Gardai reported only 13 arrests overnight. Twelve for drunkeness and with one man held for possession of drugs.

Decision to ban group defended

AS Slane braces itself for the influx of rock fans to the home of Lord Henry Mountcharles, the Laois GAA County Board secretary last night defended his decision to turn down the controversial Guns N' Roses concert for Portlaoise.

Mick Carroll said that the American rockers were “high risk, unsuitable and unsafe" to play at the O'Moore Park.

Mr Carroll was subjected to severe criticism for declining the gig which could have cleared much of the board's £88.000 debt.

He also received complaining letters from Por-tlaoise traders and Laois vintners associations for failing to capitalise on the financial benefits which they felt would accrue to the town.

But moving to “outgun" his critics at a packed county board meeting. Mr Carroll said: "I felt that it was far less important to make a quick buck than to put the interests of the community at large at risk."

The most decisive factor in refusing the concert, he said, was the nature of the band's performance on and off the stage which he felt was totally unacceptable and put property equipment residents and even fans at risk.

Axl and the boys put the heat on

By FIONA LOONEY

AXL ROSE felt an Irish breeze for the first time on Saturday evening, and joked that “it didn't feel like a bar of soap" to him.

The rest of us 40,000 gathered in the grounds of Slane Castle were more used to all the breezes, the wheezes and the sneezes of the Irish weather; but even as the evening chill set in, the crowd still radiated the warmth that had characterized this balmy day.

Perhaps it is due to wearing those famous odd socks, but Lord Henry Mountcharles has had extraordinary good luck with the weather. The rain in Slane stayed mainly on the Queen concert — for the remainder of the Castle's rock gigs, the sun has always put in some manner of a guest appearance.

But this was quite exceptional. After a week of slow ticket sales and soft days, the sun's spectacular debut was applauded by increased sales, and fresh out of the mothballs tee-shirts and shorts. Even if the crowd was well below the capacity of the venue, those who made the pilgrimage had a certifiable ball.

Many had travelled from Northern Ireland but every part of the country was represented; the variety of accents on the roads to Slane far more colourful than the almost regulatory black leather.

Like Muslims to Mecca, they travelled from all over the country, thousands by bus and coach, many more by private car. Local farmers were in on the act as ad hoc car parks popped up all along the roads into the village.

Dublin Bus had said that there would be no alcohol on their buses. - on mine, there was plenty; and plenty more. However, there was also plenty in evidence on the long walk into the village.

Inevitably there were those who never made it. Guns Ν' Roses appeal to a young audience, and many fiercely enthusiastic teenagers were overcome by the liquid assets of Slane before Axl and company had even left the Berkeley Court Hotel.

Afterwards, Gardai reported 40 arrests, mostly for drink-related offences, a few for minor drug charges. One man, charged in Slane on Saturday night with possession of LSD, jumped from a second floor window and escaped; the other high drama came when a man was rescued from the Boyne River.

The following day. there was much to-do about the alleged quarter million pounds spent on the Garda presence in the town.

In the region of 800 Gardai were drafted into the village for the day and the fact that at the end of it there had been no major incidents is a credit both to the security forces and to the fans themselves, too hung up on good vibes to bring the day down.

Up at the castle enclosure, it was a more leisurely afternoon, with hundreds of VIPs feasting on salmon and champagne under the welcoming shade of colourful umbrellas. Behind the rich and famous, Slane Castle itself offered a grim reminder as to why we were all here in the first place.

The fire that so devastated the castle in November had inspired Lord Mountcharles to reopen Slane for rock business. Afterwards, Lord Mountcharles still on crutches since his St Patrick's night jig, expressed his delight with how the event had gone, commenting “I wanted to bring rock back to Slane, and I can't think of a better way we could have done it than with Guns N' Roses".

And indeed it was for Guns Ν' Roses that so many people had come to this tiny hamlet on the Boyne. If the crowd was impatient with the delay between bands, then once Guns N' Roses set foot on stage they could do no wrong.

They breezed through an energetic, entertaining set, with Axl — complete with multiple costume changes that found him in a fetching array of shorts and skirts — in buoyant form, chatting to the ecstatic crowd between each song.

When they left the stage over two hours later, after a short encore of Paradise City, they left the crowd dancing, smiling and cheering.

Axl Rose, half Irish, and his motley crew would have made a great showband. Guns Ν' Roses really did send us home sweating.

Sham rebels of rock fail to rise to the occasion

By TONY O’BRIEN

IF THERE is a reason why Guns n’ Roses should occupy the lofty position they do in rock music, it was not in evidence at their much-hyped Slane Castle concert.

More and more, the claim to big league status of this molly crew of LA rockers is suspect: they live the life, they throw the bad boy shapes, they sell the units; but do they ultimately measure up?

It could be the band has peaked too early, It could be their best is yet to come, but, even before Saturday's uninspiring performance, I thought neither the music nor their behaviour deserved the accolade of a Slane billing.

Still, between 42,000 and 45,000 fans (less than the 50,000 capacity) opted to pay £22.75 to sit in Henry Mountcharles' front garden for hours to hear Axl give a detailed lesson in bad language, rant a bit, change his outfit several times and growl a few songs.

Earlier, rock was officially brought back to Slane after a five year gap, appropriately enough by young Kilkenny band My Little Fun House, who have just signed to the Guns n' Roses label and who acquitted themselves well. American band Faith No More then helped fuel the excitement.

That excitement was allowed to melt by Guns n’ Roses being over an hour late on stage, allegedly because Axl Rose was refusing to leave the Berkley Court Hotel, a suggestion dismissed by the band’s publicist.

When they hit the stage around 6.45, it looked like the band was set to blow Slane apart. But those up front seemed to get most enjoyment as the band opened with Night Train; further back up the hill, interest seemed to wane very early on.

It was only rekindled at a late stage after self-indulgent solos and some pedestrian hard rock had dulled the brain. Only when they chugged up the riff to Sweet Child of Mine did some semblance of real life appear.

Garda bill could cost promoters

Analysis
By TONY O'BRIEN

GUNS Ν’ ROSES are a controversial band, but for once, the headlines being generated by the weekend concert in Slane Castle are not of their making.

For Lord Henry Mountcharles bringing rock music back to his ancestral home on the banks of the Boyne was a way of raising money to restore his fire-ravaged castle. For promoter Denis Desmond and his partner in MCD, Eamon McCann, it was a prestigious coup to present one of the world's biggest bands.

Little did they or the band realise that they would end up being thrust into a very public row sparked by an outspoken garda officer.

Chief Supt Brendan Burns was approached by reporters in search of a general comment for the evening papers hours before the concert even began, he gave them a story which would continue to reverberate 4X hours later.

What he said about a £250.000 policing bill not only had political implications but, more critically, extremely serious and long-term ramifications for the promoters of major rock concerts in this country.

It spurred Junior Justice Minister Willie O'Dea to issue a blunt statement last night warning that new controls for major rock events are due to be published shortly.

As Denis Desmond and Eamon McCann reflect on Saturday's Slane show — and Feile '92 which they will promote in Thurles in August — they will undoubtedly wonder how they appear to have got it wrong when they tried so hard to get it right and the whole event passed off without serious incident.

Denis Desmond, the man who first opened up Slane Castle to rock concerts. has continually stressed his commitment to public safety. Even though the recommendations of the British Hamilton Report on public safety are not yet law, Desmond, along with other top promoters, have actually put them into practice.

This was evident at Slane on Saturday.

Yet. it appears, it was in compliance with aspects of the Hamilton Report recommendations that such a huge force of gardai was necessary. Usually concert security staff check tickets at cordons on roads leading to the venue — but in Slane garda officers were checking tickets.

Chief Supt Bums maintains that where there is private profit, public funds should not have to be expended, certainly not to the extent he claims was necessary at the weekend. Minister O'Dea wants to ensure that everything from public safety and inconvenience as well as cost is looked at.

They both have a point. Rock music is mainly a profit-making exercise and, it could be argued, as the supt has done, the taxpayer should not have to fool the bill in such circumstances.

Mr O'Dea is worried about things like insurance cover and the general well-being not only of fans but of the people who live in or around rock venues.

Gardai bill puts future concerts in jeopardy

By TONY O’BRIEN and GERALDINE COLLINS

THE FUTURE of major rock music events hung in the balance last night as Junior Justice Minister Willie O’Dea announced he is investigating the reported £2S0,000 cost to taxpayers for the Guns Ν’ Roses concert in Slane at the weekend.

The Minister's move came after the garda officer in charge of security at the event, Chief Supt Brendan Burns, called for a "major rethink" before a similar event is held again. He said his comments could also apply to other concerts such as the annual three-day Feile in Thurles.

Supt Bums said the eight hour concert attended by more than 40,000 fans cost taxpayers between £230,000 and £300,000. "As a taxpayer I am appalled at the costs, there is no way the public should have to foot the bill for private profit.

"If you think of a figure of 800 men over a number of days along with an enormous amount of equipment and resources, you get an idea of the logistics involved."

Mr O'Dea said: “I can assure the public that over the coming days, I will be seeking to establish the precise cost of the exercise."

He said his primary concern was to ensure the safety and well being of the people at Slane and he complimented the gardai for the efficiency of their arrangements.

Last night Eamon McCann of MCD, the promoters behind Slane and the Feile, said that if they or other promoters had to carry the full cost of policing then "these concerts simply will not happen in Ireland anymore and young people will be deprived of entertainment".

And Lord Henry Mountcharles — whose restoration work on the fire damaged Slane Castle benefits from the concert profits — asked if AIB, the Bank of Ireland and other financial institutions were paying the cost of their garda security.

The chief supt said the staggering costs were made up of pay, overtime, subsistence and travelling allowances for the huge number of officers needed to cordon off the Co Meath village. Mr Burns stressed that the Slane concert was very well organised and he praised the efforts of promoters MCD and Lord Mountcharles.

However, the policing costs so disturbed him he felt he had to speak out on the matter.

"Other areas were stripped of much-needed manpower to police this concert. And it is going to happen again, if not here, then in Thurles or Cork or Limerick or wherever,” he said.

The garda bill did not include the costs of the health board, local authorities. civil defence and other emergency services working at the concert.

Mr McCann of MCD argued that the Slane concert was a major public event adding: “The young people of Ireland deserve these concerts as well."

Although income from ticket sales would be around £lm, he maintained that "profit from an event like this bears no relation to the garda costs and if we were to include those costs then the concerts simply would not happen in Ireland ".

He pointed out that any gardai actually on the concert site were paid for by MCD.

Earlier. Minister O'Dea said legislation to govern the promotion of major concerts is currently being drafted and he expects it to be enacted before the end of the year.

"I will be looking seriously at the role currently being played and the profits being made by the promoters of these events with a view to insisting they fully face up to their responsibilities."

Guns N’ Roses Concert at Slane Castle...

It was nice to be back

Champagne and salmon for VIP rockers...

Report: Marie Kierans, Pictures: Robbie Reynolds

Sure It was almost like going Into a gig In the Boxing Club. There was Gisty on the VIP gate, checking identity and ensuring that no one who wasn’t supposed to get in, got in.

Inside, though, It was different to the ’ould Boxing Club, a lot different. This was the exclusive club, the place where the rich and famous gather to watch the Slane Concerts and after a break of five years it was nice to be back.

The VIP area was located in front of Slane Castle and while in previous years the doors of the castle were thrown open to Lord Mountcharles’ guests, this year it stood charred and silent bearing the marks of the fire a few months earlier which spurred Lord Mountcharles into organising another concert.

Many of the VIP’s probably never heard of Guns 'n Roses before last Saturday but for them it wasn’t the band they had come to see. Slane concerts are an event, a place to be seen and always a good day out.

And so they came in their shorter than short skirts, their tight ski pants, their designer denims and black leathers. Not many Guns ’n Roses shirts and hats to be spotted here, that was more the case in the main field where the ordinary punters hung out.

It was all very civilised In the VIP area. Tables and chairs were provided for the £50 a head guests and a salmon lunch was also thrown In. While the crowd in the field had to be content with soft drinks, full bar facilities were provided for the VIPs.

Champagne cost £35 a bottle and a plastic pint of beer cost £2 with paper cups of Coke selling for a £1. In the VIP area it was definitely a case of who was or wasn't there.

The main talk centered on whether Axl would arrive and whether there would be more Slane Concerts. Slowly but surely the ‘in' people started to arrive. Wendy James, the singer with the now defunct Trans-vision Vamp caused a bit of a stir as did the glamorous Karla Rhandanie, wife of Def Leppard's Joe Elliot, who looked sensational in her army type outfit.

Top model Shelia Eustace was spotted as well as former model Mari O’Leary. RTE's Gerry Ryan, Dave Fanning and Aonghus McAnally seemed to be enjoying themselves as well as Tony Fenton of 2FM and In Dublin boss Mike Hogan.

U2 didn't show but their accountant was there as was some of the management team of the Hothouse Flowers. In comparison to previous years there weren't many locals about though I did spot Elaine Hanrahan from Brookvllle and Ann Marie Byrne from Duleek Street as well as Kelly Fincham from Bettystown. There were quite a few locals involved in the work backstage including well known roadie Paul McQuillan (who booted it down from the Trinity Bail the night before) and musician Geoff Fay from Palace Street.

Despite having one leg in plaster Lord Mountcharles was constantly on the go ensuring that his guests were enjoying themselves and all was running smoothly. And the guests were very much enjoying themselves, getting merrier by the minute.

Meanwhile, down in the crowd the sun was starting to go to people's heads. One fella stripped off completely and proceeded to dance oblivious to the world and when there was no live music there were those who entertained themselves by building human pyramids to the cheers of the rest of the people around them.

Security was such that not even plastic bottles were allowed into the site but despite the lack of alcohol inside, the good spirits prevailed throughout the day.

Among those I spotted in the crowd were the Donaghey sisters from Yellowbatter, Drogheda; Paula (Mrs. Boyle), Linda (Mrs. O'Rourke), Sandra (Mrs. Kelly), Shirley (Mrs. Collins) and Gillian, who Is still at school.

Sharon Callaghan from Moran Terrace, Drogheda, was there with boyfriend Barry McGovern from Balls-grove while I was talking to Kevin from the Allied Irish Bank who only decided at the last minute to go along. He was with Paul Fennelly, a teacher in Greenhills College.

Denis Arnold of the Linen Hall was there as was Colin Thomberry from Oaklawns; Maurice Rafferty from Annevllle Crescent; Jason Flood from Moneymore, all Drogheda and sisters Mairead and Katherine Loughran from Monasterboice.

Bus driver Brendan McCormack seemed to be having a good time while Colm Hanratty from Hanratty’s pub was letting his hair down big time. Other faces Included Keith Crosby from Tullyallen, Gillian Keegan from Scarlet Street, Elaine Grennon from Monasterboice, Brian Noonan from Brookvllle, Sinead Dawe from Boyle O'Reilly and Siobhan Byrne from Monasterboice.

Also saw Pat Quinn from Hillbrook Drive, Paul Connor from Ballsgrove, Eddie Burke from Duleek Road, David Matthews from Ballsgrove, Brian Boylan from Rosevale, and not forgetting young Ronan who works for Eugene Klerans, the butcher.

No need for nerves

Guns ‘n’ Roses
Slane Castle, Dublin

By PETER KINGHORN

EVEN Slash, demon king of the laid back, confessed before this European tour opener that he was nervous.

He need not have worried: upwards of 50,000 fans soon made sure the band were energised, the electric atmosphere in the crowd sparking an added dynamism from the musicians.

Guns ‘n’ Roses have tapped into the heartbeat of a generation, with their power play turning on the heavy metal brigade and their ear for a tune adding hordes of pop fans.

In Axl Rose they have a singer-showman supreme – one minute strutting his stuff like a whirling dervish and belting out an unrestrained scream of a vocal: the next, emoting almost tenderly in intimate prayer to each individual in the throng.

The other half of the winning equation is Slash: off stage a nearly self-effacing character; on stage, transformed Jekyll and Hyde like into the made magician of the axe, mane of hair streaming as he bounds energetically while nimble fingers make the guitar strings come alive.

Guns ‘n’ Roses reckon each show on tour to be an individual event, running order and even content changing from venue to venue, but fans heading for their Gateshead International Stadium concert on June 16 can expect unstinting interpretations of all the old favourites.

In keeping with how well they went down on the Freddie Mercury Tribute show at London’s Wembley Stadium a few weeks back, a snatch of Queen’s Tie Your Mother Down helped introduce Guns ‘n’ Roses on to the stage.

Then it was straight into Night Train and on through crowd pleasers like Paradise City, Sweet Child of Mine, the ground-breaking cover of Paul McCartney’s 007 tune Live and Let Die and, of course, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, the Bob Dylan song which proved such a hit at Wembley and the live recording of which is their new single, benefiting the Aids charity Mercury Phoenix Trust.

Seldom can the gap separating rock’s first and second divisions have been so well illustrated as the difference between Guns ‘n’ Roses and guest band Faith No More.

Where the bill-toppers filled the stage with their presence, Faith No More were lost in its vastness – not that the music failed them; indeed they played very well.

Rosy sunset

AXL ROSE’S delayed arrival onstage at Ireland’s Slane Castle in a blaze of evening sunshine only served to raise tensions and expectations for the music of GUNS N’ ROSES.

Finally a bearded Rose raced around the giant stage with the sprightliness of a mountain goat – and the music was just as good. Opening with NIGHT TRAIN they powered their way through a wide range of powerful rock songs from their repertoire including their version of BOB DYLAN’s KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR and PAUL McCARTNEY’S LIVE AND LET DIE. And SWEET CHILD O’ MINE brought the crowd to their feet.

The most popular piece of GNR merchandising at the gig was a saucy pair of black lacy frilled briefs emblazoned with the legend ‘Guns N Roses Go To Hell.’ But the show went off quite peacefully – there were only about 40 arrests on charges ranging from drunkenness to malicious damage to theft and drug possession.

There were a few injuries but most were minor and self-inflicted from people climbing trees – and each other – in a drunken stupor.