2013.03.13 - The West Australian - Injured Fan Gunning For Axl

Injured fan gunning for Axl

By Angela Pownall, The West Australian

A Guns N' Roses fan who was injured when lead singer Axl Rose threw his microphone into the crowd at the end of the band's Perth Arena concert on Saturday is taking legal action against the controversial star.

Darren Wright was enjoying the finale of the Guns N' Roses show, which marked the start of the US band's Australian tour, when he was suddenly hit in the mouth by Rose's cordless microphone.

Mr Wright, a 39-year-old pest controller from Kingsley, said the flying microphone damaged his two front teeth and left his mouth bleeding.

"With the bright lights and explosions, I couldn't see anything," he said. "The next thing I knew, I was whacked in the mouth. I thought I had been punched. I was quite stunned and it took a few seconds to realise what was going on. I could feel bits of teeth in my mouth. Then someone is climbing through my legs to grab the microphone."

Mr Wright said he had engaged Perth law firm Hammond Legal to start legal proceedings against the Guns N' Roses lead singer for damages.

"I don't think he intended to do it, but it came at me at a fairly flat and hard trajectory. Those cordless microphones are not light. I'm surprised it didn't do more damage," he said. "At the very least, I want someone to pay to get my teeth fixed."

Mr Wright said he had a cut lip and lost a chunk of one front tooth, painfully exposing the nerve, and chipped the other front tooth.

He said tour promoter Andrew McManus left a message on his mobile telephone apologising for the incident and offering to give him a microphone signed by Rose.

"In reality I don't think the microphone is going to fix my teeth or pay for the dentist," he said. "I'm a father of four on a single income doing it hard in Perth."

Mr Wright said a dentist told him he would have to have months of dental work costing at least $5000.

The Guns N' Roses concert was a blast from the past for Mr Wright, who was 17 when he went to see the band in Melbourne on its first tour of Australia.

"It was my first trip away on my own, I'd saved up my money, and I thought they were fantastic," he said. He grew up idolising the controversial Rose and added: "I don't harbour any ill feelings."

A Perth Arena spokesman said Mr Wright was given first-aid treatment. Mr McManus was contacted for comment yesterday.

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