Insight: The Montreal
Incident
November 16, 2006
Written by Jan
About a week back, GnR unfortunately
had to cancel a concert. This time it worked out better than before, perhaps because they
did it early enough. A few other times fans has been inside the venue when the report of
cancellations came. Some other times they've gone on stage and left only after a few
songs. I thought I'd take a look back and see what really happened one of those times: In
Montreal.
On August the 8, 1992, the GnR tour with Metallica had just started over again after three
cancelled shows due to Axl's throat problems. The day started out like normal, with
Metallica going on after the opening act. The set was cut short, however, when Metallica
frontman, James Hetfield, was burnt by a 12 foot flame. The reason for this was that the
band had been told that new pyro would be used at the gig, without being told that old
pyro would also be used. At some point Hetfield took up a position where the old ones
detonated, with the result that Hetfield had to be taken to the hospital suffering from
first and second-degree burns on his left hand and left side of his body.
The result was that Guns N' Roses had to go on early, facing an already unhappy crowd. The
band did so and kicked off their set with "It's So Easy". After "Civil
War", 50 minutes later, Axl told the crows "Thank you, your money will be
refunded. We're outta here".
The band then left the stage. The reason? According to Axl they left because of his throat
problems and difficulties with the sound. "I realized I was gonna hurt myself,"
Axl later said. "I told Slash: 'Two more songs, if we can't get it fixed, I gotta
go.' And we did more then two more songs, and finally I was like: 'I don't know what to
do'. Axl claims none of the band members could hear themselves.
Following the short set, 53 000 fans started leaving the arena, when a riot started. About
300 police officers tried to stop the angry fans but they were unable to control the
situation until early next day. Fans turned over cars, threw bottles and rocks and gave
the police a rough night. Eight policemen got injured and 12 people were arrested. 13 fans
got hurt, among them a girl who was shoved through a glass window. The raging crows
destroyed property for about $400,000.
Due to Hetfield's injury, Guns N' Roses and Metallica had to reshedule the next seven
dates of one of the biggest tours of the nineties. The tour continued without any more
problems or riots.
Were GnR to blame for the riot? Hard to tell,
but I feel they could've tried to go on with their set. Regardless of that people are
responsible for their own actions, and thus, so was the crowd.
In Their Own Words
Axl: I realized I was gonna hurt myself, I told Slash: 'Two more songs,
if we can't get it fixed, I gotta go.' And we did more then two more songs, and finally I
was like: 'I don't know what to do' and I looked over and Gilby was like: 'Dude, I can't
hear' and Duff was like: 'I can't hear either.' So we had a little huddle and it was like:
"We're outta here!'"
John Reese (tour manager): Axl could've probably saved the day, but his
voice was messed up.
Teddy Andreadis: He just couldn't hear himself. And he choose to leave.
Slash: Montreal was really creepy. Nothing against the people in
Montreal, we had a great time hanging out there. I think it was the building itself.
Slash: Every time we have one of these happy-go-lucky riots, we are the
ones punished. It's really disappointing, because it's like, "Well, we just killed
that town. We'll probably never get to play there again." You never set out to cause
something like that. But people think we set out to provoke it. The power to cause
something like that is impossible for me to even comprehend.
Gilby: That thing happened so fast. I mean, you're probably gonna get the
same story from absolutely everyone. We had gotten word - you know, we were all just
hanging out at the hotel - and somebody said that there was a big accident. James had
burned his arm, and their set got cut short. The audience is, you know, going a little
crazy. It would be really great if we could go on early today. So we all got ready, and we
got there, and we did. But the problem is, is because of all the frantic stuff that
happened - from, you know, Metallica's crew, our crew, all the things of, you know,
everybody trying to do the right thing - by the time we got onstage - which was early - it
wasn't together. You know, the sound was just like - it wasn't just bad, it was like
almost unplayable. And I just remember Axl coming up to me and just going: You know, I
can't hear myself - I can't hear anything. What do we do? You know, and the next thing you
know, he left. And that was the end of it.
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