Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose vows to end 30-year concert tradition after fan injured at Adelaide show
ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA: Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose vowed not to continue his 30-year-old concert tradition of throwing his microphone into the crowd at the end of shows after accidentally hitting a woman in the face on Tuesday, November 29.
Rebecca Howe, a fan from Adelaide, suffered bruises and contusions after the stunt on stage. The woman was hit by the microphone at the top of her nose bridge after the band played their last song 'Paradise City.' A terrifying video had surfaced on the internet showing the moment the 60-year-old rock star threw the microphone into the crowd before raising his arms in the air in triumph. A second clip shows the scene in the crowd, in which Howe is not seen getting hit, but fans seem to be scrambling to grab the microphone despite her injury.
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In a statement released on Friday, December 2, Rose addressed the incident, saying he never intended to injure anyone during the band’s show at the Adelaide Oval. He also vowed to discontinue the concert tradition "in the interest of public safety."
"It's come to my attention that a fan may have been hurt at our show in Adelaide, Australia possibly being hit by the microphone at the end of the show when I traditionally toss the mic to the fans," he wrote. "If true obviously we don't want anyone getting hurt or to somehow in anyway hurt anyone at any of our show anywhere. Having tossed the mic at the end of our show for over 30 years we always felt it was a known part of the very end of our performance that fans wanted and were aware of to have an opportunity to catch the mic. Regardless in the interest of public safety from now on we'll refrain from tossing the mic or anything to fans during or at our performances." he continued. "Unfortunately there are those that for their own reasons chose to frame their reporting regarding this subject in a more negative n' irresponsible out of nowhere light which couldn't be farther from reality. We hope the public and of course fans get that sometimes happens. A BIG THANKS to everyone for understanding." Axl concluded.
The injured fan recalled the horror to Adelaide Advertiser, confirming she was shocked by fellow fans' behavior in the wake of her injury. "There was this huge kerfuffle as this man tried to get the microphone … he held it up like a victory, 'I got it, I got it', while I was trying to keep my composure," she stated. "An off-duty police officer pulled me to the side because I was in shock and hyperventilating, my mind went, 'oh my God, my face is caved in'. "I had blood dripping down the front of me."
The official Facebook account of The Advertiser has released images of Howe showing severe bruising underneath her eyes as well as two cuts across the bridge of her nose.