For 30 years, at the end of every Guns N' Roses, Axl Rose would close out the set by tossing the microphone into the crowd.
Rose though has promised that tradition would be coming to an end.
At GN’R’s recent show in Australia, a fan named Rebecca Howe wound up with two black eyes after the microphone Rose threw into the crowd smacked her right in the face.
Howe explained to Adelaide Now, “I was in Diamond Standing, so it wasn’t even right at the front, and it was the very last song, “Take Me Down To Paradise City.” He took a bow and then he launched the microphone out to the crowd . . . and then bang, right on the bridge of my nose. . . . What if it was a couple of inches to the right or left? I could have lost an eye . . . what if it hit me in the mouth and I broke my teeth?”
Axl Rose responded to the incident on Twitter, apologizing to Howe and promising to end the mic toss tradition so no other injuries would occur.
Rose wrote, “Having tossed the mic at the end of r show for over 30 years we always felt it was a known part of the very end of r 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 the fans during or at r performances.”
Rose added that “there r those that . . . chose to frame their reporting regarding this subject in a more negative n’ irresponsible out of nowhere light which couldn’t b farther from reality. We hope the public and of course r fans get that sometimes happens.”
While many Twitter users replied with support for Rose, Guns N’ Roses and/or Howe, others were less sympathetic toward and trusting of Howe’s account. Others also lamented the end of the tradition.
Guns N’ Roses only have two shows left in 2022 both of which are in New Zealand, and only have one scheduled for 2023 thus far in London.
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