Guns N’ Roses Headlining Coachella 2016
Fans of Guns N’ Roses have been wondering for years if bandmates Axl Rose and Slash would ever speak to each other and work out their differences. There were some rumors recently floating around about the band getting together for some kind of reunion performance. Now, the New York Times reports that Guns N’ Roses is indeed getting back together and headlining the Coachella 2016 music festival.
Apparently, Slash has stated in interviews that he has reconciled with Axl and the two are now on good terms, putting an end to a feud that lasted 20 years.
“There’s not a lot of controversy,” Slash told CBS Sunday Morning. “It’s something that’s more perpetuated by the media than anything.”
Rolling Stones and Guns N' Roses. pic.twitter.com/62IeNFIPwo
— History Of Sound (@historyofsound) January 3, 2016
But while seeming excited about the possibility, the legendary guitarist did try to remain realistic about expectations.
“I gotta be careful what I say there. I mean, if everybody wanted to do it and do it for the right reasons, you know, I think the fans would love it. I think it might be fun at some point to try and do that, but… it just starts to get into a whole complex thing. But anyway, it’s really between the guys in the band.”
Guns N’ Roses getting back together for Coachella 2016 is certainly a big deal in the world of rock music. There were a couple of instances that seemed to hint at something going on with the band. The first was an update to the Guns N’ Roses website, albeit a very cryptic update. The second occurred during screenings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, where footage of a massive concert crowd was displayed with Guns N’ Roses songs playing on top of it. But fans of the rock group can have more chances to seem them play live if they aren’t able to find a way into Coachella this year.
Guns N’ Roses is also said to be in negotiations with various promoters to carry out a proper tour. They will play nearly 25 football stadiums all around North America in the summer of 2016 after their reunion at Coachella. Along with that, the band is also scheduled to be one of the first acts to play at the new Las Vegas Arena, which is going to officially open on April 6, 2016. As far as the asking price, Guns N’ Roses is said to be demanding as much as $3 million for every show, with the tickets around the $25 to $275 range.
The last time Slash and Axl Rose shared a stage together was in July of 1993 at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires. Guns N’ Roses’ most recent tour, which only included Rose from the original band lineup, went down in South America and one venue in Las Vegas. That tour ended up grossing $15.2 million.
Coachella 2016 is also going to feature dance-rock band LCD Soundsystem. They last performed a farewell show at Madison Square Garden in 2011. Rumors of LCD getting back together first started appearing on December 24 following the release of their new song, “Christmas Will Break Your Heart,” on the band’s website.
Guns N’ Roses, including original members Axl Rose and Slash, will be headlining the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in Indio, California, during April 15-17 and April 22-24. The full lineup is expected to be announced within the next several days.
Axl Rose is expected to appear on an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! sometime soon to announce what the future holds for Guns N’ Roses.
[Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images]
