An ailing Axl Rose gave it his best but still had to cut short Guns 'n' Roses' set in Abu Dhabi Sunday night. He managed to last for about 20 songs, according to the music website Loudwire.
"They've got me on IVs and a bunch of injections, 'cause I got sick today, I've been throwing up for about the last five hours," Rose, 56, explained to the crowd in the United Arab Emirates at the beginning of the concert. "So, instead of canceling, I'm gonna do the best show we can for you."
His bandmates, who famously feuded with Rose for two decades, were in awe of his efforts.
In a tweet thanking the Abu Dhabi crowd, bassist Duff McKagan called Rose's performance "a damn miracle," adding, "The man was beyond ill, and pulled off something I've never seen in my 40 yrs of playing. You all pulled him thru. Til next time!"
"Axl was severely ill," guitarist Slash confirmed in an NSFW tweet. "But you all were hugely supportive. Thanks for that. We'll see (you) again next time! Cheers!"
In 2016, Rose broke his foot as the band was warming up for its reunion road trip (dubbed the "Not in This Lifetime" tour after a famous Rose quote about the band's chances of getting back together), putting the whole venture in jeopardy.
McKagan sprung into action, calling Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl to borrow the mobile rock throne he had built so he could continue that band's 2014 tour after breaking his own leg onstage in Sweden.
In an interview with USA TODAY earlier this year, Grohl said that at the time McKagan called, he had just won a fight with an insurance company to keep the contraption, which he designed while "high as (expletive)" on pain meds following orthopedic surgery.
"I haven't seen it in six months. I think it’s in storage somewhere, Grohl recalled telling McKagan. " When do you need it?"
McKagan replied, "We need it tonight!"
And so, the creation came out of retirement.
"We got it there in time for the show and I flew out to see the show because I’d never seen anybody sit in this thing," Grohl revealed. "I spent six months in it myself but I’d never sat in the audience and watched someone perform in it. I just sat there laughing my (butt) off. What a ridiculous idea! But it actually worked."
