Guns N’ Roses concert in St. Louis in 1991 labeled as the worst in Missouri – 100.9 The Eagle

After Guns N’ Roses’ successful “Use Your Illusion” tour launch in January 1991, the band arrived in St. Louis for a concert at the Riverport Amphitheater in July. The show started off well, with the band putting on a high-energy performance in front of an excited crowd. However, things took a turn for the worse during the song “Rocket Queen” when chaos erupted.

Axl Rose, the band’s lead singer, spotted someone in the audience filming the concert and called for security to deal with the situation. Despite this, Axl took matters into his own hands and jumped into the crowd, throwing a punch at the fan before being pulled back on stage by security. Frustrated, Axl announced, “Thanks to the lame security, I’m going home!” and threw the microphone down, prompting the rest of the band to follow him off stage.

The abrupt end to the concert left fans confused and angry, leading to a riot that resulted in an estimated $200,000 in damages to equipment and 60 injuries among concert-goers. It took 400 police officers to finally bring the situation under control. While criminal charges were filed against Axl, a judge ruled that he did not directly incite the riot.

The fan who was recording the concert, known as Billy or “Stump,” later revealed his side of the story. In a documentary about the incident, Stump described how Axl blindsided him with a punch, causing them both to fall over chairs and resulting in a ruptured disc in his back. Stump sued Axl for damages, leading to an out-of-court settlement before a verdict could be reached.

Despite the negative aftermath of the 1991 concert, Guns N’ Roses did not return to St. Louis for more than 26 years. The band finally made a comeback in July 2017 and is set to perform in St. Louis again on August 16, 2026, according to their official tour schedule. Hopefully, this time the show will be remembered for its music rather than the chaos that ensued in 1991.

The Guns N’ Roses concert in St. Louis in 1991 will always be remembered as one of the worst concerts in Missouri’s history. The incident not only left a mark on the band’s reputation but also on the memories of those who attended that fateful show.