Axl Rose Apologizes for 2002 Philadelphia No-Show

Is waiting almost 10 years to say you’re sorry a classic example of "too little, too late"? Not if you're Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose, who used his band's Feb. 27 show at Philadelphia's Electric Factory to belatedly apologize for blowing off a gig a decade ago at the city's First Union Center.

The infamous GnR non-concert happened Dec. 6, 2002, at the Philly basketball/hockey arena now known as the Wells Fargo Center. When the band failed to show by 11:15 p.m., the concert was called off -- prompting some disappointed audience members to throw chairs and cause other damage to the building.

And that no-show was only the beginning. Ultimately, the remainder of GnR's tour was canceled as well.

Speaking between songs in Philly on Monday night, Rose rambled for a few minutes about the 2002 fiasco and alluded to an unspecified illness as his excuse for not being there (previous reports had indicated the band was still in New York from the previous night's gig). He also called out his former manager and then-promoter Clear Channel Communications for what he felt were counterproductive and conflicting actions during that tour.

"So it's good to be here with you people tonight," Rose said in conclusion. "I want to apologize for my part of that [situation]. … I'm not saying I'm innocent."

Watch Axl Rose Talk About the 2002 Philadelphia Incident