Riverport Riot facts for kids

The Riverport riot was a big event that happened on July 2, 1991. It took place at the Riverport Amphitheatre (now called Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre) in Maryland Heights, Missouri. This was during a concert by the famous American rock band Guns N' Roses as part of their Use Your Illusion Tour. Some people also call it the "Rocket Queen Riot."

What Happened at the Concert?

During the concert, Guns N' Roses was playing their song "Rocket Queen". The band's singer, Axl Rose, saw a fan taking pictures of the show. He asked security to stop the person, but they couldn't.

So, Axl Rose decided to handle it himself. He jumped into the audience to get the camera. After a short struggle, he got the camera. He then returned to the stage, threw his microphone down, and said, "I'm going home!" Then he left the stage.

After Axl Rose left, the band's guitarist, Slash, told the audience, "He just smashed the microphone. We're out of here." This made many people in the audience very upset.

The Audience's Reaction

The audience's anger led to a three-hour riot. Many people were hurt during this time. A photographer named Robert John was filming the tour and captured what happened.

Axl Rose later explained that the band's security team had asked the venue's security four times to remove the camera, but nothing was done. He also said that band members had reported some audience members acting violently.

Aftermath of the Riot

Because of this incident, Guns N' Roses was not allowed to play in St. Louis for a long time. They did not return to play in the city until July 27, 2017, which was on their Not in This Lifetime... Tour.