A year ago, a Guns n' Roses show took place at Balaídos, resulting in the destruction of the drainage system and the replacement of the pitch three times. Now, Vigo still fighting to host the 2030 World Cup, memories of the concert of “the most dangerous band in the world” come back to life due to a lawsuit from the group's promoter.

A concert of misunderstandings

On June 12, 2023, at Estadio Abanca Balaídos, a crowd of 30,000 watched a Guns n' Roses concert that, including the support act, lasted more than 3.5 hours. Despite the use of special panels to protect the playing area, the weight of the trucks used to transport the equipment, the stage and the audience itself destroyed the drainage system, leading to the growth of fungus and, as a result, three turf replacements in just a few months.

According to La Voz de Galicia, the event licence stipulated that the organiser, Sweet Nocturna, was responsible for repairing any potential damage. On 28 June, 16 days after the concert, the city council gave the company 48 hours to reinstall the turf, which may raise doubts about the choice of such a short timeframe.

The company responded by asking for licences and dates for the job. In the meantime, Celta Vigo stepped in as it needed the turf back in the stadium as soon as possible. The date proposed by Sweet Nocturna for the work to begin - 20 July - did not suit the club, who decided to take care of the turf installation on their own and send the company the invoice.

© Miguel Ciołczyk Garcia

Promoter takes legal action

According to information accessed by La Voz de Galicia, on July 26 the technicians sent by the company were not allowed into the stadium, so the company filed a complaint on the decision to give it only 48 hours to reinstall the turf. Around €1 million was at stake, which the company did not intend to pay as, according to it, it had not been allowed to carry out the work.

The authority only dismissed the complaint in May 2024, nine months after the letter was filed. Now Sweet Nocturna and its parent company Live Nation have filed a lawsuit. But that's not all. The companies in a second lawsuit are suing the city for €1.9 million because the terms of the contract were changed before the concert, with a tender for the promotion of the concert and the city's image, to which Sweet Nocturna had just applied. The tender was not awarded, but Guns n' Roses' promoter believes it met its conditions.

This, however, is not the biggest worry for the city council or Celta, as Vigo is still in contention to enter the list of host cities for the 2030 World Cup.

© Miguel Ciołczyk Garcia