Axl Rose and Yoshiki Rehearsed for Canceled Festival
The musicians met in New York to practice before weather forced the cancellation of the Global Citizen Festival.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Rock
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Axl Rose and Yoshiki held a rehearsal at Power Station at BerkleeNYC in late September to prepare for a planned appearance at the Global Citizen Festival. The collaboration was sidelined after the festival in New York was canceled due to severe weather.
Why it matters
The rehearsal session represented a rare collaborative project between the two musicians. It was intended to showcase a performance of the song Red Swan before the event was scrapped.
Guns N' Roses concluded the North American segment of their tour in mid-September. The band is scheduled to begin an upcoming tour circuit across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand next month.
The players
Axl Rose
Axl Rose is the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Guns N' Roses.
Yoshiki
Yoshiki is a renowned Japanese musician, songwriter, and the co-founder of the rock band X Japan.
Fernando Lebeis
Fernando Lebeis serves as the manager for the rock band Guns N' Roses.
The details
The musicians were documented together in a New York recording studio as they prepared to perform the track Red Swan. Band manager Fernando Lebeis shared a photograph on Instagram confirming the studio activity at Power Station at BerkleeNYC.
Timeline
Mid-September: Guns N' Roses concluded their North American tour.
Late September: Axl Rose was photographed during a studio session in New York.
September 26: The Global Citizen Festival was scheduled to take place before being canceled.
Next month: Guns N' Roses are slated to begin tours in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
Industry Dynamics
This collaboration reflects the ongoing trend of cross-genre appearances in high-profile international music events. These moments serve as major promotional opportunities within the competitive global concert market.
Fans hoping to see the pair perform at the festival will have to wait for a potential future announcement regarding the collaboration. Currently, no alternative plans or rescheduled dates have been provided for the performance.
The takeaway
While the studio rehearsal confirms the two artists were actively working together, the festival cancellation highlights the volatility of outdoor live music planning. Musicians and fans must often rely on future tour dates as the only concrete opportunities for high-profile live collaborations.
Further reading
Explore more artist updates and tour news on our Rock page.
More information
View the latest updates on the band's schedule via the Guns N' Roses official tour information.
Source note: This article includes information reported by FMX 94.5.
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