Manchester Arena have spoken out after Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme flouted the rules and smoked on stage during their concert at the venue last night.
The band are currently on the road in support of their acclaimed new album ‘Villains‘. Just as he did when the band kicked off their UK show with a blistering show at Wembley Arena in London at the weekend, Homme lit a cigarette during on stage during banter in between songs. Smoking has been illegal in all enclosed work places in England since 2007, with fines often enforced when individuals smoke in venues.
While it is legal to smoke on stage “where the artistic integrity of a performance makes it appropriate for a person to smoke”, the venue argue that this is not the case and have contacted QOTSA’s management to complain.
“It is very disappointing and regrettable that the artist chose to smoke on stage during their performance in Manchester,” a spokesman for the arena told Manchester Evening News. “This was an individual decision taken by the artist, despite us making it very clear to their management that it is illegal to smoke in any area of the arena.”
They added: “We are extremely vigilant in ensuring our venue remains a no-smoking environment and our extensive front of house ‘no smoking’ signage is duplicated throughout our backstage area.”
Queens Of The Stone Age on tour
QOTSA’s remaining UK and Ireland tour dates are below. Tickets are on sale here.
NOVEMBER
Sunday 19 – MANCHESTER Arena
Tuesday 21 – LONDON O2 Arena
Thursday 23 – EDINBURGH Usher Hall
Friday 24 – DUBLIN 3Arena
