Rock stars cut off by curfew

Boris Johnson waded into the row this morning, saying the musicians should have been allowed to continue their set.

Speaking to Kay Burley on LBC radio, he said:

• The number of concerts which can take place in Hyde Park will be reduced from 13 to nine from next year following recent complaints about noise
• The crowd limit will also fall from 80,000 to 65,000, and in some cases 50,000 from 2013

• The number of concerts came into question after residents in Knightsbridge and Belgravia complained about noise
• There were 109 complaints from residents in 2011, around twice as many as in 2010

Actor and musician Steven Van Zandt, who plays guitar in Springsteen's E-Street Band and stared in cult US drama series The Sopranos, voiced his frustration on Twitter at the gig's ending.

Amateur video footage shows Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney silenced on Saturday night at Hard Rock Calling when their microphones were cut off before they could address the crowds.

ITV News' UK Editor Keir Simmons tweeted this photo of the stage in Hyde Park and said the sound was cut at the concert, moments after Sir Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen began singing together.

Rock stars Bruce Springsteen and Sir Paul McCartney were silenced tonight after defying the sound curfew at Hard Rock Calling.

Sir Paul had joined Springsteen on stage at the end of the singer's headline slot in Hyde Park, London, but both stars found their microphones cut off before they could address the crowds.

Springsteen, known for his long performances, had been playing for more than three hours and had exceeded the curfew by half an hour.