http://www.nme.com/news/gang-gang-dance/42807
Gang Gang Dance cancel European tour
The 'devastated' band have had all of their equipment destroyed in the blaze
Gang Gang Dance have been forced to cancel their European tour after a fire destroyed all their equipment, leaving the "devastated" band stranded in
Amsterdam.
See below for a list of the cancelled dates (including a number of UK shows).
After playing the opening night of the tour at the city's
Paradiso club on Friday (February 13), the band put their instruments in a lock-up, only to return the following morning to find that an electrical fire had swept through the building.
Blogging on
Myspace.com/ganggangdance, the band said hardly any of their equipment was salvageable from the blaze.
"We didn't really know the scope of how bad the fire was until we arrived on the scene to find every piece of equipment we own scattered out in the parking lot...melted, charred, and still smouldering," they wrote.
"Most of our gear is way beyond repair and the small amount of stuff that looks as if it wasn't physically destroyed by the fire itself has all been doused by the fire hoses. So we have been left with synths that are melted, a charred guitar, cases full of wet pedals and cables, drums that are nothing but the metal rims, amps that look as if they've been doused in tar...the list goes on."
As well as their instruments, a number of memory sticks containing some of
Gang Gang Dance's new music were also destroyed in the fire.
The band say they considered carrying on the tour with rented equipment, before conceding that logistically it would be too difficult. Instead, they promised to reschedule the cancelled shows.
"It's all really devastating and we wish nothing more then to be in
Brussels tonight (we were super excited about that show!) and to be able to continue on with our tour, but there is really no way for that to happen given the circumstances. We are hoping to come back as soon as possible and make up for all this," the
MySpace blog said.
Gang Gang Dance have cancelled the following dates:
Brussels AB Club (14 February)
Hamburg Uebel And Gefarhrlich (15)
Leipzig Schauspielhaus (16)
Berlin Volksbuhne (17)
Heidelberg Karlstorbahnof (18)
Dijon Generiq Fesitval (19)
Paris Point Ephemere (20)
St Malo Route du Rock (21)
Tourcoing Grand Mix (22)
Manchester Roadhouse (25)
London Dingwalls (26)
Bristol Fleece (27)
Brighton Audio (28)