2024-01-25 De Vooruit Concertzaal, Gent, BE

[MichOzric]

This was painful, no show.

Many many complaints on Belgian FB threads. Including movie of a way too much drunk Von.

I’m a Sisters fan for years but something broke now.

A shame in such a beautiful venue.

[eotunun]

Including movie of a way too much drunk Von.

Could you offer a link to that video? I guess the venue management would like to find out who of their staff takes compromising videos of artists and publishes them online, especially artists very keen on keeping their privacy intact. I guess you know Andrew has a reputation for being a bit strict there.
In other words: I doubt anyone there would post any such video in order to not risk their job.
Yes, Mate: There have been things seen on F***book that turned out not to be true.

So sorry for all of you to not have had this a night to remember.
Well, remember in a good way.

[MichOzric]

Including movie of a way too much drunk Von.

Could you offer a link to that video? I guess the venue management would like to find out who of their staff takes compromising videos of artists and publishes them online, especially artists very keen on keeping their privacy intact. I guess you know Andrew has a reputation for being a bit strict there.
In other words: I doubt anyone there would post any such video in order to not risk their job.
Yes, Mate: There have been things seen on F***book that turned out not to be true.

So sorry for all of you to not have had this a night to remember.
Well, remember in a good way.

Well, indeed FB is full of stuff which isn't true. I don't think it's venue staff who made this video.
I can't share the link, have a look at the NEW-WAVE-CLASSIX.be FB thread.
Maybe he was indeed sick, in the end that's a private matter and privacy is important as well.

Cancellation is even being mentioned in Belgian newspapers.
Artist room seemed to have a window which was easy visible by public, not only staff.

Now, Sisters stay important for me.
In the end it's Rock and Roll

I'm again looking forward to a attend a possible new concert.

[H. Blackrose]

If the video was taken through a window from the street, there is no way they could tell the difference between drunkenness and a serious health crisis

"Von does not cancel gigs on a whim" - Si Denbigh

[Depprocksfarfar]

If the video was taken through a window from the street, there is no way they could tell the difference between drunkenness and a serious health crisis

"Von does not cancel gigs on a whim" - Si Denbigh

Seconed. And rather tasteless filming him in whatever shape he's in just to muck him. Very drunk or ill again, my guess is the latter. But he should REALLY stop touring for a while now and rest. There's no piont of him dying on us for a couple of more gigs.

[eotunun]

Well, indeed FB is full of stuff which isn't true. I don't think it's venue staff who made this video.

Let's hope for the person filming it was not a staff member. Being unemployed is rough these days.
And what @H. Blackrose and @Depprocksfarfar said.
Even a job like rock star is not worth killing yourself for it.

[MichOzric]

Well, indeed FB is full of stuff which isn't true. I don't think it's venue staff who made this video.

Let's hope for the person filming it was not a staff member. Being unemployed is rough these days.
And what @H. Blackrose and @Depprocksfarfar said.
Even a job like rock star is not worth killing yourself for it.

Indeed, hopefully he takes some rest and gets better soon.
We'll remember the good times we already had meantime.

[Todashi]

There is NOTHING more unprofessional than cancelling a show when the audience is already in the building, and apparently if I'm reading this right, an hour after the show was due to start. So something extreme has happened.

So, and this is a weird thing to say, I hope he's ill (and of course that he gets fully and properly better soon). Because the alternative is that we're talking about an old man getting so pissed he can't perform, at this stage of his career. That implies deeper problems.

But on balance of probabilities, my guess is that he's ill. If he was a chronic alcoholic who couldn't keep his s**t together, I think we'd know by now. There wouldn't be just one rumour of an ambiguous video on the internet, there'd be loads. And lots of annoyed fans with anacdotes etc. Also, and more importantly, he wouldn't have been able to tour as much as he has for as long as he has, without it spilling over.

So I don't think he pulled the plug on this because he was drunk, unless something truly nuts happened and someone spiked his drink or something. It seems MUCH more likely that he had a bout of something like stomach flu, and he waited so long to see if medication would pull him back to the point that he could go on stage for an hour.

[MichOzric]

Communication by organisation, in Dutch:

We willen graag alle aanwezigen nog uitdrukkelijk bedanken voor het geduld en de sportieve houding. Een volledig statement vinden jullie hier: https://www.viernulvier.gent/nl/pQ4YMhY ... s-of-mercy

Basically, they would like to explicitly thank everyone for their patience and “sportive” (positive) attidude.

They are working with Sisters management on either having a new date (ticket remains valid) or otherwise ticket refund.

Cheers!

[Being645]

If the video was taken through a window from the street, there is no way they could tell the difference between drunkenness and a serious health crisis

"Von does not cancel gigs on a whim" - Si Denbigh

Absolutely. If The Sisters could have played, they had played.
That's it and everything beyond is rather a matter of privacy and, at the utmost, good wishes.

How ashaming where so-called "social" media have got people by now... that's like the English press in it's worst times, only now spread, preferrably anonymously from behind some avatar, by anyone who likes to for whatever motives. And the f**king AI is sucking it all and is sent everywhere to calculate the best ways to handle humanity, espionage software? What for? ... and all to our best of course... *sigh.... oh well, but nobody say, they didn't know it, if anyone should be left.

It is also understandable though, that people are disappointed ... ... But what would they do, if they were in that situation? s**t happens and one can only make the best of it...

[Gothicbiff]

I saw the video on one of the TSOM FB pages. Though thankfully it seems to have been taken down.
It showed what appeared to be Andrew, lying on a sofa
I understand people being disappointed or angry. But regardless of why the show was cancelled, or what was/is wrong with Andrew, it was an invasion of privacy to film the video and utterly disgusting to post it on social media

[barbaralesz]

I saw the video on one of the TSOM FB pages. Though thankfully it seems to have been taken down.
It showed what appeared to be Andrew, lying on a sofa
I understand people being disappointed or angry. But regardless of why the show was cancelled, or what was/is wrong with Andrew, it was an invasion of privacy to film the video and utterly disgusting to post it on social media

I agree, it was disgusting. My boyfriend reported it.
I don't understand how anybody could have filmed it. I understant that people were angry, but this should have never happened.
I'd like to thank the amazing admins of this forum for doing a great job keeping this place free of this kind of content and negative comments that have no essence, and are only writen to spread hatred.

[Icon]

I wasn’t there and can’t judge. But I find it highly improbable that Von would get so drunk that he can’t perform. Even more after he had just completed the cancelled shows of his last illness.
It’s absolutely shameful how people spread that rumour without any real knowledge or proof.
I was in Berlin and he was perfectly fine there . Nothing that might have suggested that he’d had a drink or many. In Berlin somebody told me that the day before he threw his bottle of Cranberry-mix to a fan, who had a sip. According to them there was no alcohol in it.
I’m actually worried that he got back on tour too soon and hope that he isn’t seriously ill. As some of you have said before, it‘s not worth killing yourself over a stupid tour. Get better soon, Von!

[Erudite]

Email from the venue.
A case of wait and see.




We regret that the concert of The Sisters of Mercy in De Vooruit on January 25 was canceled due to the singer's illness. We would like to expressly thank you for your patience and sporty attitude. Since the situation only became clear very late, this was anything but obvious. Communication was only possible late because we initially assumed that the concert could continue as normal. Only after the scheduled start time did it become apparent that the singer was too ill to perform.



We are currently discussing the next steps with the group's management. We will let you know as soon as possible what will happen to your tickets. If a new date is found, the tickets will be rebooked to that new date. In case of permanent cancellation, a refund will be made automatically. In the meantime, we ask for some patience. We will keep you informed. On behalf of the band and the organization, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

[doctor_jeep]

A guy called Simon just posted this in the Sisters FB group:

At the risk of destroying any ongoing relationship I might have with Andrew, the band and crew, there are several points arising from the inflammatory and hysterical comments about the cancellation of the Ghent show that are going to need addressing.
And I do know what I’m talking about.
As background, I first saw the Sisters in 1984. They are by far my favourite band.
Due to a happy accident, I’ve occasionally worked for, and been around them since 2007, and count many of the band and crew as friends.
I spent 48 hours with them earlier this week in Lille, including dinner on Tuesday night with Andrew and 3 others. None of us overdid it.
1) I can’t speak for Kai, as I don’t know him well enough, but I can assure you that Ben, Chris and the crew (Kenny, Stumpy, Rob, Lawrence, et al are TOTAL professionals and would never pull a show due to being incapacitated through drink or drugs. To state, or even imply, that that ‘they were all out of it’ as some have, is utter rubbish.
2) Andrew is a perfectionist and an autocrat, but, believe it or not, even after over 40 years of performing, he suffers really, and I mean really, badly from stage fright. Aaand, what do you do to mitigate that? You self-medicate, sometimes to excess, and then it’s too late. Whilst I wasn’t in Ghent, I’m pretty sure that’s what happened , and the band and crew would have made every effort up until the last minute to get him fit.

To give you an insight into his perfectionism, I thought the Lille show was very good (and, like most, I’ve seen good and bad from the girls over the years). I told him as much on the way back to the hotel, but he had his reservations over the performance.

Whilst those who attended the Ghent show have my sympathy, and some of the comments were made in the heat of the moment and are probably now being regretted, a lot of them were and are unacceptable to me and I hope, other Sisters fans.

I’ve never felt the need to post on any Sisters forum or page before, and I fear Andrew and the others may not forgive me for doing so, but someone has to step up to the plate, and it might as well be me…

[warp232]

this was going to be the 10th gig of my favourite band. sadly enough it was another confirmation of the fact how little Eldritch cares for his fans. Its surreal how naive and apolegetic some people are on this forum. If being a Sisters real fan means accepting all kinds of s**t than i guess i am not a real fan. Respect goes both ways. The show was supposed to start at 21.45, already a very late hour for a show during the week but this was due to the fact that there was a play going on in another part of the venue. The waiting got on my nerves and arround 22.15 I left the hall and crossed some people I know from the organisation. They told me that he was very very drunk and that he did not seem to be able to perform. It was only announced around 22.40 that there would be no show. But sure, Eldritch would never get drunk and leave his fans in the cold..... (and Santa Claus is real)

[Depprocksfarfar]

this was going to be the 10th gig of my favourite band. sadly enough it was another confirmation of the fact how little Eldritch cares for his fans. Its surreal how naive and apolegetic some people are on this forum. If being a Sisters real fan means accepting all kinds of s**t than i guess i am not a real fan. Respect goes both ways. The show was supposed to start at 21.45, already a very late hour for a show during the week but this was due to the fact that there was a play going on in another part of the venue. The waiting got on my nerves and arround 22.15 I left the hall and crossed some people I know from the organisation. They told me that he was very very drunk and that he did not seem to be able to perform. It was only announced around 22.40 that there would be no show. But sure, Eldritch would never get drunk and leave his fans in the cold..... (and Santa Claus is real)

Personally i was juging from a video and a from picture and none of them was any proof if Von beeing hideously drunk. Therefore, i did'nt want to jump to any conclusions. If that's beeing naive and apolegetic, well, then im suppose im guilty of both. I do get it your'e pissed, ive had my share of cancelled gigs to.

[GC]

I can really imagine that people who were there were disappointed. But the level of bitterness coming from FB makes me ask why the hell would anybody who hates the band so much still bother to go and see them.

It also surprises me that no one there (on FB) seems to criticise the video as an attack on his privacy. He may very well be drunk but then again could be seriously ill.

[doctor_jeep]

I can really imagine that people who were there were disappointed. But the level of bitterness coming from FB makes me ask why the hell would anybody who hates the band so much still bother to go and see them.

It also surprises me that no one there (on FB) seems to criticise the video as an attack on his privacy. He may very well be drunk but then again could be seriously ill.

To be fair, some people did criticise the video and the picture. As far as I can see, both are gone after people (including me) reported the posts to the group admins. As you said, neither the video or the pic were any proof for anything.

[GC]

I can really imagine that people who were there were disappointed. But the level of bitterness coming from FB makes me ask why the hell would anybody who hates the band so much still bother to go and see them.

It also surprises me that no one there (on FB) seems to criticise the video as an attack on his privacy. He may very well be drunk but then again could be seriously ill.

To be fair, some people did criticise the video and the picture. As far as I can see, both are gone after people (including me) reported the posts to the group admins. As you said, neither the video or the pic were any proof for anything.

Its still on

Edit: Deleted link it was not my intention to share it. Sorry

[Todashi]

A guy called Simon just posted this in the Sisters FB group:

At the risk of destroying any ongoing relationship I might have with Andrew, the band and crew, there are several points arising from the inflammatory and hysterical comments about the cancellation of the Ghent show that are going to need addressing.
And I do know what I’m talking about.
As background, I first saw the Sisters in 1984. They are by far my favourite band.
Due to a happy accident, I’ve occasionally worked for, and been around them since 2007, and count many of the band and crew as friends.
I spent 48 hours with them earlier this week in Lille, including dinner on Tuesday night with Andrew and 3 others. None of us overdid it.
1) I can’t speak for Kai, as I don’t know him well enough, but I can assure you that Ben, Chris and the crew (Kenny, Stumpy, Rob, Lawrence, et al are TOTAL professionals and would never pull a show due to being incapacitated through drink or drugs. To state, or even imply, that that ‘they were all out of it’ as some have, is utter rubbish.
2) Andrew is a perfectionist and an autocrat, but, believe it or not, even after over 40 years of performing, he suffers really, and I mean really, badly from stage fright. Aaand, what do you do to mitigate that? You self-medicate, sometimes to excess, and then it’s too late. Whilst I wasn’t in Ghent, I’m pretty sure that’s what happened , and the band and crew would have made every effort up until the last minute to get him fit.

To give you an insight into his perfectionism, I thought the Lille show was very good (and, like most, I’ve seen good and bad from the girls over the years). I told him as much on the way back to the hotel, but he had his reservations over the performance.

Whilst those who attended the Ghent show have my sympathy, and some of the comments were made in the heat of the moment and are probably now being regretted, a lot of them were and are unacceptable to me and I hope, other Sisters fans.

I’ve never felt the need to post on any Sisters forum or page before, and I fear Andrew and the others may not forgive me for doing so, but someone has to step up to the plate, and it might as well be me…

Firstly, I hope the band and anyone from the crew who reads this treats this guy well. I totally get why Andrew would be super protective of his privacy - can you only imagine the lunatics that have come out of the woodwork to stalk him in the past? - but I think this guys comments are coming from a good place.

He's not flaunting a band connection for social clout. Probably Andrew doesn't need people to defend him in public, but it still hurts to see people you love and respect denigrated publicly. Intent matters, and I think his guy means well.

Anyway, with that said, this bit jumped out:

Andrew is a perfectionist and an autocrat, but, believe it or not, even after over 40 years of performing, he suffers really, and I mean really, badly from stage fright. Aaand, what do you do to mitigate that? You self-medicate, sometimes to excess, and then it’s too late. Whilst I wasn’t in Ghent, I’m pretty sure that’s what happened , and the band and crew would have made every effort up until the last minute to get him fit.

This rings entirely true. He's a guy with above average intelligence, a deep thinker etc, and that sadly usually goes with a predisposition towards anxiety and depression. It can be a life long struggle, and mental illness even if its mild, is still illness. The same as food poisoning or a broken leg. Even if it's not so visible.

This guy makes a living by playing an onstage role in which he swaggers and affects a persona that is almost certainly not real. So this quote above rings true to me. I'd say he just slipped, and that's something that should generate sympathy not judgement. This doesn't happen very often.

He was properly ill last year, and this isn't that.

If he was wandering around the world, cancelling gigs Morrissey-style left, right and centre for entirely s**t reasons, then yeah let him have it. But someone with an anxiety issue f**king up by taking a xanax too many, and washing it down with an additional ill-judged beer is not a villian. As I've said elswhere, if he was a messy drunk, we'd know. He's 64. Who becomes an alcoholic in their 60s? If that's gonna happen, it would have happened long long ago, and there'd be a s**t tonne of evidence. And there isn't.

I remind myself that he doesn't actually have to do this at all. The fact that he does, apparently while managing an anxiety condition, is f**king heroic if you ask me.

[Pista]

Whatever the reason's for last night's no-show, I do hope Von is okay & makes a recovery in whatever time he needs to do so.
At least, that's my take away from the whole episode.

[warp232]

I remind myself that he doesn't actually have to do this at all. The fact that he does, apparently while managing an anxiety condition, is f**king heroic if you ask me.

I do hope you are joking.... Silly me, thinking he was in it for the money

You almost make it sound like he is a god or superheroe, battling anxiety to entertain us mere mortals.

[doctor_jeep]

I remind myself that he doesn't actually have to do this at all. The fact that he does, apparently while managing an anxiety condition, is f**king heroic if you ask me.

I do hope you are joking.... Silly me, thinking he was in it for the money

You almost make it sound like he is a god or superheroe, battling anxiety to entertain us mere mortals.

Well, it's a kind of take it or leave it thing, isn't it.

[Todashi]

I do hope you are joking.... Silly me, thinking he was in it for the money

You almost make it sound like he is a god or superheroe, battling anxiety to entertain us mere mortals.

I make it sound like he's a guy who doesn't have to tour as I'm presuming he has made a lot of money. I think he does it for fun, because he knows people want him to, and yes because money is useful. But I don't think he HAS to do it just for money.

It's possible he made bad investments and lost it all in the 1990s, but I don't get that impression.