Music

Anger over last minute cancellation of Waterboys gig in Donegal

Band claims they halted concert due to concerns over safety of the venue

Mike Scott performing outside the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin. File photograph: Aidan Crawley

Jade Wilson
Mon Nov 1 2021 - 18:09

A concert by the folk rock band Waterboys was cancelled on Sunday night due to “health and safety reasons and power supply problems”, the band has said on social media.

The band was scheduled to play as part of the Fomhair Festival in Donegal on Sunday, however, after playing live for the crowd for just a couple of minutes, the performance was suddenly ended.

Founder and lead singer of the band, Mike Scott, said in a Twitter post that the show was cancelled for "health and safety reasons and power supply problems. It was not safe." Scott apologised to "all who came to the show and are disappointed."

However, speaking on RTÉ's Liveline programme on Monday, Shane Barr, organiser of the festival in Gweedore, said that "from our end, everybody was ready to go… I felt I was left to deal with a situation the band created"

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“We had the go ahead from our health and safety officers and the tent company and unfortunately the band refused to go back on.”

In a statement posted on Twitter, Brother Paul, the Waterboys’ keyboard player, said the band had very serious concerns about safety at the venue.

Fans on social media were “outraged,” with one user on Twitter describing the decision by the band as “appalling”. Others claimed the band did not address the crowd to explain their decision to end the gig.

Mr Barr said on radio that ticket holders would be refunded. he insisted that “we wouldn’t be signing off on something that’s a health and safety risk anyway,” he said.

Andy McGregor, a fan of the band, told Liveline he travelled from Co Antrim to see the gig and had booked a cottage for the night for him and three friends to stay in.

“We were very, very disappointed in the Waterboys,” he said.

However, others argued the band was right to pull the gig. Scottish writer Irvine Welsh said in a post on Twitter “no way would any artist cancel a gig unless things were totally f**ked. This is what people live to do.”

Another user, Ryan Fitzpatrick, said: "I was there, the venue felt dangerous, the wind was blowing under the covers at the back of the tent, I moved three times to avoid drips of water, the whole thing was swaying in the wind... I drove a seven hour round trip to the gig, but I 100per cent agree with your call."

Mr Scott said he had been subject to “online abuse” directed against him by people who “don’t have the facts” following the cancellation.

“Band and tour management believed gig was dangerous and would not put band/crew/audience at risk,” he added.

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