Ghost explains the South Carolina concert was canceled at the last minute
Ghost released a lengthy statement after canceling their concert on Tuesday (August 29) at the last minute at the CCNB Amphitheater in Heritage Park in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
Unfortunately, the Swedish metal band’s US tour with Amon Amarth headed straight into the heart of Hurricane Adalia’s inclement weather along the East Coast.
While the band was able to give a clear warning that the Florida shows in Jacksonville (August 30) and Tampa (August 31) would be canceled due to the hurricane, fans in South Carolina were already in place on Tuesday night (August 29) when it was found out that Ghost wouldn’t be playing.
In fact, Amon Amarth played some songs when the sky opened up and it rained on the CCNB runway. Not only did the weather stop Amon Amarth’s set, it also prevented Ghost from performing at all. Unfortunately, it took some time for the fans at the venue to be notified that the concert had actually been cancelled, which led to many complaints from concert-goers.
The South Carolina show was rescheduled for Thursday (August 31, instead of the previously postponed show in Tampa), but the band’s equipment was badly damaged by Tuesday’s storm, so Thursday’s show was also cancelled.
In their statement posted on FacebookGhost provided a detailed explanation of the events leading up to the cancellation of the South Carolina show:
“Kids of South Carolina (and beyond)!
First, we’d like to apologize for taking so long to respond to yesterday’s lengthy cancellation, but we had to maneuver through a lot of bureaucratic hurdles. We are as disturbed as you are about last night’s events. In an attempt to clear up the confusion, here’s what actually happened yesterday:
When our trucks and buses arrived yesterday morning, there was already a concern about the weather forecast as the roof of the theater is so small there is nothing to cover the sides. Our main goal is for our fans to have a great experience. We were sure that the weather would be fine later in the day, so we continued to move forward with all the preparations/settings for the show.
Unlike CCNB, most outdoor concert venues have a large roof over the stage to protect all sound and lighting equipment from inclement weather, as well as a roof over the audience to protect our fans. Yesterday we were all vulnerable to the lack of cover and bad weather.
It had begun to rain heavily during the morning preparations, and some of our equipment had already begun to fail. Fortunately, we have a very professional staff, who have repaired or exchanged spare parts to some extent, etc., to realize the show. We were ready to perform, fully counting on the weather staying sunny and raining!
When (support act) Amon Amarth arrived on the stage, a sudden downpour (in addition to thunder) began, and the stage was completely flooded. Amon Amarth could only get a few songs out of their show. Our crew covered as many pieces of equipment as possible with canvas, especially electronics and computers, and moved other electronics onto trucks to protect them from the rain.
As the rain subsided, it was apparent that several key components of our presentation were completely out of order, especially the sound and lighting controls, which certainly led to a stalling issue. Overall, it was impossible for us to perform and the venue had told us so.
We insisted that the venue/promoter immediately explain to all of our fans who were patiently waiting to be allowed back into the venue but we were met with the law.
Our crew kept trying to get the system working again, but after a few hours it became clear that nothing would work. Today we learned that it will take at least two to three days for us to be able to replace the electronic equipment to perform any show. Unfortunately, without replacement equipment we will not be able to perform in Simpsonville tomorrow, Thursday. Refunds will be issued automatically at the point of purchase, and there is nothing else for ticket holders to do.
We feel so sad when we think about what all your fans have to go through because of this. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience, disappointment and inconvenience caused to you all. We never meant to upset you and make you stand in the rain without a clear understanding of what is happening.
We apologize and hope we have clarified yesterday’s series of events.”
Local TV station, Greenville WYFFreported the disaster that left Ghost fans waiting outside the CCNB Amphitheater for hours before they were finally informed of the concert’s cancellation.
“At 8 o’clock, we were told it was cancelled,” one concertgoer told WYFF. “Then at 8:45 they’re finally posting on social media and they’re saying the event is on hold, it’s likely to open again, and they’re watching it. 9:45 they say they’re resetting. At 11:45 they’re posting “Sorry, they’re sorry, but the show is canceled. At 11:45, it’s like we’ve been waiting in line all day. The communication was terrible.”
Justin Campbell, a spokesperson for the City of Simpsonville (which owns the CCNB Coliseum) told WYFF that it is the artists’ responsibility to keep their equipment protected and dry.
“We can’t have the band or the tour get on stage,” he said. “They reported that there was some damaged lighting or sound equipment. That is why they chose not to continue the concert.”
It’s the second time Ghost has dealt with poor communication with the place. Earlier in the tour, the St. Louis Coliseum forced fans to remove face paint and heavy make-up, per venue policy. This caused some mild outrage, with some party-goers being forced to clean their faces with makeup wipes at the gate, prompting Jost to issue an apologetic statement.
The Ghost Tour with Amon Amarth is set to continue — hopefully no more mishaps — this Saturday (September 2) in The Woodlands, Texas, and you can get tickets here.
Below you can see Ghost’s social media statement and WYFF news report.
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