A gig by Sex on Fire hitmakers Kings of Leon was cancelled on this day in 2010 due to pigeons.
The United States rock group, whose hits include Radioactive, Revelry, and Beautiful War, pulled out of a performance midway through the show because of a flock of pigeons in the area. The band was forced to abandon their show in St. Louis, Missouri, due to the flock, with drummer Nathan Followill stating that the venue was at fault for the cancellation. A refund was made available to fans in attendance, who heard just three songs from the band before they walked off stage. A spokesman for the band’s management also confirmed the “disgusting” circumstances of their cancellation.
Drummmer Followill wrote on Twitter at the time: “So sorry St Louis. We had to bail, pigeons shit in Jared‘s mouth, and it was too unsanitary to continue… Don’t take it out on Jared, it’s the fucking venue’s fault. You may enjoy being shit on, but we don’t. Sorry for all who travelled many miles.”
Though the band “tried to hang in there” through the show, Kings of Leon lasted just three songs before walking off stage. They would not return to St. Louis until two months later. Andy Mendelsohn, the management spokesperson, said: “Jared Followill was hit several times during the first two songs.
“On the third song, when he was hit in the cheek and some of it landed near his mouth, they couldn’t deal any longer. It’s not only disgusting, it’s a toxic health hazard. They really tried to hang in there.”
A further statement from the band released at the time noted they were shocked to see the state of their two opening acts, The Postelles and The Stills, when they finished their set. A statement from the band reads: “The Kings of Leon decided to carry on regardless.
“The band felt it would be unfair to the fans to cancel the show at that late moment. We couldn’t believe what The Postelles and The Stills looked like after their sets. We didn’t want to cancel the show, so we went for it. We tried to play. It was ridiculous.” A setlist for what Kings of Leon managed to play through the flock of pigeons can be found below.
- Closer
- Crawl
- Taper Jean Girl
Two songs from their 2008 album, Only By the Night, and one from their debut release, Aha Shake Heartbreak, were all they could manage. The band lasted just three songs and the venue issued a statement regarding the pigeon infestation, which they say had been a continuing problem that summer.
A statement from venue heads suggested there was a “significant pigeon infestation problem with summer shows over the years, but they were doing all they could to fix it”. According to Rock History Live!, the band offered a full refund to concertgoers.
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