There are a few exceptions. And by few I mean maybe two or three bands I'd gladly fork over the dough to see because I can go into it with a fair degree of certainty that they won't let me down and the crowd won't make me want to dismember them. Einstürznende Neubauten is one of those bands. I was so stoked that I would be seeing them play in the next few days until this announcement turned up in my inbox:
"EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN HAVE TO CANCEL NORTH AMERICAN THIRTIETH
ANNIVERSARY SHOWSIt is with great regret that Einstürzende Neubauten announce the
cancellation of their planned thirtieth anniversary appearances in Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto and New York. While the US
Department of Homeland Security did issue approvals for the band’s
visas, it was not done in time to secure the appointments at the
overseas embassies and consulates that represent the necessary final
step in the process.
The band members are tremendously disappointed by this turn of events
and wish to thank all those fans who purchased tickets for these
performances for their support. The band would have loved to do the
tour and meet their overseas fans. Because this tour was a
time-sensitive production, it will not be rescheduled. Ticketholders
can obtain refunds from their point of purchase."
I've seen the mighty Neubauten 4 times in the last 20 years or so years. And each time, they were better than the previous time. The last time I saw them was about 5 years ago, when Perpetuum Mobile came out. They were astounding. Majestic. Wonderful. I was really looking forward to this show, the whole 30th Anniversary thing being the icing on top. But this news is a serious bummer.
November 29, 2010: The day Leslie Nielsen died and the day Eintstürzende Neubauten canceled their North American tour. I think I'll have a drink and watch this performance of "Youme & Meyou" for the millionth time.
Damn them for (understandably) not having Texas on their schedule, but their forced cancellation on those terms is truly a tragedy for both you and them. I think I've seen them only once in the early nineties at Deep Ellum Live, with the craptastic Meat Beat Manifesto opening for them... Was that the Tabula Rasa tour? I remember them playing a few songs from "Halber Mensch"(1986), which was the album that was my introduction to them.
ReplyDeleteI think that may have been the Haus Der Luge tour. I never understood why people liked Meat Beat Manifesto or why someone figured that would be a good pairing. If my addled memory serves, I think Rasputina opened for them on the Tabula Rasa tour. They weren't great, but it was at least interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe last show I saw was just them, no opening act, and it was absolutely astonishing. It was the first time they had played in L.A. in 10 years because they were banned from the city after they accidentally set the venue on fire the previous time they were in town. Blixa had just left the Bad Seeds to focus on the group and they were in fine form. I don't think the new record ranks among their best, but they're just so incomparably good live.