14 DAY TRIAL // Depeche Mode frontman Dave Gahan was rushed to the hospital a couple of days ago, after being “taken ill” in his dressing room, only minutes before he was to take the stage in Athens for a concert. Hours ago, a spokesperson for the band announced that the gig in Istanbul, Turkey would not take place on May 14 as scheduled, while the Bucharest show for May 16 and the following dates are also “most likely” to be canceled as well.
As of now, Depeche has only announced cancellations for the Athens and Istanbul shows, but reports are coming in that Gahan is “still not well” and may require to be flown to the States for treatment. Should this be the case, then the upcoming European dates will also be officially canceled. At this point in time, reports in the local media have it, the shows in Bucharest and Sofia are “99% canceled,” although organizers have not yet made any announcement.
Details on what required the emergency hospitalization have also emerged, as a post on the band’s official website indicates. “Dave fell ill with a severe bout of gastroenteritis shortly before he was due onstage in Athens which resulted in his immediate hospitalization. At this stage, Dave’s primary concern is to return to full health and resume the tour as soon as possible.” it is being said. At the same time, all fans are urged to hold onto their tickets in the eventuality of a reschedule or a refund, worst case scenario.
Initially, it was believed that Gahan’s stay in the hospital would be but a short one, and that he would be able to resume the tour with just a minor glitch, at least, that’s what sources were telling Rolling Stone yesterday. According to a spokesperson, though, Gahan’s condition might be more serious than expected, and the entire tour might have to come to a sudden end because of it. “Even though everyone hoped for the singer’s speedy recovery and the rescheduling of the band’s show for today, May 13th, 2009, according to the information received by the band’s management and the doctor on duty, the artist’s health condition does not allow it.” another statement on the same website reads.
As noted above, reports in the local media have it that the concert in Bucharest, Romania has also been canceled. According to several sources, distributors and official partners ceased selling tickets a good couple of hours ago, and are already thinking of refunds. 40,000 fans were expected to be present at the concert in Romania. For more on this, keep an eye on this space.
*Update - Depeche Mode has officially announced the following shows have been canceled: May 16th Bucharest, Romania, Izvor Park May 18th Sofia, Bulgaria, Vasil Levski Stadium May 20th Belgrade, Serbia, USCE Park May 21st Zagreb, Croatia, Arena
Fans are asked to hold onto their tickets in case the shows are rescheduled, but those who want can already ask for refunds from the retailer they made the initial purchase from.