Singer Defends Promoter As Aus Tour Axed

American hard rock band Winger were due to play their first and final concerts with their original line-up in Australia and New Zealand this September, but the tour is no longer going ahead.

Posting a video to social media, lead vocalist and bassist Kip Winger addressed the band’s fans and shared the sad news while revealing that Winger were working hard to book new dates.

“To our friends in Australia & New Zealand, our sincere apologies for cancelling our shows this September,” the band wrote on Twitter on Sunday (6 August). “Please seek refunds at the point of purchase. We are working continuously on finding new dates/venues and we will let you know as soon as they are confirmed!”

To our friends in Australia & New Zealand, our sincere apologies for cancelling our shows this September. Please seek refunds at the point of purchase.

We are working continuously on finding new dates/venues and we will let you know as soon as they are confirmed! #Winger pic.twitter.com/Vovb5j7ohd

— Winger (@WingerTheBand) August 6, 2023

In the video, Kip Winger added, “We tried to postpone the tour and were going to announce it once we had all the new dates up, but the last couple of days, some things have developed which was going to make it impossible for us to do the tour under the configuration we were doing it.”

The tour has been cancelled outright, as Winger would rather ticketholders get their refunds than hold onto them for an uncertain period. “We don’t know when we can come there at this point,” he said.

“I do want to say this is not on the promoters. There has been a lot of talk online about the promoters, and it is not the promoters, Titan Tours. I’ve worked with them before. Everything was fine with me, so I can’t say a bad thing about them. All I can say is some things have developed in the last couple of days that make it impossible for us to move forward with this particular scenario.”

The Music has reached out to a representative of Titan Tours for comment.

Ron Keel, of the Ron Keel Band, who was booked to open for Winger on all dates, wrote on Twitter, “I am sorry this tour did not work out; I was very much looking forward to it. Out of my hands, I was just the opening act, but unfortunate for all, especially the fans. Thanks to @KipWinger & @WingerTheBand.”

Music journalist and runner of the iHeartGuitar blog, Peter Hodgson, placed some blame on the promoters for the tour cancellation, responding to the band’s video, “I knew this tour was in the wrong hands when I, an Australian music journalist specialising in rock and metal, never heard a word about it other than from the band’s social media. Not even a press release. You guys deserve better.”

In 2001, the original line-up of Winger reunited to record a track called On The Inside for the band’s greatest hits compilation, The Very Best Of Winger. Since the original line-up reformed, Winger have released four albums, including the most recent, Seven, in May 2023.