Skid Row Cancelled Yesterday's Brisbane Show As Doors Opened, Promoters Respond

New Jersey rockers Skid Row were due to perform at The Triffid in Brisbane last night, but as punters were lined up at the door, the show was cancelled around 8 pm.

The band’s new singer, Sweden’s Erik Grönwall (ex-H.E.A.T), came down with a debilitating flu. The band’s statement reads:

“Unfortunately we have to cancel our sold out show in Brisbane tonight. This morning Erik woke up feeling sick and by sound check he was losing his voice and was feeling the effects of a full blown flu.

“He will see a doctor first thing tomorrow and expects that it will be all systems go for Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

“We sincerely apologize [sic] for the inconvenience and want you to know we are as disappointed as all of you.”

The band’s tour promoter, Silverback Touring, said on Facebook, “It is with heaviest of hearts that we announce that today’s show with Skid Row is cancelled due to Erik coming down with the flu.

“We are absolutely devastated by this as the band, the Triffid and as all fans would be. We had a sold out show in Brisbane tonight. Everyone was so excited, we were looking forward to an awesome start to the tour.

“PLEASE NOTE: All tickets will be automatically refunded by Moshtix.”

The band’s The Gang’s All Here Australian tour continues tomorrow (Friday, 19 May) in Sydney, before touching down in Adelaide and Melbourne this weekend. You can buy last-minute tickets here.

This is the second time health issues have affected Skid Row’s Australian visit. The 18 And Life outfit were supposed to visit Australia in December, but due to guitarist David Michael “The Snake” Sabo’s rescheduled neck surgery, the band had no choice but to postpone those dates.

Fans received their first glimpse of Grönwall in Las Vegas on 26 March as the band took up a residency in support of The Scorpions and gauging from the live clips and online commentary surrounding the performance, the band, made up of Rachel Bolan (bass), Dave “Snake” Sabo, Scotti Hill (guitars) and Rob Hammersmith (drums) have a renewed vigour and energy with classic era Skid Row sounding better than it ever has.

Last October, Skid Row dropped their first album in 16 years, The Gang’s All Here, featuring Grönwall on vocals.