Economic Reasons Were the Reason for ULI JON ROTH’s Guitar Gods Tour Cancellation

Uli Jon Roth performing February 16, 2013 at Neisen's in Savage, Minnesota. Click on the picture to see more photos of Uli and his band (63).

Contrary to the official line that "work visas" getting "mysteriously delayed" as being the reason guitarist Uli Jon Roth canceled his appearance on the North American Guitar Gods Tour with Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, and Bumblefoot, it can be revealed that his cancelation was solely due to economic reasons. My source, someone involved with the tour since it began earlier this month, was definitive with this statement. If Monday’s attendance for the Minneapolis stop of the tour, about 150, is indicative of the tour’s draw, this would corroborate this explanation.

Official statements are often cloaked in vague half-truths, and this is probably one of those instances. Very likely someone in the Uli’s camp was experiencing visa delays (notice that the statement doesn’t say the Uli himself was), but it could easily be used for cover so as to not embarrass other acts on the tour or not spook the promoters.

Uli Jon Roth is supposed to return to North American in the Spring of 2015.

Tours: ULI JON ROTH Cancels North American Guitar Gods Tour, Reveals Plans to Return to U.S. in Spring 2015

Uli Jon Roth performing February 16, 2013 at Neisen's in Savage, Minnesota. Click on either picture to see more photos of Uli and his band (63).

Surely this is the most disappointing concert news of the year. Uli Jon Roth, legendary solo artist and former Scorpions guitarist, made the announcement on his Facebook page that he’s been forced bow of his upcoming tour with Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, and Bumblefoot:

“Unfortunately we are forced to cancel my participation in this tour due to unforeseen circumstances which are beyond our control. We don’t know why, but work visas got mysteriously delayed for no apparent reason to the point where we were left with no other reasonable choice but to cancel at this late stage. In over 30 years of obtaining US visas this has never happened to me, but I guess there’s always a first.

I would have love to play for the North-American audience on this tour, like so many times before, but I’m my three guitar-playing friends will be just fine without me and will more than make up for it with their considerable skills. I’m wishing them best luck and lots of inspiration!!!”

Uli responded in the comment thread to his post with the news that he’s planning to return to North America early next year:

“I’ll be back some time in the Spring! See you then hopefully.”

The Guitar Gods tour featuring Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Gary Hoey, and Bumblefoot comes to the Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis on Monday, June 23.

NEGURA BUNGET Cancel North American Tour

Negura Bunget performing in St. Paul on April 30, 2012 at Station 4. Click on any of the pictures to see more photos from this show (47).

Before getting to some new concert announcements and news, I first wanted to bring attention to a couple of things that deserve some attention. Some unfortunate news kicks things off - Negura Bunget, the fantastic black/folk metal band from Romania, was recently forced to cancel their entire North American tour on the eve of the first date in Albany, New York on May 8. Fellow Romanians Grimegod subsequently also canceled their participation as direct support for the tour. This massive tour was to last through most of June, and included a stop here in Minneapolis on June 13 at the Triple Rock Social Club.

Negura Benget's official statement from their Facebook page posted on May 7 states:

"We are deeply sorry to say it, but we are forced to cancel our entire US and Canadian tour as of this moment. Some visa complication completely beyond the band’s control are forcing us to do this in the last moment, despite the fact that we’ve been working on this tour plan for over one year and we already secured our work permits months ago. Needless to say we invested a huge amount time, energy and money into making this tour happen, so we are taking a huge loos now. But we are still here, and we will return! Meanwhile we’ll focus all our frustration energy into completing the last details of the new album TĂU."

The little good news from this is that affected date in Minneapolis will still soldier on with local black metal bands False, Atrum Inritus, and Pestifere.

Pestifere performing May 15, 2014 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis.

SEPULTURA Cancels North American Tour

Brazil's Sepultura announced on their Facebook page a couple days ago the cancellation of their North American tour to promote their new, just-released album The Mediator Between The Head And Hands Must Be The Heart. The official statement reads:

"Due to the delay in obtaining a visa for the band to enter the United States, we regret to inform all fans that the previously announced North American tour is being cancelled. We apologize to the fans, promoters, and the bands who were going to be part of the 'Tsunami Of Metal' tour - UNEARTH, KATAKLYSM, SCAR THE MARTYR, ANCIIENTS, and DARK SERMON."

The tour was slated to invade Minneapolis at Skyway Theater Studio B on Thursday, November 7.

CHURCH OF MISERY's North American Tour Canceled

The recently announced North American tour by Japan's doom lords Church Of Misery has been canceled, a victim of the partial government shutdown here in the U.S. Church of Misery was due to play St. Paul at the Turf Club on Halloween, Thursday, October 31 with Wizard Rifle and Vulgaari. Nothing official has been released yet by the band to the best of my knowledge, but a post on Vulgaari's Facebook page reads:

"Due to our government being a bunch of whiney children who can't get along and would rather just take their ball and go home... Our Halloween show with Church of Misery is not happening. Being from Japan, they're having work visa issues due to the government shutdown. Huge bummer. This will hopefully be rescheduled. We'll keep you posted."

A post by the Turf Club on the event's Facebook page confirms this: "This show is going to be rescheduled. COM had visa issues due to the government shutdown."

The tour was slated to start October 18 in Oakland, and wrap up in Los Angeles on November 23. Shouldn't processing and approving work visas for metal bands be an essential government function??

JAMES LABRIE Cancels North American Tour

To wrap up the progressive metal-themed concert announcements, we now have some bad news. Dream Theater vocalist James LaBrie has canceled his upcoming North American tour for November and December. The announcement was made due to delays in securing US work visas for a couple of the band members. James posted a statement about the news on the forum of his official website. The tour was to promote his new solo album, Static Impulse, and included a date in St. Paul at Station on Wednesday, December 8.

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