Mystery as huge UK band cancel two gigs just hours before they're due on stage blaming ‘unforeseen circumstances'
Blaming "unforeseen circumstances", the trip hop collective announced the first cancellation on Monday night, ahead of their KUNST!RASEN gig in Bonn, Germany.
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According to local reports from the General-Anzeiger, fans received word of the concert being called off just two hours before doors were set to open.
A brief statement from organisers, emailed to local news outlet General-Anzeiger, read: 'Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Massive Attack concert has been canceled today. Tickets can be returned where they were purchased.'
No further reason was provided, and follow-up requests for clarification were met with silence - fuelling frustration among ticketholders, some of whom had already travelled long distances for the show.
One fan wrote on Reddit: 'My girlfriend is currently in the airport and she just saw the news. She's in tears. I don't know how to calm her.'
Another simply said: 'Totally disappointing.'
The Bonn concert wasn't the only one scrapped at the last minute.
A second show — scheduled for Vienna the following night — was also pulled, again with no detailed explanation.
Speculation online has quickly mounted, with some fans suggesting political reasons could be behind the decision.
In recent gigs, Massive Attack have openly shown support for Palestine, screening pro-Palestinian documentaries and waving Palestinian flags on stage.
Some Reddit users have speculated that this stance may have clashed with Germany's strict new regulations around political expression, particularly rules that have controversially redefined some support for Palestine as antisemitic.
Massive Attack performs Angel at Wireless Festival
One suggested: 'Playing a pro Palestine documentary & waving the flag would be against the law.'
It comes less than a week after Massive Attack headlined Poland's Open'er Festival with a politically-charged set that included footage of a devastated Gaza, a dedication to the Palestinian people and chants of 'Free Palestine' from the crowd.
Frontman Robert Del Naja told fans: 'Never again must mean never again for everybody.'
So far, the band have not addressed the cancellations publicly - and they do not have any further dates lined up.
Representatives for Massive Attack have been contacted for comment.
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