2 days ago
Pop duo are forced to cancel a string of gigs after band member dramatically collapsed onstage
A well-known pop duo have been forced to cancel a string of gigs after one of their band members dramatically collapsed on stage.
Royel Otis - an Australian guitar-pop duo from Sydney - will no longer perform their upcoming shows after member Royel became 'unwell with a virus'.
The band was formed in 2019 by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic and this week they had been performing in Germany at the MS Dockville festival.
Video circulating on TikTok appeared to show the worrying moment Royel collapses in the middle of their set.
He was then helped by the rest of the band on stage. The band have not directly addressed the collapsing incident but did release a statement this weekend.
They said: 'We are really sorry to say that we need to cancel our set at Lowlands + Pukkelpop festival as Roy has been unwell with a virus since last night's show in Hamburg.
'We were really looking forward to playing for you and hope we can see you at one of our other shows soon.
'Thank you for all your support always [pink heart emoji] Roy + Otis.'
It comes as this week it was announced that Harvest Rock Festival will return this year after suffering a cancellation last year - and Royel Otis are down to play.
The iconic Adelaide music event announced its 2025 lineup in an Instagram post on Thursday, revealing that iconic rock band The Strokes would be headlining the event in October.
Bragging 14.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, a platinum album and numerous awards - including a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2021 - the band are a huge addition to the festival's program.
Also on the stacked list of performers is The War On Drugs, M.I.A and Jelly Roll, as well as beloved Aussie favourites Vance Joy, Wolfmother, Lime Cordiale, Royel Otis and The Jungle Giants.
Taking place at Rymill Park and King Rodney Park in the heart of Adelaide on October 25 and 26, the festival's return has sent waves through the live music circuit.
The band was formed in 2019 by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic and this week they had been performing in Germany at the MS Dockville festival when Royel collapsed
Presale tickets will be available for purchase on August 19, and general sale will be open to the public on August 20.
Last year fans were left heartbroken after the festival was scrapped just months before it was set to take place.
In August 2024, Harvest Rock organisers announced on Instagram that the show would not go on, marking the first time it had been cancelled since its inception in 2011.
'We've been working hard to make Harvest Rock III another incredible event, however we have made the difficult decision to not hold the festival in 2024,' the post read.
'We appreciate the ongoing support of the South Australian Government and we look forward to Harvest Rock in the future.'
Secret Sounds, the promoter of the event, is understood to have been unable to book a headline act for the 2024 event, the Adelaide Advertiser reported.
However, the exact reason for the cancellation was not indicated by either Harvest Rock music festival or Secret Sounds.
