S Club cancel gig in Liverpool after fire “knocks out electrics”
S Club cancelled their concert in Liverpool on Friday (October 13) just hours before they were due to perform.
The group, who kicked off their reunion tour last week in Manchester, were due to play the M&S Bank Arena when the show was pulled.
A statement issued by the the venue said: “Due to an unforeseen technical issue which is beyond our control and is impacting the power supply, we have sadly been forced to take the decision – with the event promoter – to postpone tonight’s performance by S Club.
“We understand that S Club fans and the band will be very disappointed but as the safety and comfort of our visitors is our utmost priority, the show cannot proceed as planned.”
Important update regarding S Club's show tonight. pic.twitter.com/SKBfa7vKhq
— M&S Bank Arena Liverpool (@MandSBankArena) October 13, 2023
It added: “As the technical issue is in an isolated area of the campus, we are not anticipating that any other events will be affected.”
S Club member Jon Lee later elaborated on the last minute cancellation on his Instagram Story (via The Metro): “There was a fire in the building which knocked out some of the electrics, which meant it was completely unsafe for us to allow an audience into the arena.
“It was not our decision. We were fighting to perform to you guys right down the last minute. But unfortunately it’s health and safety and your safety is paramount to us. We just weren’t allowed to perform tonight.”
He also apologised to fans who had travelled from overseas to see the show, adding: “We know that some of you have travelled from all over the world to see and we are absolutely heartbroken. We really, really are. It’s devastating for us. Please accept my sincere apologies. We really hope we can see you all soon. We love you all so much, and once again, absolutely gutted.”
The concert is now set to go ahead on October 30 and “all tickets remain valid.”
Meanwhile, S Club paid tribute to late member Paul Cattermole during the opening night of their reunion tour, describing him as a “brother”.
In the three-star review of the opening concert, NME described the performance as having the “perky optimism of their Y2K heyday and genuinely touching tributes to their late bandmate”.
“The staging is cheap and cheerful by modern pop show standards: there are no backing dancers, let alone a band, and the pre-recorded visuals playing on the screen behind them are pretty perfunctory,” it read. “This places focus firmly on the well-drilled band members and their oh-so-2002 dance routines, which adds to the time capsule vibe.”
The tour will continue at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro on Wednesday (October 18). Find all dates and any remaining tickets here.
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Damian Jones
NME
