It was one of the musical events of the new school year: the return of Rage Against The Machine on Tuesday August 30 at Rock en Seine, fourteen years after a breathtaking concert at the same place that has remained in the annals.
But the bad news fell this Thursday afternoon, simultaneously on the social networks of the group and the festival: the American rock group is canceling its European tour which was to take place from August 24 to September 19 "for medical reasons".
The Parisian festival, which had added an exceptional date built around the group, therefore decided to delete this fifth and last day.
A first in twenty years of history.
đź”´ DUE TO Rage Against The Machine'S EUROPEAN TOUR CANCELLATION FOR MEDICAL REASONS, WE SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THE CANCELLATION OF TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2022 đź”´ pic.twitter.com/CJbf7Y0nEp
— Rock en Seine (@rockenseine) August 11, 2022
What happens to the American group, which was already on tour in the United States?
Its leaping singer Zack de la Rocha injured his leg on July 11 during a concert in Chicago.
After an interruption, the 52-year-old singer finished the concert sitting on a speaker.
The group continued its American tour, but in its press release, it explains that “following a medical opinion, it was recommended to Zack de la Rocha not to perform the British and European part of the tour.
He will end his tour at Madison Square Garden on August 11, 12 and 14, then Zack will have to return home to rest and rehabilitate.
The flights, travel time and rigorous schedule in the UK and Europe are simply too risky for a full recovery.
»
Learning the bad news, the festival team took the decision to cancel the whole of this fifth day, whose lighter programming (on two stages instead of five) had been designed around the international headliner with the groups Run The Jewels, Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes and the French from Ausgang, Pogo Car Crash Control, Parlor Snakes and Crawlers.
The organizers are all the more sad that this day was sold out.
“We had to welcome 40,000 people, explains the director of the festival, Matthieu Ducos.
After two extremely chaotic years (the last two editions of the festival were canceled due to Covid 19), we were so proud to resume with five days and to welcome Rage Against The Machine after fourteen years of absence in France.
We are very disappointed.
»
Festival-goers will be reimbursed
“Even if we could clearly see that Zack de la Rocha was not in his best shape, we were quite confident of their arrival, because they had not canceled any dates, confides Matthieu Ducos.
But on Tuesday evening (
August 9
), we received disturbing news.
We tried, by associating ourselves with other festivals, to convince them to maintain the start of their European tour, but we did not succeed.
And the official response fell on Wednesday afternoon (
August 10
).
We took the decision to cancel this whole special day, because it was built around the band and Run The Jewels, who accompany them on tour, and it was really too late to find a new headliner of this stature and in this aesthetic.
We really hope the band can come back in a year.
We have already positioned ourselves, of course.
»
Also disappointed by this bad news, the 40,000 ticket buyers for Rage Against The Machine will quickly receive information to be reimbursed for their 89 euros (instead of 69 euros for the other days).
“They will be reimbursed quickly, promises the director of Rock en Seine.
But they can also make up for it by taking places for the two days where there are still availabilities”, namely Friday with Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds and Kraftwerk in the spotlight, and Sunday with Stromae, FKJ and Parcels.
Opening Thursday with Arctic Monkeys, and Saturday with Tame Impala, are already sold out.
