According to Prog, progressive-rockers Big Big Train have announced they will not be appearing at the rescheduled HRH Prog XIII. Following the postponement and rescheduling of the event from Leeds this September to Sheffield in April 2023, the band have also been forced to cancel some live dates.
As well as throwing the travel plans of many fans into chaos, the rescheduling also impacts plans made by the bands taking part. Big Big Train have announced they are having to cancel live dates in France, Germany and Switzerland as the impact on the band’s finances hits home.
The band have said in a statement to their fans: “Following HRH’s announcement on Wednesday about their postponement of the September 2022 festival, please note that Big Big Train will not be appearing at the re-scheduled HRH event in April 2023. Please hold on to your tickets for now while we discuss the next steps with the festival.”
“Due to the loss of the HRH Leeds festival, combined with increased tour related expenses, the scheduled shows in Germany, Switzerland and France are now financially nonviable this year. To continue after the festival cancellation would have resulted in financial losses that would have seriously threatened the band’s existence.”
“We are extremely sorry for the significant disappointment and inconvenience that this news causes. The German, Swiss and French dates will be rescheduled to 2023. We encourage ticket holders for these shows to retain their tickets and we will provide more news as soon as we can.”
“We look forward to seeing everyone at our remaining shows next month and are extremely grateful for your continuing support, particularly in the light of the difficult news this week.“
The band’s upcoming concerts at Aylesbury Friars and The Boerderij in Zoetermeer will proceed as planned, as well as the ‘family and friends’ warm up show near Southampton. Tickets are still available for all three shows HERE.
Big Big Train will be giving an update next week, which is hoped to include new live plans and a new song featuring new singer Alberto Bravin, who joined the band in April this year.
On a more positive note, the band recently announced the arrival of their “Summer Shall Not Fade – Live At Loreley”, a Blu-Ray and double CD set of the band’s legendary performance at the Night Of The Prog festival on July 13th, 2018 at Loreley in Germany. Pre-orders are available HERE.
The thirteen song set runs to over two hours. It includes classic material from “The Underfall Yard,” “English Electric,” “Folklore” and “Grimspound” studio albums, and fan favorite deep cuts “Kingmaker” and “Summer’s Lease.” The performance features the full Big Big Train live band, including the late David Longdon, plus a five-piece brass section and is made even more remarkable by the fact that it was only the band’s eighth live show in this incarnation. Watch the new trailer below.
Over the following years, the show has taken on an almost mythical reputation among the Big Big Train fans, aka The Passengers, as one of the best the band ever performed.
