People read an information sign after a stage collapsed leaving one person dead and others injured after the main stage partially collapsed before a Radiohead concert at Downsview Park in Toronto on Saturday, June 16, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
June 21, 2012 - 3:04 PM
TORONTO - U.K. art-rock band Radiohead has postponed a portion of its European tour after a stage collapse in Toronto killed the band's drum technician, Scott Johnson.
In a statement on their website, the Oxford band says that while they are dealing with the "grief and shock ensuing from this terrible accident," there are practical considerations that will leave them unable to take the stage for a series of shows scheduled through July 9.
The band said that the incident destroyed their light show, which "was unique and will take many weeks to replace," while also causing serious damage to their backline — a term that refers to the amplifiers that typically sit at the back of the stage — including some equipment that is decades old and hard to replace.
The band plans to begin performing again on July 10 in Nimes, France.
Three other workers were injured when the stage at Toronto's Downsview Park collapsed before Radiohead's sold-out concert on Saturday.
The show was cancelled, and inspectors with Ontario's Ministry of Labour spent the rest of the weekend examining the venue to determine the cause of the problem.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012