Stratovarius Community

We are very sorry the Presov Slovakia gig got cancelled, this was not our fault. There was a problem with the original venue, it was being repaired or something like that. I don't have a complete understanding of exactly what happened, maybe the Helloween site has more info, but this is what I heard: The promoter tried to save the show by putting Helloween and us in a hand ball arena but the capacity of that was not sufficient to hold all the people (some 3000 tickets were sold). The idea was to put the audience in the field where the hand ball game is usually happening. But the place was not designed for that, it was designed for people sitting in the bleachers while there was a hand ball game going on down on the field. Thus there was a barrier between the field and the emergency exits. And either way, it was too small to hold 3000 people, so trying to fit 2000 people in, while 1000 paying and partying Slovak metalheads were still outside in the snow (-5C temperature outside), with only a glass-enclosed foyer between as a barrier..... well, you do the math.

I know a lot of people were disappointed because I could hear chantings of "SHAME ON YOU!!" outside the bus as we were pulling out. But the buck has to stop somewhere. In this case I think the Bottom Row guys (Helloween's management) made the right call. It's the same call I would have made. If you have read this forum before, you would know I am really paranoid about the risk that someone gets hurt at a concert. Listening to music should be safe. Station Nightclub, Cromañon, Roskilde, this Love Parade thing in Germany. Stuff of nightmares, at least for me.

BTW this is the first time since Hlohovec Slovakia that I have had internet access, so therefore the late news update. Now it's 1800 km of bumpy roads and a few days later, and I am typing this as the last notes of Helloween's outro is running thru the Z7 PA in Pratteln.

Cheers anyway everyone!

/j

Now i looked also on the Helloween site.

They had this

Vazeni fanousci!

Bohuzel musime odrict na dnesek naplanovany koncert v Presove,Slovenska Republika.Nas produkcni tym dnes rano na miste vesel do haly,ktera se jeste renovuje - jinou lokalitu,ve ktere by se dala zajistit bezpecnost 3.000 fanousku, poradatel nebyl schopny zajistit.Velmi nas to mrzi,ale jistota nasich fanousku je pro nas absolutne prioritni. Co nejdrive bude oznamen nahradni termin-jiz zakoupene vstupenky samozrejme zustavaji platne!!

Doufame,ze nase rozhodnuti pochopite.I my jsme si to dnes s vami chteli uzit - ale za halu nejsme zodpovedni!

Helloween


Dear fans!

Unfortunately we have to cancel the concert in SK-Presov that was planed for today. Our production arrived in a sports hall today that is still under reconstruction - a different venue where the safety for the 3.000 fans could have been guaranteed the promoter couldn't offer us. We are very sorry but safety first for our fans! As soon as possible we will let you know about a new date - the tickets of course remain valid!!

We hope you will understand our decision. We would have liked to rock with you tonight.But we are not responsible for the hall!

Helloween

Probably there is a thread also in the stratoforum about this

( hey.. they misspelled the word "planned" .. i wonder if they misspelled "samozrejme" as well )

D: this sucks, but is understandable.


cheers!!

Chile Awaits for Stratovarius \m/

Sucks, indeed.
But what would suck more is if this dog retired. He's a great reporter.

Boooooooooooooooo bad promoters, bad!!! Mean!!!

It's weird. Why didn't they sell only 2000 tickets?
And after: the tickets were sold. Sorry!

Jens, it's understood. The Station Nightclub is very close to me, I know what you mean. I was watching the live coverage the day of the fire, horrible scene.

The Halloween management made the right call.

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Sucks, indeed.
But what would suck more is if this dog retired. He's a great reporter.

I thought he was a tenured professor.....of Barkeology!

I want to go on a backpacking trip through Europe and end up in Presov Slovakia.

I'll say. This thread is becoming quite classy.

JensJohansson wrote: well, you do the math./j

HHmmm .. I don't think so , YOU do the math .

This is quite an adventurous tour it seems ... good and bad , that's the stuff of adventures , but no nightmares , no , and no demons to follow !

You sure did right to cancel .
I take the opportunity to thank you for your songs and general contribution in Elysium . I really like what you wrote behind the little photo card in the hologram album )

It's a terrific group venture , and I hope this takes you high !

I was sorry to have missed you ( on two counts !) in Lyon : come back and play the new songs , please !!


Cheers to you !

It's a sad thing. There's too much misfortunes for the band.

Hi Jens

I really like the latest CD you guys put out. IMHO, it is the best Strato has ever put out and it captures the essence of Stratovarius while positioning the band for future growth. Congrats on a job well done!

Regarding the cancellation; I had some friends who were at the Great White concert. Most old rockers in this area either knew people who perished in the fire or know people who knew people who perished. It is a sad memory for all. The right decision was made. Although, I understand how disappointed the fans are.

Keep up the good work.

J

It´s such a shame... I was at your show the day before in Hlohovec, and I was praying for the show to really happen, because with EPG (the promoter)you can never be sure, they have made so many mistakes and cancellations in the past few months... Well, we were lucky, unlike the fans in Prešov...

Hail all from Slovakia!
I live in Slovakia, near Presov, where show was canceled. I listen Strato from Visions era (cca 14y back), now I'm 25

I bought tickets for me and my father in November yet. We really look forward for the show. But Saturday was terrible, I have friend working in Slovak Police, who call me, that show was cancelled. It was big disappointment for us when I heard about that (and for 3500 fans certainly too). What can I say for that is only "Kurva" - "Perkele" in finish
My sources say, that problem is in inability to make reasonable deal between promoter and owner of original place for show with capacity about 3500. Owner offer hand ball arena of capacity about 2000. But already before change place of show, the show was sold out.... That are my info, since promoter announced changing the hall I was awaiting some problem. How it done, we have already know. It's a big shame for our country. I'm totally sorry about members of bands, who come because of us - the fans, but situation not allow make show for us.
Now I'm awaiting new date for show, believing that will be!

Your fan zdenoeddie.

P.S.Excuse me for my (maybe terrible) English.

I think it was the right decision. Not too long ago 3 young girls died in Budapest at a small club because only 300 people should have been let in and the organizers let in almost 3000 people instead.
West Balkan tragedy

It's a pity that you guys couldn't play. I'm glad I chose Hlohovec to see you in Slovakia, but I'm sorry for those who couldn't see you the next day. Hopefully they will get to see you soon.
The crowd was really amazing in Hlohovec though there were "only" around 2000 fans there. I can just imagine what Presov would have been... a huge booooom!

This reminds me of the time when that festival came all over the news... it was in Germany if I remember rightly? Hundreds died because they fucked up at their Maths...I'd be terrified of being passed on blame and pressure for responsibility etc... I can see why they wanted it cancelled. It's not the bands fault; they tried to get the show. Sometimes things just don't work out how they should.

On another note, Jens, we're still waiting for you here in England (When your able to get here) . I have to be certain your doing the gigs though..since its an extremely long drive to a city from where I live! My two signed copies of Elysium got here today.. so i'll be occupied till then

Come on, zdenoeddie! It's not a shame to avoid risk! It was rather a misunterstanding between promoter and owner. And your English is good.Safety instructions are important

Shame is to have such Love Parade organisators (Germany 2010) or pilots who try to land in a dense fog with autopilot, wrong height (wrong parameters in barometer) and a chef behind back.

Of course, it was a pity that you haven't seen Strato&Hello, but we all hope there would be a Strato-headliner tour

Yes of course, I understand, safety the first, but promoter can move show to Kosice for example (Steel Arena, Jumbo,...).

zdenoeddie wrote:Yes of course, I understand, safety the first, but promoter can move show to Kosice for example (Steel Arena, Jumbo,...).

Yeah, but do not forget that the promoter is EPG... for them is more convenient to cancel the show, than to solve the problem... if you check their forum, you will find more shows they cancelled in past few months, for example Freedom Call, Tarja (cancelled the day it should happen), Jean Michale Jarre, etc.

Amaya wrote:

zdenoeddie wrote:Yes of course, I understand, safety the first, but promoter can move show to Kosice for example (Steel Arena, Jumbo,...).

Yeah, but do not forget that the promoter is EPG... for them is more convenient to cancel the show, than to solve the problem... if you check their forum, you will find more shows they cancelled in past few months, for example Freedom Call, Tarja (cancelled the day it should happen), Jean Michale Jarre, etc.

Do you have any fingers? :nervous:

Hi from Slovakia, just want to know if there is any possibility to see you again- instead of the cancelled gig in Presov. The promoter said we should keep the tickets and that the new date for the show will be set soon

AAAAAAAAAA wrote:

Amaya wrote:

zdenoeddie wrote:Yes of course, I understand, safety the first, but promoter can move show to Kosice for example (Steel Arena, Jumbo,...).

Yeah, but do not forget that the promoter is EPG... for them is more convenient to cancel the show, than to solve the problem... if you check their forum, you will find more shows they cancelled in past few months, for example Freedom Call, Tarja (cancelled the day it should happen), Jean Michale Jarre, etc.

Do you have any fingers? :nervous:

That would be a shame!

No fingers means no Cheeto eating!

Something new about this?

Just read this on the helloween website:

11 march 2011

Dear fans!

After long negotiations we have secured a new date for the HELLOWEEN/STRATOVARIUS-concert that originally should have been taking place on the 29th of january 2011 in Prešov/Slovakia. The concert will now be taking place on the 9th of april 2011. On that date both bands will be appearing in „Mestská hala“ in Prešov. The original tickets will remain valid and the presale of further tickets will be starting in the next couple of days. Both bands are very happy to finally be able to reschedule the concert and to rock for the fans in Prešov.

Helloween/Stratovarius