Rock star walks out on Fibbers gig ‘because stage was too dark’
It’s not every day that a shades-wearing rock star shuns a stage – because it’s too dark for his liking.
But that’s what happened on Wednesday night (May 20) when Julian Cope refused to play at Fibbers in York.
Disappointed music fans were turned away at the door after Cope, 57, left the venue without a note played in anger. Fans were told that the songwriter had found the stage too dark to play.
The man who came to prominence with Liverpool post-punk band The Teardrop Explodes was expected to draw a large crowd to the Toft Green venue.
Many had travelled a long way to see the musician, who scored a top 20 hit in 1986 with World Shut Your Mouth. One party had come all the way from Milton Keynes, while others had travelled from Sheffield and booked an overnight hotel stay.
‘It wasn’t right for Julian’
Fibbers’ Tim Hornsby, who has been bringing great bands to York for more than 20 years, said that Julian has an eye condition, which he hadn’t brought to the venue’s attention beforehand.
“We were unable to get the lights on stage to his satisfaction, so he’s gone,” Tim said.
“We were given a lighting spec, which we were able to satisfy. But it wasn’t right for Julian.”
The spec asked for a spotlight and ambient light on stage, “which we’ve got” Tim said. “But it wasn’t good enough for Julian to see properly on stage.
“The lighting wasn’t right for Julian.”
One dismayed fan took to Twitter to ask him to return to play York in future.
So Julian Cope. A nice apology please? Not had s cancelled gig in yonks. @HeadHeritage #comebackJulian
— Julie Durrans (@Julie_Digs) May 20, 2015
At 57 he should be worried about becoming old and irrelevant. He just got on the fast train to that destination.
I use to wear a miners lamp int pit, what a to**er.
Totally agree. We travelled from Newcastle, used 2 days holiday, paid for overnight accommodation ( not cheap in York).
Thank you SO MUCH Julian for giving no thought to your fans!
Hmm Copey throwing a strop is not un rare these days..I Love the Drude but that is pretty outrageous for him to do that to his fans especially to the ones that had travelled. He does have excepetionally bad eyesight but to just bugger off without warning is pretty Diva-ish rude and unprofessional behaviour there was probably more to it than just a lighting problem i reckon!!
Shut your mouth, ho ho. Way of the Texan wore sunglasses on stage at Fibbers.
My friend and I came from London and Durham respectively just to see that gig. Would like an explanation from the man himself. Currently not impressing his younger fan base.
It’s true I’ve been and I thought the same
Knob
I heart Julian Cope Paul Coleman. He must have had a very good reason. He’s far too classy for Fibbers anyway!
The man is an unprofessional, unreliable t**t, no more no less. I shall badmouth him up and down the land as I hope many more do. n apology is just the right thing to do, his fans are not daft impressionable kids anymore and we won’t put up with it. Nor will we ever buy tickets again.
Music made by professionals is the worst.
Fibbers too dark? Preposterous! Fibbers is a crappy venue with muddy sound, but it’s not too dark.
Fibbers is a crappy venue? Really? Good grief, I’ve been to plenty worse.
We’re lucky to have a newly refurbished venue like this one that’s still bringing top names to York on our doorstep.
Back to the story. What JC did last night was disrespectful to the fans, venue, promoters etc
Becky Lingwood you didn’t miss out after all!!!
He should come to Elvington and play in the fields : ) It’s more psychedelic in the countryside. Maybe Pocklington Arts Centre ?
He don’t eat carrots I guess
Puppet show + Julian Cope
Sometimes you can’t make up what Julian does ..Baffling.
I was so close to buying tickets earlier … for once I’m glad I didn’t.
musn’t have had any candles so he ended up cursing the darkness
Couldn’t Cope?