Lead singer of Bad Wolves, Tommy Vext, was taken ill and hospitalised in Nottingham UK after playing Nottingham Rock City on the second night of their European tour with Three Days Grace.
Bad Wolves are touring hits from their debut #1 UK Rock and Metal chart album Disobey album including the US platinum hit ‘Zombie’ which has been #1 on iTunes Metal UK album charts for 8 months and their current hit ‘Hear Me Now’ feat Diamante. (Zombie is still #1 on iTunes Metal Songs UK chart at time of this press release).
Calling on his Eleven Seven Label Group family, Vext reached out to As Lions front man Austin Dickinson, and power vocalist Stars of Bang Bang Romeo to have them fill in for him as he recovered in hospital.
Tommy Vext wanted to convey this message to his UK fans to assure them he will re-join the tour as soon as permitted, and likely as soon as tonight.
Vext: “Life is unpredictable. If anyone knows this, it’s me. More often than not, the universe throws a wrench in the best laid plans.
This is our first trip to play shows in Europe as a band. Nothing could prepare us for the excitement and gratitude we felt for the opportunity to come over and play for the UK and EU fans who have waited so long to see us. So imagine my disappointment when a few days ago I began feeling ill to the point I knew something was wrong enough that I had to seek medical treatment – and to accept the doctors’ advice that I not play the show in Birmingham.
But as the old adage goes, ‘the show must go on’ and luckily I have a lot of people in my life who love and support me and my band. On a moment’s notice, Stars from the Doncaster band Bang Bang Romeo and Austin Dickinson from London based As Lions agreed to learn the set list in under 24 hours, travel to Birmingham and play the show for no money, just because they believe in us and because they know we would do the same for them. I certainly understand this sentiment. I had to fill in as the vocalist for Five Finger Death Punch on several occasions.
It is not easy to sit the Birmingham show out. But this is bigger than just me. It’s about the fans and about our commitment to Three Days Grace. As I lie here, wishing I were feeling better, those thoughts of pity are overshadowed completely by my sense of wonder at the kindness and generosity of the human spirit and the power of music to bring people together. Thank you for all the support – I’ll be back asap, in bigger, better fighting shape. I would personally like to thank the NHS and all the doctors and nurses who assisted me for their amazing service.’
Stars from Bang Bang Romeo said ‘I’m sending all my love to Tommy, it’s an honour to stand in for our Bad Wolves Eleven Seven label brothers, I wish it could be under different circumstances, but I’ll do all I can to make the band and Tommy proud. Rest Brother. Does this mean I’m in the Wolf Pack now?’
Austin Dickinson of As Lions said “when Tommy called me I thought he was a joking but as it turns he needed a brother to lend a hand. So here we are doing for Tommy what he’s done for many others. He owes me now and I will wait until I get ill in Siberia to ask him to return the favour”.
Here’s a picture of Austin and Stars backstage with the band after the show, you can find all tour dates below.
EUROPEAN FALL TOUR DATES WITH THREE DAYS GRACE
Fri, Oct. 5th – St. Philips Gate, Bristol, UK
Sun, Oct. 7th – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK
Mon, Oct. 8th – SWG3, Glasgow, UK
Tue, Oct. 9th – O2 Ritz, Manchester, UK
Thu, Oct. 11th – Poppodium 013, Tilburg, NL
Sat, Oct. 13th – Docks, Hamburg, GER
Sun, Oct. 14th – Palladium, Cologne, GER
Mon, Oct. 15th – Tonhalle, Munich, GER
Wed, Oct. 17th – X-Tra, Zurich, Switzerland
Thu, Oct. 18th – Gasometer, Vienna, Austria
Fri, Oct. 19th – Mala Sport, Prague, Czech Republic
Sun, Oct. 21st – Schlachthof, Wiesbaden, GER
Tue, Oct. 23rd – A2 Centrum Kocertowe, Wroclaw, Poland
Wed, Oct. 24th – Progresja, Warsaw, Poland