Angelcorpse refuse to play Hong Kong venue – state “bootlegging” as the reason? What?

Angelcorpse, currently on tour around Asia, have refused to play the Hong Kong show tonight.

According to their Facebook post:

“This post is for our Angelcorpse fans in Hong Kong.

Unfortunately, we (Angelcorpse) and our booking agent (Vent Box) were lied to by the Hong Kong promoter.

Let me explain:
When we arrived at the “venue” it was not a venue, it was a recording studio.

Everything was miced to make an Angelcorpse bootleg. So we told the promoter to go fuck off and we left.

Our sincerest apologies to our Hong Kong fans.”

As we were also in attendance we are quite taken aback by this peculiar announcement by the band and therefore would like to provide some facts:

• The venue Big Wave Music is a small music workshop/shop and is used for small intimate live shows. They hold music tutorials here during the day.
• They repair musical instruments here too. Mainly string instruments.
• The venue often holds shows/events to support local music
• The Japanese grindcore band Sete Star Sept performed here a few months ago. All info about the venue can be found at: https://www.bigwavemusic.com.hk/
• Hong Kong has had severe issues with venues barely being able to stay afloat because of exorbitant rent, and thus many have folded. Promoters put on shows wherever possible due to this issue.
• Hong Kong’s many venues have been facing a hard time with local government departments who adhere to outdated laws and rules regarding use of industrial buildings which is where most venues or livehouses reside because of cheaper rents
• Bootlegging is not part of the culture of Hong Kong. This is the first time we’ve ever heard of such an outlandish claim in our 20 plus years of organizing/promoting/attending shows here. Hong Kong people have the utmost respect for intellectual property. We refuse to purchase fake goods. We pride ourselves in being a first class city that will pay for genuine products. To insult the people of Hong Kong with this rationale is inexcusable.
• The equipment (backline: drums and amps) was mic-ed as per usual because it was a show
• The promoter works with metal bands and so the equipment was all mic-ed as per the usual high standards required of traveling bands
• There was no recording equipment present

As we walked around surrounded by metalheads who were hanging out in disbelief that Angelcorpse were refusing to play, we could sense nothing but complete disappointment in the band. What the audience here thinks really happened was the band showed up to the venue and were disappointed in the size and scale and decided not to perform.

What we think may have happened is some miscommunication between promoter and the band. When the promoter tried to explain the various uses of this space, including recording, the band must’ve misunderstood this venue as primarily a recording facility. Again we repeat, it is not.

After the band left, other people started showing up including the owner of a world famous venue nearby called Hidden Agenda – the same place that Periphery, Suffocation, Unearth, Anti-Flag, Sick of it All, Comeback Kid, Envy, and so many other world renowned bands have performed. The owner of the venue offered to move the entire show over to his venue. But Angelcorpse weren’t able to be reached as they had returned to their hotel in the outskirts of Hong Kong (by the airport).

The show continued without the headline act and all opening bands performed. Promoters reimbursed attendees if they wanted their money back. Those who stayed (what looked like the majority of attendees) were allowed to have half their entrance fees returned.