Soulfly have revealed that their tour equipment was stolen after thieves broke into a truck carrying the band’s gear while they were travelling to the first stop of their North American tour with GWAR.
Metal veterans Soulfly shared the news with fans on social media, explaining that the incident happened while their equipment was being transported ahead of the tour’s opening show in Richmond, Virginia.
According to the band, the thieves targeted a U-Haul truck carrying Soulfly’s stage gear, making off with several important items before the tour had even begun (per Metal Injection).
“Red alert! Someone broke into our U-Haul truck last night in Albuquerque as it was on the way to the Gwar tour. They took all of the Soulfly backdrops and one of our crew’s personal bags. Please if you see anyone or hear of anything suspicious reach out.”
The post quickly spread among fans online, with many sharing the message in the hope that the stolen gear might be tracked down.
Another harsh reality of life on tour
For touring musicians, equipment theft remains one of the constant risks of life on the road. Vans, trailers and trucks filled with instruments and stage gear are frequent targets for thieves, especially when bands are travelling between cities or stopping overnight.
While Soulfly didn’t detail the full extent of the loss, backdrops are a key part of a band’s stage production, often custom made for specific tours and difficult to replace quickly, the band also confirmed that a crew member’s personal bag was taken during the break in.
At this stage, Soulfly have not indicated whether the theft will affect upcoming shows on the tour with GWAR and Australian grindcore outfit King Parrot.
Tour expected to continue
Despite the setback, the tour itself is still expected to move ahead, the run sees Soulfly joining GWAR across dozens of dates throughout the United States, bringing a lineup built for maximum volume.
The band are asking fans to keep an eye out for any suspicious listings or information that might help recover the stolen gear, as any touring musician knows losing equipment on the road can be brutal.
The only silver lining is that metal fans tend to move fast when one of their own gets hit.
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