Squeeze Cancel Virginia Concert After Man Crushed to Death by Tour Bus
The band Squeeze cancelled their concert at the Wolf Trap venue in Vienna, Virginia, after a worker was killed when a tour bus he was working on collapsed on top of him in the venue's car park. The incident, which occurred in the venue's parking lot before the scheduled evening performance, prompted the band and venue organisers to call off the show out of respect for the victim, whose identity has not been released.
Police said the man was underneath the tour bus when a supporting apparatus failed, causing the vehicle to fall on him. Squeeze, currently touring the US, said they were "deeply saddened and shocked" and would work with the promoter and venue on a possible rescheduling, while Wolf Trap confirmed the cancellation on social media, calling it "a loss of life" within the community. The British band's tour continues with shows in Ohio and Illinois in the coming days, and Wolf Trap's next scheduled event, a National Symphony Orchestra tribute to Jerry Garcia, is set to go ahead as planned.
- Squeeze cancelled a Wolf Trap show after a fatal accident
- A worker was crushed by a tour bus in the car park
- Band may reschedule; tour continues elsewhere this weekend
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Squeeze are an English band formed in the 1970s, best known for hits such as "Cool for Cats" and "Up the Junction", and they have continued to tour internationally in recent years. Wolf Trap is a well-known outdoor performing arts venue in Vienna, Virginia, near Washington DC, which regularly hosts concerts by touring musicians as well as classical and orchestral performances.
The cancellation followed a fatal accident involving a member of the touring crew, who was working underneath one of the tour buses in the venue's car park when it fell on him after equipment supporting it failed. Such crews typically handle the transport, setup and technical work required to get a touring show ready before a performance, and this kind of maintenance work is a routine but sometimes hazardous part of life on the road.
The story matters both as a workplace safety incident affecting the live music touring industry and because of its impact on a well-attended public venue, with the band, promoters and Wolf Trap now having to decide how to handle rescheduling and respond to the loss within their community.