Apparently it doesn’t matter how critically acclaimed your band is — if you’re burnt out, you’re burnt out. In the case of Women, the positive reviews of their 2010 album Public Strain (TMT Review) didn’t stop the band from exchanging words and then fists onstage during their show in Victoria, BC this past Friday, October 29, telling the audience that they were “breaking up” and that it was their “last show.” A witness sent in a personal account of what went down at the show to Exclaim:
“We were just at a show Women were headlining at Lucky Bar in Victoria, BC. As they initially came on stage the band members seemed to be struggling with Patrick [Flegel, guitarist] and a fight almost broke out. They went backstage again for several minutes. The band came out again minus Patrick and were making small talk with the audience. Patrick came out acting really erratic and said something to the effect of ‘we’re breaking up right now, you’re all going to see our last show.’ They played about five songs, which sounded pretty awful. At one point Patrick said (into the mic, during a song) ‘you fucked that up’ to Christopher [Reimer, guitarist]. Christopher and Matthew [Flegel, bassist] left the stage at the end of the song. Michael [Wallace, drummer] left after another minute or two or later, saying ‘my music career is over.’ Lucky turned the house music on while Patrick continued ‘playing.’ Security tried to talk him off stage. He left, and then came back and started smashing Matthew’s guitar against an amp. This was all extra comical in Halloween costumes (Mr. T, a sailor).”
Yikes! Women cancelled their remaining shows in Canada over the weekend, as well as their Edmonton, AB show scheduled for November 6. Refunds are available at points of purchase. Their November 13 show in Karlsruhe, Denmark is still on (for now). The band’s label, Flemish Eye, has also released a statement on the matter: “The band has been under a lot of stress on this tour, and are pretty exhausted from the intensive schedule of the last two months. We are cancelling the next three shows so they can get some sleep and work things out. There are no plans to cancel other upcoming dates.” Well, here’s to Women possibly patching things up?
Cancelled dates:
10.30.10 - Vancouver, BC - The Biltmore
10.31.10 - Ymir, BC - Fon’s Church
11.06.10 - Edmonton, AB - The Pawn Shop
11.13.10 - Karlsruhe, DE - Carambolage
• Women: http://www.myspace.com/womenmusic
• Flemish Eye: http://www.flemisheye.com