Foals Added To Splendour 2014 After Headliner Cancels

Following unconfirmed reports that Two Door Cinema Club have cancelled their exclusive appearance at Splendour In The Grass 2014, organisers have now confirmed that the UK indie rockers will not appear at this year’s event. Foals have been drafted in as a replacement.

“It is with a heavy heart that we are going to need to cancel our upcoming trip to Australia for Splendour,” write the band. “Alex collapsed at Seattle airport on the way to London and has been hospitalised with a chronic stomach complaint. We are devastated to have to cancel this show that we were so looking forward to. We can only apologise and hope for your understanding at this time.”

Organisers write that they have no further information about the status of Trimble’s health at this time, but “we send him and the band our best and wish him a speedy recovery!” In light of TDC’s cancellation, organisers add, there will be some changes to the lineup due to a gap in set times.

With the loss of Two Door Cinema Club and the addition of Foals, City & Colour will now headline the Amphitheatre on Saturday night. The UK dance rockers have been tasked with whipping the crowd into a frenzy in the lead up to what was already a highly anticipated performance from C&C.

Described by Splendour organisers as “our eleventh hour saviours,” Foals reportedly had a weekend off their European festival headline tour and decided to return to the country that gave them their first Number one album. The band will fly in for 48 hours for a Splendour-exclusive performance.

Two Door Cinema Club sparked the concern of Aussie fans after cancelling two UK dates — a headline appearance at Latitude festival and a warm-up gig at Bournemouth Academy — just a week out from Splendour, due to frontman Alex Trimble‘s illness, breaking the news to fans online.

“Alex collapsed at Seattle airport on the way to London and has been hospitalised with a chronic stomach complaint,” a statement read. “We are devastated to have to cancel shows that we were so looking forward to. We can only apologise and hope for your understanding at this time.”

The status of the band’s Splendour appearance was not addressed in the statement, but UK music outlet NME subsequently reported that Trimble’s hospitalisation had forced the band to cancel, making Two Door Cinema club the second headliner to cancel their SITG appearance in two years.

Last year, R&B singer and Odd Future affiliate Frank Ocean cancelled his highly anticipated performance at the last minute due to damaged vocal cords, but was replaced by then relatively little-known New Zealand singer Lorde, who put on a praised and memorable performance.

Two Door Cinema club are not the first act to cancel their Splendour 2014 appearance. Earlier this week, Nashville band The Wild Feathers also announced their cancellation “due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts,” but were immediately replaced by New South Wales outfit MT Warning.

In an official statement, organisers write that for those who purchased a single day ticket particularly to see Two Door Cinema Club perform, refunds for Saturday, 26th July single day tickets only will be available from Moshtix until 5pm Monday, 21st July. More info about refunds is available here.

Gallery: 20 Bands We’re Looking Forward To At Splendour

Gallery: Foals – Enmore Theatre, Sydney 29/09/2013

Photos by Zoltan Blazer

Photos by Fletcher Crebert

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