HALFORD Manager Says THE METAL GODS Tour Could Not Be Rescheduled Before The Fall
HALFORD manager John Baxter has issued a statement defending the group's decision to limit the "scaled-down" version of The 2003 Metal Gods North American Tour to only a handful of dates, beginning with the June 3 show at The Phoenix in Petaluma, California. As previously reported, the original multi-band package featuring HALFORD, co-headliners TESTAMENT, IMMORTAL, CARNAL FORGE, PRIMAL FEAR, PAINMUSEUM, and AMON AMARTH was called off earlier in the month due to "contractual difficulties."
"I probably haven't made it clear, but ICM (current booking agency) did contact all promoters of [The Metal Gods] tour, and nearly all wanted to re-book HALFORD in Sept./Oct." Baxter wrote on the group's official web site. "Unfortunately, that's too late for us.
"We planned out our year with [The Metal Gods] North American dates (April/June), and we were holding time in late June, and all of July for international dates. Writing was scheduled to commence in August/September.
"As previously disclosed, Rob chose not to tour Europe in June/July. We're still waiting on word from South America/Asia & Australia. The window is closing on those possible tours, for we are anxious to rest and then get to work on the next HALFORD release.
"Because of the errors made with our former booking agency, the early June West Coast dates are all that we are able to salvage here in the U.S. There are too many previously scheduled summer tours in place, and most promoters are fearful of competing with themselves, or other major tours."
HALFORD manager John Baxter has issued a statement defending the group's decision to limit the "scaled-down" version of The 2003 Metal Gods North American Tour to only a handful of dates, beginning with the June 3 show at The Phoenix in Petaluma, California. As previously reported, the original multi-band package featuring HALFORD, co-headliners TESTAMENT, IMMORTAL, CARNAL FORGE, PRIMAL FEAR, PAINMUSEUM, and AMON AMARTH was called off earlier in the month due to "contractual difficulties."
"I probably haven't made it clear, but ICM (current booking agency) did contact all promoters of [The Metal Gods] tour, and nearly all wanted to re-book HALFORD in Sept./Oct." Baxter wrote on the group's official web site. "Unfortunately, that's too late for us.
"We planned out our year with [The Metal Gods] North American dates (April/June), and we were holding time in late June, and all of July for international dates. Writing was scheduled to commence in August/September.
"As previously disclosed, Rob chose not to tour Europe in June/July. We're still waiting on word from South America/Asia & Australia. The window is closing on those possible tours, for we are anxious to rest and then get to work on the next HALFORD release.
"Because of the errors made with our former booking agency, the early June West Coast dates are all that we are able to salvage here in the U.S. There are too many previously scheduled summer tours in place, and most promoters are fearful of competing with themselves, or other major tours."
