Message from Vanden Plas

[VandenPlas]

Dear Fans and people who wanted to see us play at PP 2007!

We feel deeply sorry about what happened and that we couldn't make it this year.
Unfortunatelay we couldn't pass the immigration control when we arrived in Detroit on Wednesday October 3rd.
The immigration service told us that we had the wrong papers. We don't understand the problem because we did it in the regular way.
They were sending us back home after six hours of questioning. We had no chance to go to Atlanta.
Now that we're back home after 40 hours of non-stop travel we are sad and empty to face this disappointing situation.
We've been really looking forward to PP VIII for such a long time.
Nevertheless we whish you a great festival in our absence with all the other great bands.

Vanden Plas

 

[Cheiron]

I feel quite bad for you guys. That is a long time of preparation, traveling, and questioning (six hours?!!) only to be sent home.

Just proves its too bloody hard for people to come to this country and share something with us. I really wonder what papers you could have been missing.

 

[Rider of Theli]

Vanden Plas - best wishes to you for a return engagement at a future ProgPower. I was truly looking forward to seeing you on stage this year.

Take care and STAY TRUE!!!

~Hoyt.

 

[Formerly known as Chris F5]

Hey,there's always next time,I'm sure Y'all be back here.
I just have to try to get to Europe to see Y'all then,lol

 

[PurpleCrayonWriter]

Dear Fans and people who wanted to see us play at PP 2007!

We feel deeply sorry about what happened and that we couldn't make it this year.
Unfortunatelay we couldn't pass the immigration control when we arrived in Detroit on Wednesday October 3rd.

Vanden Plas

Thank you for posting this. We're all very sorry you couldn't be here tonight. Vanden Plas is a first-rate band all the way. One of the best in the world.

We still love you guys and know that it's not your fault. You tried your best, as did Shane.

We hope to see you at a future ProgPower.

Get some much-needed rest.

Bill

 

[DAVETHEMETALGUY]

guys, that is so sad. sorry to hear it, we were looking forward to seeing you guys again.

in the immortal words of Lemmy
DONT LET THE BASTARDS GRIND YOU DOWN!!

 

[Jibrille]

Ouch. You'd think they'd check your papers BEFORE getting on an overseas flight to make sure everything was set so this type of thing wouldn't happen.

 

[Cheiron]

Heh. There aren't American customs people at every airport around the world...

 

[Kilroy Murdoch]

They did. They said they did everything they usually do...similar situation happened when Stream of Passion tried to get into the UK...

I think it's ridiculous though...How much proof did American customs need?

 

[lunatic fan]

Not a bad thing...Blame it on 911 and the idiots who keep trying to blow planes up....sadly, the good suffer for the bad

lunatic

 

[_Wes]

Thanks for posting this VP. I, for one, was really looking forward to seeing you live - after listening to you for years.

Can't wait to catch you next time! Thank you!

 

[SkiBumMSP]

That does really suck. I am sorry for you guys that spent all that time and effort to prepare for this and to make that long travel to get here only to be turned around and sent home (geez - six hours of questioning? Just what the hell kind of questioning they are doing?). As soon as I saw that Vanden Plas was canceled, the first thing that immediately came to mind was "I bet it was a immigration issue, or somebody in the band fell ill at the last minute!", and indeed it was the former. Funny when everybody started chanting "fuck Detroit!" after Shane and Glenn explained the situation after the Krucible set.

Again, we are very sorry this happened to you guys, especially as I was big fan of Vanden Plas and was really, really looking forward to finally getting to see you guys live. Go figure it was probably some little bullshit thing that some customs droid got hung up on. Thanks for at least trying to get here and to put on a show for us.

 

[AirGuitarLoonhouse]

I am vey sorry this happened to you! Vanden Plas was one of the main reasons I made a trip down for my first ProgPower, and I really hope you are able to come play another time. I know it wasn't your fault, just our damn government. I hope you get some rest after all the travel. And thank you for planning on coming here! I always feel lucky when great bands to come to the US.

 

[OrbWeaver]

There were many shouts of "Fuck Detroit" during the fest. You guys were definitely missed. I was very sad, because I was looking forward to seeing VP play.


Ah well, next year, maybe?

 

[Braxil]

Words can't really describe how disappointed I was when I found about this Thursday morning, and I can only imagine the organizers and sponsors felt even worse about it than the fans. Just a really terrible situation. I hope the fact that they have a 'record' now with immigration doesn't mean they can't come back to the US some other time.

 

[metropolisimages]

I hope this does not mean VP will not try to come again!!!

 

[Leroy_Kincaid]

Ouch. You'd think they'd check your papers BEFORE getting on an overseas flight to make sure everything was set so this type of thing wouldn't happen.

Keep in mind that the situation with so-called "Homeland Security" can and does change at the drop of a hat anymore.... what was fine 6 months ago is not allowed anymore. You can't blame the artist for something the government has rules about..... it wasn't that long ago when Rob Halford had to cancel a US solo tour because of "paperwork".

 

[MetalRose]

That's too bad. I had a layover in Detroit on Wednesday. Had I know you were being detained there, I would have snuck you all in my suitcase and brought you on the plane with me.

-MEtalRose

 

[Braxil]

I heard from someone that they had tourists visas and when questioned about what they were doing here they said they were playing a show and i guess they put 2 and 2 together and figured they would be making some monies and thats where the problem lied..

I heard that too, and my guess is if they show up with tons of gear on a visitor's visa and say they aren't getting paid now that they've been sent home once, immigration isn't going to buy it.

 

[Yippee38]

I heard that too, and my guess is if they show up with tons of gear on a visitor's visa and say they aren't getting paid now that they've been sent home once, immigration isn't going to buy it.

I was talking to Ralf last night and he said that they really hassled him too. He said he was worried they were going to send him home, but they finally got it straightened out. Based on what he said, the visas should not have been a problem, but perception is everything.