There has been some speculation recently about whether the upcoming Metronomy tour has been cancelled. Metronomy is an English electronic music group formed in 1999 by Joseph Mount. They are known for their unique blend of electronic, pop, and rock music and have developed a strong cult following over the years. Their upcoming tour was set to kick off in March 2023 and make stops in various cities across Europe and North America. However, some media outlets have reported that the tour is now cancelled due to unknown reasons. In this article, we will analyze the available information to determine if the reports of a cancelled Metronomy tour are accurate.
Background on Metronomy
Metronomy was formed in Totnes, Devon, England in 1999 by Joseph Mount as a solo project. The name Metronomy was originally chosen by Mount as a satirical jab at the metropolitan-sounding bands who were popular at the time. Over the years, Metronomy has evolved into a full band with various musicians joining Mount. The current lineup consists of Oscar Cash on saxophone and keyboards, Olugbenga Adelekan on bass, and Anna Prior on drums.
Metronomy gained recognition with their second studio album, 2006’s Pip Paine (Pay The £5000 You Owe). The album was nominated for the UK’s Mercury Prize award for best album. Their third album, Nights Out, brought more critical acclaim and established Metronomy’s knack for infectious electronic-pop songs. 2011’s The English Riviera cemented them as a major act, landing at No. 7 on the UK Albums Chart. Since then, Metronomy has released several more albums including 2016’s Summer 08 and 2019’s Metronomy Forever.
Metronomy 2023 Tour Announcement
In September 2022, Metronomy announced a major tour for 2023. The tour was scheduled to kick off on March 1st, 2023 in Copenhagen, Denmark. From there, the tour was set to hit cities across Europe including Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris, and Manchester. Then in April, Metronomy was supposed to come stateside for a North American leg hitting major markets like New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Washington DC. The tour was slated to wrap up on May 12th in Mexico City.
When announcing the tour, Joseph Mount said in a statement “After 3 long years we’re finally coming back to play shows, and I couldn’t be more excited. We’ve really missed being on the road and performing for our fans. This tour is going to be one big worldwide party.”
The band promised to play a career spanning set with hits from all eras of their discography. Fans were elated at the thought of hearing beloved songs like “The Look”, “The Bay”, and “Everything Goes My Way” live again.
Rumors of a Cancelled Tour
In late October 2022, rumors began circulating online that the Metronomy 2023 tour was going to be cancelled. Several music sites reported receiving tips that due to “unforeseen circumstances” the tour would no longer be happening. The reports suggested the band would soon issue a statement confirming the news.
Understandably, this caused distress amongst Metronomy fans who had been eagerly awaiting the chance to see the band live again. Most of their shows have been sold out for months and fans were concerned they wouldn’t get ticket refunds if the cancellation was true.
Metronomy and their management initially stayed quiet on the rumors and did not issue any statement. This led to further speculation online that the tour cancellation was going to be announced imminently. Fans online began lamenting the loss of the shows and wondering what happened to force the tour to be pulled.
Examining the Validity of the Rumors
Before assuming the worst, it is prudent to take a closer look at the validity of the rumors themselves. There are a few reasons to be skeptical about the reporting on the supposed tour cancellation:
- The sources of the rumors are questionable – The initial articles declaring the tour cancelled cited unnamed or vague sources. None of the major music news outlets have corroborated the reporting.
- Metronomy’s silence – The band themselves have not made any statement on the status of the tour. It’s unlikely they would remain quiet if the cancellation was legitimate.
- Lack of evidence – There is no definitive proof, announcement, or paper trail to suggest the tour is off. Venues are still advertising the concerts.
- Timing – Announcing a cancellation months before the first show is atypical. Last minute cancellations are more common.
Without any concrete evidence from Metronomy or their management, the rumors are unconvincing. It’s very possible they were fabricated or stem from inaccurate information. There have been no credible reports of factors that would force a last minute full tour cancellation like illness, financial issues, or scheduling conflicts.
Have Tickets Sales Been Impacted?
One way to potentially gauge the validity of the rumored cancellation is to examine if it has impacted ticket sales for the upcoming concerts. If the tour was genuinely cancelled, it would stand to reason that fans would stop buying tickets or sellers would slash prices.
Looking at major ticketing sites, this does not appear to be the case. On Ticketmaster, seats for most Metronomy tour dates are still in very high demand even after the rumors surfaced. Few shows have large quantities of tickets left and prices remain consistent.
For example, their March 10th concert at London’s O2 Academy Brixton still has limited ticket availability. Seats are priced from £43-£48, very much in line with the original pricing. The March 7th show in Manchester is mostly sold out as well with the cheapest tickets starting around £40.
This steady ticket market seems to contradict the notion that fans believe the shows are cancelled. Demand is still clearly very high to see Metronomy on this tour. Unless hard evidence emerges, fans seem justified in continuing to purchase tickets.
Ticket Demand Snapshot
Date | Venue | City | Ticket Availability | Starting Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
March 1 | Vega | Copenhagen | Limited | 379 DKK |
March 3 | AFAS Live | Amsterdam | Low | €46 |
March 7 | O2 Apollo | Manchester | Very Limited | £40 |
March 10 | O2 Academy Brixton | London | Limited | £43 |
No Word from Promoters
Further discrediting the idea of a cancellation is the fact that promoters and venues in all tour markets have not made any notifications about shows being pulled. An event as large as Metronomy’s world tour has many moving parts behind-the-scenes with promoters, vendors, and various contractors.
If the concerts were genuinely not moving ahead, coordination would be required to unwind all the logistics. Venues would need to notify ticket buyers and process refunds. Promoters would have to cancel their contracts and vendors would no longer be required.
The lack of any notification from promoters or venues suggests all systems are still go for the tour. It’s highly doubtful a cancellation is looming without those parties being informed first. Big announcements of that nature cannot stay secret for long with so many operational details involved.
Band Members Still Promoting the Tour
Another indication the Metronomy tour will proceed as planned is the fact that band members continue to promote it publicly. Both on social media and in interviews, Joseph Mount and crew have given no suggestion the dates are cancelled.
In late October, Mount did various British press to preview the release of Metronomy’s new album Small World. In those interviews he spoke excitedly about getting back on the road and playing the new songs. In a session with the BBC, he confirmed they were deep into rehearsals for the upcoming shows.
Additionally, Mount and other Metronomy members have been frequently posting about the tour on Instagram. Drummer Anna Prior’s stories in November showed the band hard at work in rehearsals. Everything the band has communicated continues to point to full steam ahead for the March launch of the tour.
No Cause for Cancellation
Looking at the known facts, there appears to be no logical reason why Metronomy would need to cancel their highly anticipated tour. The band is healthy, intact, and preparing to release a new album ahead of the dates.
Demand is still very high from fans globally as evidenced by strong ticket sales. The tour stands to be quite lucrative based on the level of interest. Promoters and local vendors are still invested and ready for the concerts.
Short of an unforeseen catastrophic event, the motives for cancelling do not add up. The dates have been on the books for months and the band has had ample time to pull out if needed. Bands generally only cancel major tours for extenuating circumstances or force majeure events out of their control. There have been zero credible reports of factors that would fit that bill in this case.
Conclusion
In summary, the preponderance of evidence strongly suggests the rumors of Metronomy cancelling their 2023 tour are false. The sources claiming the tour is scrapped lack credibility and there is no proof to substantiate those reports.
Demand for tickets remains very robust indicating fans are not anticipating a cancellation. Promoters, venues, and band members themselves are all still planning full speed ahead. Until an official announcement is made by Metronomy or their management, fans should feel secure to keep purchasing tickets for what looks to be an incredible tour.