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Kings Of Leon cancel Benicassim slot as festival closes down

Site shut as winds lash across Spanish site

July 18, 2009 | 6 Comments
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Kings Of Leon have cancelled their Benicassim 2009 headline slot after the festival was closed down last night (July 17) due to extreme weather conditions.

Meanwhile, Lily Allen has pulled out of her previously-scheduled slot for tonight (July 18).

Wind lashed down on the Spanish festival site last night, with organisers taking precautions such as removing the large video screens beside the Escenario Verde stage and pinning down sections that had come loose. Watch video footage of the site by clicking below.

The music did kick off, however, with Paul Weller playing a set on the stage at 9:30pm (CEST). But later in the evening the wind got so bad that the smaller stages were cordoned off.

Kings Of Leon's 11pm set was initially delayed, with Tom Tom Club playing instead only to be greeted with boos from fans of the US band. Then at around 1am it was announced that the band would not be playing as the conditions were too dangerous.

Some nearby campsites were evacuated, with bus-loads of fans taken to a nearby leisure centre for shelter. The sites have since been re-opened, although many fans have returned to find their tents destroyed by the wind.

The main festival site is set to re-open this evening. Organisers had hoped to reschedule Kings Of Leon's slot for tonight, but the band had already departed.

Drummer Nathan Followill wrote on his Twitter page: "I'm sad to say that we aren't playing Benicassim. We are so sorry and bummed about last night. Our gear is already headed to Switzerland."

Maximo Park, who had their slot cancelled last night, will play tonight. They are set to take the stage at 9:30pm in place of Lily Allen, who has pulled out due to illness.

The wind wasn't the only problem to hit the festival last night. While Weller was playing a fire broke out next to the Benicassim site on a grassy stretch used by many to get to and from the festival.

Photo Gallery - Highlights of Benicassim 2009

Blog - Chaos at Benicassim - the view from backstage

Witness the winds at Benicassim:

See Benicassim engulfed in flames:

jaykay82

Jul 19, 2009

yeah looks really bad, that blokes sitting at the front eating a hotdog

Spudona

Jul 20, 2009

Terrifying!! And what were those people thinking of???? Waving an Irish flag around in such appalling conditions... could've had someone's eye out...

plucker

Jul 21, 2009

Wow, they cancelled a gig in Spain AGAIN? Last time they were there in February they cancelled both their shows in Madrid and Barcelona literally minutes before they were due on stage because of a suspicious "illness" in the band. The band miraculously recovered from the illness a couple of days later when they appeared happy and healthy at the Brit Awards. The shows were never rescheduled either. I'd be pissed.

mpsamuels

Jul 22, 2009

Plucker - having just got back from benicassim myself i can confirm that there was nothing suspicious about this cancellation - the WHOLE festival site was shut down for safety reasons as with a huge fire just across the road to the area and winds capable of tearing the main stage apart blowing through the site, it was the only option

chocoholicgirl_

Jul 23, 2009

the video's don't do it justice at all! I have just got home from beni and it was horrendous. so many people lost their tents and belongings, the roofs of the stages and bars were ripped off, people were evacuated for safety etc. and the morning after the night before the dust had just got everwhere so not many people had clean clothes to wear. to be honest I was quite scared that night! this said, I had an amazing time and plan on going back in the future :)

K.H.C.

Aug 31, 2009

The stories about the storm were completely over-exaggerated! The majority of tents which were blown away were the convenient pop-up tents which were not secured to the ground. I would like to know why KOL were delayed and why it was safe enough for Tom Tom Club to play on the stage that KOL were due to be on instead?