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The Wolf Bites Back North American Tour
Tour of
Orange Goblin
Year 2019
Start date 27 August
End date 2 September
Shows 6
Region United States
Orange Goblin tour chronology
The Wolf Bites Back North American Tour
(2019)

The Wolf Bites Back North American Tour is a six date North American tour in support of the band's ninth studio album The Wolf Bites Back. Notably the tour is built around the band's headlining appearance at the 2019 edition of the Muddy Roots Music Festival and their first tour of North America since 2014, barring festival appearances. The band has also stated that it will likely be their final tour of the United States, due to ever-increasing complications common with European bands booking tours in the United States.

On 24 August 2019 it would be announced that founding drummer Chris Turner would be unable to perform on the tour due to complications in securing a work VISA for the United States, as indicated by a statement on Orange Goblin's official page. Chad Walls will serve as his replacement for the tour. The statement by the band is as follows:

"It is with a heavy heart that we have to report that our drummer, and an integral member of the band for 25 years, Chris Turner will not be boarding the plane tomorrow to play the upcoming US tour dates.

Despite starting our visa application process over 3 months ago, despite having one of the top companies put our petition in, despite the endless red tape and hoops we had to jump through we were only given a last minute embassy appointment. At that appointment Chris was told that he would have to provide extra information for 'Administrative Processing', this despite having had 6 US working visas previously, as well as a US social security number.

This 'extra info' required was 15 years international travel history (every single Orange Goblin show outside the UK plus every single personal and family holiday Chris has taken), 15 years address history, 15 years employment history, all the names and birthdays of his entire family, every phone number and email address he’s used in the last 15 years and all his social media info. Bear in mind Chris has no criminal record (even had a clean driving licence for over 30 years), He is not a member of or affilaited with any political group or organisation and he hasn’t traveled to a blacklisted country.

Chris managed to get all this information emailed over to them within 4 hours of the embassy appointment. Despite this, despite the hard work of our US agent, despite the hard work on Chris’s behalf from our US legal team, despite having a US Senators office supporting his case and contacting the embassy directly, despite all this he still hasn’t had a visa issued and will be unable to travel to the USA, no information has been forthcoming. In fact, as it stands he hasn’t even had his passport returned to him (possibly by next Thursday). He still then wont have a visa and may not ever get a visa.

According to our legal team they've seen an increasing amount of these extra info requests since the current administration took over and it's becoming harder and harder (and more expensive) for touring artists to visit and work in the USA. In this case specifically they can find absolutely no reason why this info was requested of Chris, why the process is taking so long and why there is zero information forthcoming from the embassy/immigration. In their opinion, Chris has just been singled out for reasons or by individuals unknown.

Not only is this a shitty situation for Chris but it's a terrible one for the band, we've already incurred $15-20k costs (visas, flights, accommodation, crew, merch, backline hire etc.) and for the band not to do these shows would bankrupt us - Orange Goblin would cease to exist. Consequently Ben, Martyn and Joe will still be travelling, and have fortunately found a substitute drummer (Mr. Chad Walls) who is learning the set in a few days and will spend all day Monday in a Manhattan rehearsal studio going over the songs ahead of the first show in NYC on Tuesday. It's not ideal, it's actually far from ideal for everyone involved but suffice it to say we are all working flat out to make these shows happen.

If you were planning to see Orange Goblin in the USA we need your support now more than ever, come to the shows, show your support to the band, show your support to the substitute drummer, show your support to Chris, buy some merch, drink some beer, and never let the bastards grind ya down...."

 
— Orange Goblin, Official Statement via Orange Goblin's Facebook [1]

Dates[]

Lineup[]

  • Ben Ward - Vocals
  • Joe Hoare - Guitar
  • Martyn Millard - Bass
  • Chad Walls - Drums

Setlist[]

NOTE: This is a list of songs performed and varied between the six dates.

  • Scorpionica
  • The Filthy & The Few
  • Sons of Salem
  • Saruman's Wish
  • Renegade
  • The Fog
  • The Wolf Bites Back
  • Some You Win, Some You Lose
  • Stand For Something
  • Your World Will Hate This
  • Blue Snow
  • Cities of Frost
  • No Class (Motörhead)
  • They Come Back (Harvest of Skulls)
  • The Devil's Whip
  • Quincy The Pigboy
  • Red Tide Rising

References[]

  1. Orange Goblin Facebook accessed 24 August 2019
V·T·E Orange Goblin
Current Members Ben WardJoe HoareChris TurnerHarry Armstrong
Past and Live-Only Members Pete O'Malley • Martyn Millard • Neil Kingsbury
Studio Albums Frequencies From Planet TenTime Travelling BluesThe Big BlackCoup de GraceThieving From The House of GodHealing Through FireA Eulogy For The DamnedBack From The AbyssThe Wolf Bites Back
Extended Plays Electric Wizard/Our Haunted KingdomNuclear Guru
Live Albums A Eulogy for the Fans... Orange Goblin Live 2012Rough & Ready, Live & Loud
Associated Bands, Artists, Etc. CapricornsElectric WizardThe Dukes of Nothing • Raven's Creed
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