Alt-Fest 2014 cancelled

Alt-Fest not to go ahead say bands booked to play

Photographer: Oran TarjanAli Ryland on 30 July 2014

Marilyn Manson, Cradle of Filth, Killing Joke and Beholder, all bands booked to play, confirm the festival's demise before its debut - and before the festival has released an official statement.

Bands playing the event have been taking to social media to report that Alt-Fest has been cancelled, while there is still no word from the festival organisers. Simon Hall of heavy metal band Beholder and Rob Ferguson of Transcend PR were the first to confirm that Alt-Fest will not be taking place this year.

"I got confirmation via text message but also spoke with some of the main stage acts and they've also been told," Hall said, whose band was supposed to headline the S.O.P.H.I.E Stage Saturday.

"For me and Beholder, we were open to this whole thing and initially extremely excited about headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage, but to be honest, with the way this has developed (or not as the case may be) it leaves me hollow to think so many fans, traders and support staff will end up losing out," Hall continued.

Now Marilyn Manson, Cradle Of Filth, Enemo J, Gothminister, Fields Of The Nephilim, Killing Joke, Combichrist and more have also confirmed the cancellation.

"We received notice this morning that the Alt-Fest Festival in Kettering, UK booked for the weekend of August 15-17, has been cancelled," Combichrist posted on their Facebook page last night.



"As of now the organizers of the event haven't made an official announcement but unless there is a massive cabal afoot, we will believe the word we received from our agency. So we are sad to report to you that we won't be appearing in the UK this Summer..."

Some fans commenting on Alt-Fest's Facebook page believed the cancellation announcements were smoke and mirrors, caused by a disgruntled ex-employee. However, with more and more main stage bands announcing the cancellation after the initial S.O.P.H.I.E Stage, Alt-Fest's cancellation is now widely believed by ticket holders.

Alt-Fest 2014 was to take place between 15-17 August in Kettering, and to be the first major UK festival that placed goth and industrial in pride of place.



Hall and others also say that they expected this to happen. "It started with a pledge scheme as fans entrusted in a unique concept and ended with media scrambling over themselves to be involved, bands not being advanced and being drip fed bulls**t for months and fans being dumped on last minute. Something that I personally had visions of months ago," Hall says.

"I never actually expected it to happen," said one onlooker. "I did the math in my head and I can't see how they were raising enough money to pay for site/production let alone the bands."

Rob Ferguson of Trancend PR, who had five bands booked to play Alt-Fest, expresses regret at the festival's cancellation.

Well, what a surprise. Alt Fest is no more.........I feel extremely sorry for all those who will undoubtedly lose money. Bad times. — Rob Ferguson (@TranscendRob) July 29, 2014

While tickets were booked through Clubtickets.com, officials have not yet commented on the process of being refunded. However, Clubtickets.com's statement on cancellation reveals that they will refund ticket holders once receiving official confirmation from the promoter. Therefore, ticket holders should hang tight and wait for the festival to liaise with Clubtickets before asking for refunds.



It is not yet known what will happen to the money invested by those who took part in the original Kickstarter campaign to fund the event, which raised £61,762 by 563 backers.