SOULFLY Cancel Festival Appearance, Leave Native Metal Fans Pissed Off

Rick Abasta of NativeTimes.com is reporting that SOULFLY cancelled their previously announced appearance at the Window Rock Fest II in Window Rock, Arizona on Saturday (August 14) because of a brief shower of rain early Saturday evening.

SOULFLY's decision to cancel their appearance at the festival doesn't bode well with the festival organizer, Randall Hoskie of Rancid Savage Productions, especially the seemingly deceitful method the band chose to leave the venue.

"They told my stage manager they were going to shower up and get ready," Hoskie said Sun. night. "I tried to find them and kept calling. I finally got a hold of them and their manager said the band decided not to have the show."

Christina Winters, manager for SOULFLY, called Hoskie from the freeway and said the band was traveling to their next tour stop and would not perform in Window Rock.

The Window Rock promoter was stunned from the news and fought back anger.

Hoskie said not only did SOULFLY not perform, but the band still pocketed the $5,000 guarantee before driving down the road to their next gig in Tempe. SOULFLY was scheduled to receive another $5,000 from ticket sales after the Window Rock show.

Hoskie said among the list of reasons for not performing, SOULFLY complained the crowd was small and the stage lighting and sound was inadequate. Most of the audience sought refuge in Gorman Hall (where there was a third stage) when gusting winds began kicking up dust in the rodeo arena where the two main stages were located.

SOULFLY's reasons to skip town were weak, Hoskie said, especially since Rancid Savage Productions invested $6,000 to have a professional sound company from Albuquerque (Eclipse Sound) provide the lighting and sound.

The Albuquerque company previously provided sound and lights for musical entertainment for the annual Navajo Nation Fourth of July Celebration and the Navajo Nation Fair.

"They gave me all their reasons for not playing. I don't see them as valid reasons: inadequate stage and sound... and they said the rain was a big factor," Hoskie said.

He added, "I did my best, I don't see why they said (the sound) was inadequate. MO' THUGS, GARY ALLEN, TY ENGLAND and AUTHORITY ZERO didn't complain about the sound system when they played here.”

Aside from the financial losses, Hoskie also shoulders the guilt of letting down loyal fans that have supported the concerts sponsored by Rancid Savage Productions through the years.

Hoskie's attempt to speak with lead singer/guitarist Max Cavalera of SOULFLY was stopped by the band manager, who insisted the inclement weather conditions weren't conducive to having a successful show.

Cavalera champions native empowerment in his lyrics and retains a strong connection to his Brazilian native heritage.

"I don't know what Max Cavalera’s feeling is on the whole thing," Hoskie said. "He uses a lot of indigenous rights and tribal empowerment in his music. He's a South American native and he tries to bond with our natives." Read more.