The Florida-based metal band Morbid Angel, who were set to take the stage at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Illinois, on Friday, March 31st, before the roof collapsed, have now issued a statement to their fans on social media. The collapse, caused by extreme weather conditions, reportedly killed one, leaving a further 40 injured.
According to Far Out, the venue’s official Facebook page says Crypta were set to perform at 7 pm local time, with Skeletal Remains following at 7:45 pm and Revocation at 8:40 pm. Morbid Angel were set to begin their headlining set at 9:40 pm. The show was part of the United States Tour of Terror 2023, named ‘40 Years of Acid’.
The outlet reports that much of the US Midwest was issued tornado warnings and heavy storm forecasts earlier in the week. The incident at the Apollo Theatre was caused by what ABC7 in Chicago described as a “severe weather outbreak.”
In a new statement on social media, Morbid Angel shared their “deepest and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the individual who tragically lost their life” on Friday night. They wrote that the venue’s roof collapsed “due to heavy winds from a tornado” – while tornado warning sirens were indeed set off prior to the incident, it’s unconfirmed if an actual tornado hit the venue itself.
“We lost a brother in Metal last night,” they added, “and many were hurt and injured in this tragedy. We would like to express how truly thankful we are for those in attendance (fans, venue staff, bands and crew) that assisted with getting people out and to safety. We want to thank the first responders (fire, EMT, police) that were on the scene quickly and were able to help in getting people out of the venue and to hospitals for treatment as quickly as possible. “At this time our minds continue to remain with all those who were injured and hospitalized, as well as everyone who was effected by the storms in the surrounding area. We truly hope for a fast recovery of all who were injured. As a result of the events of last night, we are working to re-scheduling tonight’s show in Joliet, [Illinois] to Wednesday April 5. With that said, our focus remains with the victims of this terrible storm.”
