Pandemonium Rocks has announced that one of its headliners has been forced to pull out due to a tragic family emergency.
American rock band Palaye Royale was due to perform at the Australian rock music festival, which was due to start in Melbourne on Saturday.
However, the band – consisting of brothers Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig and Emerson Barrett – had to withdraw at the last minute due to a devastating family emergency.
The brothers explained on Instagram that their mother was told she had just days to live amid a battle with stage four brain and lung cancer.
Pandemonium Rocks confirmed on Instagram that Palaye Royale would no longer travel to Australia for the festival due to the tragic news.
Pandemonium Rocks have announced that headliner Palaye Royale (pictured) has been forced to pull out due to a tragic family crisis
A statement from the band read: ‘It is with heavy hearts that we are canceling our performance at the upcoming Pandemonium Festival.
“We have been dealing with a family emergency that requires our immediate attention and presence.
“In light of this unfortunate circumstance, we sincerely apologize to anyone who anticipated our actions.
“We are grateful for the understanding and support of our fans, as well as the organizers of Pandemonium Festival, during this challenging time.”
The band added in an emotional post on their Instagram: “Any prayers and positive thoughts hoping our mother feels the love would be greatly appreciated.
The band – made up of brothers Remington Leith, Sebastian Danzig and Emerson Barrett – was due to perform at the Australian rock music festival, but they have had to pull out
The brothers explained on Instagram that their mother only has days left to live amid a battle with brain and lung cancer, with Pandemonium Rocks also sharing a statement
‘We have received terrible news about our mother. As many of you know, she was diagnosed with stage 4 brain and lung cancer in July 2023.
‘She fought hard and long, but last weekend our mother had to be rushed back to hospital to find out the cancer had ripped through her intestines and we only had hours to days to go.’
The brothers were quickly flooded with messages of support from their friends and fans as they sent their love to the family during this difficult time.
Pandemonium Rocks confirmed that a local act will now open each festival, with set times yet to be confirmed.
The new rock festival kicks off in Melbourne on Saturday before touring Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane the following week.
Last month the festival was hit by fears it would be canceled after a difficult time for Australian music festivals (Photo: Stock image of the crowds at the 2011 Soundwave Music Festival)
The new rock festival kicks off in Melbourne on Saturday before touring Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane the following week.
It recently came under fire from fans for announcing that ticket holders will not receive a full refund, following a major lineup change.
Earlier this month it was announced that there were six actions had been axed from the festival, including international headliners Placebo and Deep Purple and American band Dead Kennedys.
The locations of several dates have also been changed, while organizers also confirmed that the original multi-stage layout had been merged into one stage.
It recently came under fire from fans for announcing that ticket holders will not receive a full refund, following a major lineup change that saw Placebo dropped from among the band.
General admission tickets have also been reduced from approximately $285 to $190, while VIP tickets have been reduced from $830 to $650.
Pandemonium Rocks then made it clear on social media that ticket holders could not claim a full refund despite the changes.
Instead, they could receive one one free GA ticket per full-price ticket purchased, a partial refund of $70 (which is the difference between the initial price and the new ticket price), or an “exclusive $100 Pandemonium hoodie.”
The decision not to offer a full refund option sparked outrage among fans, who took to social media to express their disapproval at the time.
Alice Cooper (pictured in 2022), Blondie, Wheatus, Wolfmother and Cosmic Psychos are among the acts still set to perform at the rock festival
Last month the festival was hit by fears it would be canceled after a string of Australian festivals were given the ax.
But organizers assured fans at the time that the festival would go ahead with ‘some changes’ before officially confirming the line-up changes.
Alice Cooper, Blondie, Wheatus, Wolfmother and Cosmic Psychos are among the acts scheduled to perform at the rock festival.