Watch Sleep Token perform live without their bassist and guitarist this week
· louderBy Matt Mills
( Metal Hammer )
published 7 November 2024
Bassist III and guitarist IV were disposed by illness, but Sleep Token performed in Zurich on Monday anyway
Sleep Token took to the stage in Zurich, Switzerland on Monday (November 5) without their guitarist and bassist.
The masked four-piece were two men down inside Halle 622 but performed regardless, delivering a 16-song set by blaring live recordings from the absent musicians over the backing tape. Watch video footage and see the setlist below.
The band first announced their bassist, known as III, and guitarist, IV, wouldn’t be performing via a social media post on Monday. In their typically cryptic way, they chalked their temporary disappearances up to an unexplained illness.
“Zurich, following the earlier news of IV’s illness, we regret to share that our brother III has now also fallen ill and will be unable to perform tonight,” the band wrote.
Nonetheless, Sleep Token vowed to plough on: “We always endeavour to avoid cancelling a Ritual unless completely unavoidable, and we hope this outcome is more acceptable to you than a last-minute cancellation.”
After the Zurich show, the band released another statement thanking their fans. They said: “Zurich, thank you for your unwavering support and for raising your voices with us last night. In the absence of our brothers III and IV, your energy filled the room and carried us through.”
Sleep Token are currently touring Europe and the UK on a headline run and will return to the stage tonight, November 7, at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France. Whether III and IV will be performing is unclear.
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The Zurich gig wasn’t the first time Sleep Token have been adversely affected onstage. During the band’s blockbuster Wembley Arena show in London last December, lead singer Vessel’s voice gave out, forcing the 10,000-plus fans in attendance to effectively fill in for him.
Hopefully history won’t repeat itself when the band return to London and play the O2 Arena on November 29 and December 3. Get full details of their upcoming EU and UK shows and buy tickets via their website.
Sleep Token released their latest album, Take Me Back To Eden, last year. They’ve since signed to major label RCA, making them labelmates with Doja Cat, Britney Spears and A$AP Rocky.
Sleep Token @ Halle 622 Zurich - The Night Does Not Belong To God - 5 November 2024 - YouTube
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Sleep Token @ Halle 622 Zurich - Higher - 5 November 2024 - YouTube
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Sleep Token @ Halle 622 Zurich - Alkaline - 5 November 2024 - YouTube
Sleep Token setlist: Halle 622, Zurich, Switzerland – November 5, 2024
The Night Does Not Belong To God
The Offering
Dark Signs
Higher
Atlantic
Hypnosis
Like That
Alkaline
Missing Limbs
Chokehold
The Summoning
Granite
Rain
Ascensionism
Take Me Back To Eden
Euclid
Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer
Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.
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