OPETH’S MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT IN CAR ACCIDENT?
Update, 12:02 pm: Metal Injection alerted us to the fact that Opeth have now posted the following official explanation on their Facebook page:
“Many have already learned that yesterday’s performances at The Myth In St Paul had to be cancelled due to Mikael having an accident.
“Right before stage time Mike bumped his head on the tour bus which resulted in a pretty deep cut that required urgent medical attention. Mike was taken to hospital which he left a little later with eight stitches and a nasty headache. He’s doing OK now and we expect him to be up and running (though slightly slower) again for tomorrow’s show and onwards.
“Mike & the band were very disappointed not being able to play yesterday but thank everyone for their understanding and for the tons of get-well-wishes Mike has received since.
“The band also thanks their friends in Mastodon for playing an extended set that hopefully kept all who attended happy.”
We’re thrilled to hear that Mikael is okay and that the original story, which you can read after the jump, was exaggerated.
Well, this is scary.
Two separate MetalSucks readers, Brent Ericson and Steve Bergquist, e-mailed MetalSucks in the wee hours this morning to report that Opeth did not perform at last night’s stop of their current tour with Mastodon and Ghost in Maplewood, Minnesota. According to Brent, this is what went down:
“[The audience was] told by a roadie, after Ghost played, that Mikael Åkerfeldt was involved in an accident and had to go the hospital. Opeth did not perform because of this, but we were told he is fine. Mastodon played a longer set (Including ‘Iron Tusk’ and ‘March of the Fire Ants’) and after the last song, [Mastodon drummer] Brann Dailor updated the crowd that it was a head injury and that’s why Mikael went to the hospital. Brann said he should be fine as well, so hopefully it’s nothing to worry about.”
According to Blabbermouth, “unconfirmed online reports” say that Åkerfeldt was in a car accident — but that, as Brent and Steve report, he’s going to be okay.
Whatever kind of accident Åkerfeldt was in, and whatever injuries he sustained, we’re obviously relieved to hear that he’s apparently relatively unharmed, and we wish him the speediest of recoveries. The tour is scheduled to resume tomorrow in Washington, D.C.; there’s no word yet on whether or not Opeth will be performing. We’ll bring you more news as soon as it’s released.
-AR
