Festival-goers were left disappointed when headliners Kim Gordon, the bassist of Sonic Youth, and the musician Bat for Lashes failed to perform at Siren's Call on Saturday in Luxembourg City's Grund due to extreme weather.

The festival faced significant disruptions due to the severe storms which made their way across the Grand Duchy on Saturday evening.

All acts had to be moved to the big stage in Neimünster Abbey, and Bat for Lashes' set was cancelled, as the production could not be moved to the indoor Melusina stage. Many fans had travelled from abroad specifically to see Bat for Lashes.

Adding to the disappointment, Kim Gordon, the evening's headliner, cancelled her performance at the last minute.

Siren's Call 2024

In a press release on Monday afternoon, the festival organisers expressed relief that spectators, the team, and the artists remained safe through the storm. They acknowledged the last minute communication about the cancellations and apologised for the inconvenience.

Severe weather was reported between 8pm and midnight on Saturday. To ensure safety, the bands scheduled for the main stage, Alvvays and Bombay Bicycle Club, were moved to earlier slots and performed without breaks.

Music on the open-air stage ended at 8pm, and subsequent acts were to play at Melusina as planned.

However, Bat for Lashes was supposed to perform on the big stage, which was no longer accessible. Attempts to move the performance to Melusina failed for technical reasons, leading to the artist's cancellation.

The biggest disappointment came when Kim Gordon's team cancelled her concert at Melusina less than an hour before the performance.

Due to the bad weather, Gordon's management decided to leave Luxembourg early to catch a ferry to Glastonbury in England.

The performance was completely cancelled, leaving fans in front of an empty stage. This last-minute cancellation particularly upset those who had travelled from abroad to see her.

The organisers admitted that their communication was not ideal but emphasised that they did their best given the weather conditions.

Michel Welter, Managing Partner at A-Promotions/den Atelier, said of the decision:
“It was very difficult, the most difficult we ever had. Lots of bands were rescheduled or changed from the main stage. But ending it was the right decision. The storm came later than expected around 9:30 or 10pm. But lightning struck the main stage and buildings nearby, and that would have been during Bombay Bicycle Club. It was not a good edition but it was a very good job from our team."

They hinted at some upcoming good news to compensate for the disruptions leaving fans with a glimmer of hope.

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Siren's Call festival hit by inclement weather and line-up changes