Mar 30, 2016
The Roots were scheduled to perform at the massive “The Music of David Bowie” tribute concerts across two consecutive nights. The shows were being held at Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall in New York, but now The Roots, along with fellow performers Kimbra and Bilal, have pulled out.
In an Instagram post Questlove declared that, “we have patience. But we do not have patience for the #bitchassness.”
The drummer then went on to talk about how an issue with equipment was the real reason behind the pulled appearances. “I’ve never been so insecure or petty as to deny a fellow musician any of my equipment (or my band’s equipment- or resources or contacts or knowledge or anything). It angers me when that same courtesy is not reciprocated… Enjoy your precious equipment,” he wrote.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BDmJTNiwa8N/?taken-by=questlove
The massive shows were originally organised by Michael Dorf, who has had previous experience in staging special tribute concerts. The Bowie concerts will feature a whole host of big names including: Michael Stipe, Pixies and Cat Power. The proceeds from the shows will be donated to a number of organisations such as Young Audiences New York, Little Kids Rock and Church Street School of Music.
Both shows are officially sold out, but the one at Radio City Hall will be made available to stream for a minimum money donation of $20.
Image: Starpulse