Canadian group Preoccupations, defying the laws of statistical probability, have been robbed twice this week. The band is currently on tour promoting their new album, New Material, and initially encountered trouble on May 9 when their van was broken into and half their equipment was stolen. Paste reports, the group replaced the gear before their next show in Seattle, Washington on May 11. The group took the bad luck in stride with an Instagram post saying, “whoever’s hands [their gear is] in now is shredding some serious fucking gnar.”
After purchasing new gear, the band woke up at a Travel Lodge in San Francisco the morning of May 15 to find their van, trailer, and every piece of gear they had stolen. Preoccupations issued a statement: “Yesterday was a really tough one, basically everything we own and have worked towards was taken from us. Right as we were hitting our stride, making best friends in the world with Moaning and together really crushing these shows.” The statement goes on to say they considered it impossible to continue the tour but “it was it didn’t take long for the support of our amazing friends and fans to kick in. That itself was also overwhelming but really just made it clear that this is just a set back.”
The band, formerly known as Viet Cong, released New Material March 23, 2018 to stellar reviews. According to mxdwn, the album is “beautifully produced and has a perfect balance of hope and honest despondency.” XS Noize says the album creations “follow in the tradition of Joy Division, New Order, Can and Kraftwerk. Yet the band evinces a singular ability to take these various inspirations and genres and make them all their own.”
For now, the band is taking “each day in stride” and have announced they have set up a go fund me page.
https://www.gofundme.com/preoccupationsgearfund
From the band: “Yesterday was a really tough one, basically everything we own and have worked towards was taken from us. Right as we were hitting our stride, making best friends in the world with Moaning and together really crushing these shows. It was the second time in a week we were robbed, violated and sent into a frenzy of last min running around trying to replace our gear with whatever we could find/afford before the show. As it sunk in yesterday, the time line and logistics, as well as financially it seemed literally impossible for us to continue this run. HOWEVER as devastating as it was it didn’t take long for the support of our amazing friends and fans to kick in. That itself was also overwhelming but really just made it clear that this is just a set back. Flegel has the P Bass. He was spooning it in the hotel room and now keeps it handcuffed to his right wrist. We have come to LA in an attempt to blow the roof off the Echo with the help of friends and Moaning and sharing gear. The rest of the tour is still feeling very up in the air, we are taking each day in stride but want to publicly announce a go fund me has been set up in response to so many amazing people offering donations. We love you already and will forever and are beyond thankful.”
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