‘Haven’t played a note yet’: British band Sports Team robbed at gunpoint on first day of US tour
A British band were robbed at gunpoint on the first day of their US tour.
Frontman of the band Sports Team, Alex Rice, told Sky News that they had stopped in their tour bus at a Starbucks in Vallejo, California, on Tuesday – the morning after landing in San Francisco.
While he and his bandmates were ordering breakfast, they heard someone say “has anyone got a white sprinter van outside? It’s being robbed”.
“Natural reaction, you sprint towards it and try to stop it, and immediately [one of the robbers] pulls a gun,” he said.
“He pulls a gun, he sort of points it at our tour manager Lauren, there’s another guy loading stuff out and a third guy in getaway car.
“We all sprint back into the Starbucks. They’ve taken a huge amount of personal stuff and musical equipment from the middle of our van.
“So, haven’t played a note yet, one minute in, we’ve got our stuff taken.”
The band had laptops, in-ear monitors, cameras and other personal items taken. Pic: Sports Team
Rice added that the “really shocking bit… is we called the police straight away,” but found “their reaction to an ‘as it’s happening,’ ‘live gunpoint event’ was ‘okay if you could just file the report online’.”
He added: “People say ‘get down’ as if the rains just started coming down outside, as if the weather’s changed so people should go inside.
“That’s been the saddest bit to see, the level of resignation, the fact that people take this in their stride now.”
Laptops, in-ear monitors, cameras, and other personal items were taken in the robbery, but the band’s instruments were safe “because the back of the van is fortified”.
Alex Rice told Sky News the band’s instruments were safe – meaning they can keep touring. Pic: Sports Team
“The most immediate concern for us is passports, to be honest,” Rice told Sky News. “Three of us had our passports taken.
“It’s a ‘try to get to the consulate and get that sorted for Christmas’ sort of situation.”
The band are promoting their forthcoming third album, Boys These Days, and will continue their US tour despite the incident.
“We’re really lucky in that we’re able to do that,” Rice said. “We’ve got a lot of friends in San Francisco. People have been incredibly supportive.
“It’s a terrible thing to have happened but we’re lucky not to have had our actual instruments taken – which has happened to us in the past.”
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Sports Team were nominated for a Mercury Prize in 2020 for their debut album Deep Down Happy, which went to number two on the UK Albums Chart.
Their 2022 follow-up Gulp! marked their second top 10 record, reaching number three in the charts.
Oasis have said they are “shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic death of a fan” at their Wembley Stadium concert on Saturday.
Together with their bandmates, Liam and Noel Gallagher have offered their “sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person involved”.
Metropolitan Police said officers on duty at the stadium responded, alongside venue medics and the London Ambulance Service, to reports a person had been injured at around 10.20pm.
The statement continued: “A man – aged in his 40s – was found with injuries consistent with a fall. He was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.”
According to media reports, the man fell from the stadium’s upper tier.
A concertgoer on social media said they saw the incident and described it as “horrific”.
Liam and Noel Gallagher on stage at their first reunion gig. Pic: AP
Metropolitan Police said: “The stadium was busy, and we believe it is likely a number of people witnessed the incident, or may knowingly or unknowingly have caught it on mobile phone video footage.
“If you have any information that could help us to confirm what happened, please call 101.”
Oasis performed at the venue as planned on Sunday night, delivering the final concert of a five-night run at Wembley.
Addressing fans at the stadium, singer Liam said: “This one’s for all the people who can’t be here tonight, but who are here if you know what I mean, and aren’t they looking lovely. Live Forever.”
The band then played the track of the same name.
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Oasis support act Richard Ashcroft paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “I was shocked to hear of the death of one of the audience last night sending my love to the family and friends.”
A spokesperson for Wembley Stadium said: “Our thoughts go out to his family, who have been informed and are being supported by specially trained police officers.”
They will then head to Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States, before returning to Wembley for two more dates in September.
The reunion tour began at the start of July and marks the Gallagher brothers’ first performances together since Oasis split acrimoniously in 2009.
The BBC has responded after it was reported that two Strictly Come Dancing stars have been accused of taking cocaine.
The broadcaster is said to have hired an external law firm to probe the drug-taking allegations, which a source said were “well-known” on the show, The Sun on Sunday reports.
The claims were reportedly made on behalf of celebrity contestant Wynne Evans in a legal submission to the BBC in March.
In response, a BBC spokesperson told Sky News: “We have clear protocols and policies in place for dealing with any serious complaint raised with us. We would always encourage people to speak to us if they have concerns.
“It would not be appropriate for us to comment further.”
Sky News understands that it is not unusual for the BBC to engage an external individual to provide additional expert resource to help deliver a BBC-led investigation. In these cases, they would report to an established BBC team.
PA file pic
The allegations published in The Sun on Sunday include a source saying that one Strictly star had told another about a third celebrity on the show: “Have you seen their pupils… they’re off their face.”
“The BBC have known about these allegations for some time, and acknowledged receiving them. Now they are taking firm action,” the source reportedly said.
The two individuals accused of drug taking have not been named.
It is the latest crisis to hit the BBC and Strictly.
In July last year, Amanda Abbington accused Strictly dancer Giovanni Pernice of “abusive or threatening behaviour”. The actress, who was paired with Pernice, withdrew from the show in 2023.
The BBC upheld “some, but not all” of the allegations, with Abbington describing an apology from the corporation as a “vindication”, while Pernice denied displaying “abusive or threatening behaviour”.
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Also in July 2024, Strictly professional dancer, Graziano Di Prima confirmed he was leaving the show amid reports of alleged misconduct.
Separately, Laura Whitmore alleged “inappropriate behaviour” during her time on the show.
In January this year, Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans made “inappropriate and unacceptable” comments at the Strictly Come Dancing live tour launch, for which he later apologised.
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