OPETH Explain Chilean Concert Cancellations

November 19, 2003

OPETH frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt has issued the following explanation for the group's cancelled concerts in Santiago, Chile:

"We are very sorry for this, but I want to stress out that situation was out of our hands. We went to Mexico in order to do that gig + go to Santiago for another two. We we're all very excited about this!! Please don't think that we deliberately wanted this. Would you travel for 15 hours just to cancel gigs??

"Reason is the sheer incompetence of the Mexican and Chilean promoters. I believe they're called Dilemma Productions. They had given us a flight routing to Chile that was impossible for us to make. We had a contract for a straight flight there. On the day of the gig in Mexico, Dilemma revealed that we we're on a flight bound for Costa Rica at 5 in the morning where we would have to spend 12 hours in a transit hall. And they wanted us to leave instantly after the Mexico city gig. Dilemma deliberately kept the flight details a secret until the very last minute thinking that the stress factor might have us go regardless of what kind of trip it would be.

"On top of this we never got paid the money for the 3 gigs. We're told it was being paid but never saw a receipt.

"The return flight would have us getting off in Lima/Peru to change flights. The leeway to next flight would have been less than an hour to get 9 people + 20 or so items through customs and checked in to the next flight. This is obviously impossible!

"We always intended to go to Chile. I hope you understand this! Dilemma offered to try and fix new tickets during Sunday morning. They got back to us saying we've got tickets Monday morning. Fine!! So, as we're getting ready to go, Dilemma calls yet once again saying that now, all of a sudden we DON'T have the tickets anymore...that they're sorry!

"I am so sorry that Dilemma Productions have made this mess. As always, we'll take the blame personally anyways, but we want you to know that this was out of our hands and that we ALWAYS intended and really looked forward to going to Santiago and Chile.

"We sincerely hope that we can make this up to you in a near future.

"Best regards,

"Mikael, on behalf of OPETH"

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