Johnny Depp’s Hollywood Vampires cancel Slovakia gig due to ‘unsafe’ venue

Johnny Depp’s band has cancelled a tour date in Slovakia on the day of the show due to the construction of the venue being “incomplete” and “unsafe”.

Hollywood Vampires – a supergroup which includes Alice Cooper, Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and Depp – had previously refunded fans for a show in Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday due to what the rock band called “unforeseen circumstances”.

The Slovakian date on Thursday was scheduled for Olympic Fields, Zvolenska Slatina, before being moved around 30km away to Amphitheatre Banska Bystrica and then being cancelled, according to ticket sellers Ticketportal.

In an Instagram post, Hollywood Vampires released a statement saying: “Upon arrival today to the venue in Slovakia to begin set-up for tonight’s performance, it quickly became clear that the construction of the facility was incomplete, and therefore unsafe for both the band and the general public.

“The band is very upset by this recent and unfortunate turn of events, and hope to return when schedules permit.

“This cancellation is unrelated to the recent cancellation in Budapest, but we can assure you all band members are safe and healthy. We look forward to seeing you in Poland, Germany and the US in the coming days.

“Sincere apologies, The Hollywood Vampires.”

The band is scheduled to play shows this month at Legends Of Rock Charlotta Valley in Slupsk, Poland, Summerstage Autostadt in Wolfsburg, Germany, and Wang Theatre – Boch Center in Boston, US.

Hollywood Vampires kicked off their European tour in Bucharest, Romania, in June where thousands of fans sang to celebrate Depp’s 60th birthday.

During the pandemic, the band were also forced to cancel their 2020 tour.

Last year, Depp was involved in a defamation trial with his ex-wife Amber Heard.

In June 2022, a jury returned a verdict in Depp’s favour and he was awarded 10.3 million US dollars (£8.43 million) for damage to his reputation.

Aquaman actress Heard, 37, later sought to appeal against the verdict before she made the “very difficult decision” to settle her multimillion-dollar US defamation case against Depp.