Fans help Toronto band Cancer Bats after all their gear was stolen on U.S. tour
The punk band dropped a previously unreleased B-side as a thank you
On April 21, Cancer Bats awoke to a nightmare in Indianapolis. The band's van and trailer, filled with all its gear, had been stolen from the hotel parking lot. The Toronto hardcore punk band is currently in the middle of a tour, which the bandmates worried would have to end prematurely because of the theft.
In an attempt to recoup some of their losses, Cancer Bats launched a GoFundMe, which surpassed their goal within 24 hours. More than 400 fans and fellow musicians donated to help the band raise almost $33,000.
"The love and support we've received has been incredible," the band shared in a press release. "It's really made us realize that what we are doing really means something to a lot of people. We love what we do, playing shows and connecting with fans, and we try not to take it for granted. This outpouring of care has just amplified that for us 1,000 times over."
The members plan on donating any excess funds to help youth in northern Canadian communities access musical equipment.
More than 50 items were stolen, including guitars, bass guitars, pedals, amps, drum kits and more. The band shared that the police eventually found and returned the van, but none of the instruments and gear were found. Beyond the monetary value, many of the instruments hold sentimental value for the members, as they were used to create some of the band's most well-known songs. Cancer Bats asked fans and fellow musicians to keep an eye out for their customized gear, including a 2009 white Gibson Flying V, a 2010 red Gibson Flying V and two Peavey T-40 bass guitars.
As a thank you for the outpouring of support, Cancer Bats have released a new single, Backstab the Rat Race, a B-side from their 2022 Juno-nominated album, Psychic Jailbreak.
"We'll be forever grateful to everyone who reached out, sent a message, or donated…. We figured the best thing that we could do was to release a song we've been sitting on for awhile," the band explained. "We recorded it during the Psychic Jailbreak sessions and had been wondering when to release it, but now felt like the perfect time. We can't get everywhere to say thank you to everyone individually, but we can put out a ripping song."
With the money raised from the GoFundMe, backline gear donated by Sweetwater Sound and support from Yamaha, Marshall and more, the band is back on the road. Cancer Bats' tour is set to wrap on May 17 in Greenville, S.C.
