Grimsby Coldplay tribute band Coldplace say show must go on despite their van full of equipment being stolen

The theft of their van containing many of their instruments and extensive stage effects kit has failed to put off Coldplace, billed as the world’s leading tribute to Coldplay, from honouring a gig in Scunthorpe.

Grimsby-based Coldplace announced on Facebook their intention to fufil the date at Scunthorpe Baths Hall tonight (Wednesday, February 12), saying it was “still a go-ahead”. The post said: “We will be still performing for you all!

“We are going to be hiring the lasers and confetti in for the performance, the only thing we can’t unfortunately bring/rent is the xylo bands, the reason for this is that they come in from another country, so unfortunately they wouldn’t be here on time at such short notice. We do apologise sincerely for this.”

Coldplace earlier posted about the theft of their white Ford Transit van from Grimsby. Including a detailed list of the equipment that was inside, the band said: “Please let us know if you see anything for sale anywhere.”

The kit included Fender guitars and an amplifier, drums, lasers, confetti cannons, smoke machines and more than 1,000 LED wristbands and a controller. These formed just a small part of a lengthy list of missing items.

However, band member Dean Stewart said they had been “amazed” at the swell of support in the aftermath. The lead guitarist said: “The musician community locally have been fantastic.

“It’s great that we can get the guitars and the amps we need, we can borrow those, but it’s the other things that make our show unique – and hopefully the best replica of a Coldplay show you can get – that you just can’t replace, and these have been taken.” Dean, who has been with the tribute band for 14 years, said CCTV footage, shared with police, showed the van parked as normal at 1.50am on Tuesday but by 3.15am it had gone.

“We don’t know whether it was targeted or whether it was someone thinking it was a work van with tools in it.” Dean said: “What has been incredible has been the community of local musicians; our phones have never stopped since it went on Facebook, with friends and acquaintances offering us gear.”

Band members raced to get enough equipment together to put on a billed show in Milton Keynes last night, despite the drummer Steve Davies’ entire drum kit having been taken and bass player Asa Crofts’ guitars also missing. Dean said a unique piano shell, created as an exact replica of Coldplay’s Chris Martin’s for lead vocalist and pianist Shane Crofts, was one of the things that would be “really hard to replace”.

The whole haul is worth possibly “tens of thousands”, said Dean. He added that local second-hand shops had been “really good” in taking copies of the list of stolen kit and were keeping an eye out.

He hoped that audiences would be understanding about the shows looking a little different to what Coldplace would normally put on. “You have to put a show on,” he said. “When you have got, three, four, five-hundred people having bought tickets and people booking hotels to come and see us, we don’t want to be disappointing people.”

Dean said: “We have definitely received a lot of love since this happened.” Followers on Facebook commented about the theft, one calling it “absolutely awful” and another saying “hope it’s all recovered quickly and in salvageable state”.

One reply said: “I’m so sorry, this is a huge violation as well as a huge loss. I hope the power of social media brings back your precious belongings.”

A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “Officers were called to reports of a van being stolen on Queensway in Grimsby between 1.50am and 3.15am on Tuesday, February 11. If anyone witnessed the incident or has any CCTV from around the time it occurred, please contact us on our non-emergency number 101 quoting crime reference 25*19040.”

Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe