This is a low blow. Nu metal icons Static-X and Dope have lost $200,000 worth of gear after their shared Los Angeles warehouse space was robbed whilst the city is under lockdown.
The bands, who toured together prolifically throughout 2019, lost a slew of gear used in their live shows. A police report filed with the LAPD reveals that thieves stole multiple LED video panels, two drum kids, over 40 cymbals, microphones, and various audio and video gear.
Static-X and Dope issued a joint statement, warning the music community to be wary during the pandemic, as storage facilities are left vulnerable targets to those with sticky fingers.
“We want to encourage our community to keep a close eye on your property and on your facilities during this unprecedented time… We also ask for our fans to keep an eye out for the stolen items and maybe we can help the police find these people,” the band shared in a statement via COS.
“In the end, we recognize that there are far worse things happening around the world.
“We want to send out positive vibes to everyone in this crazy time. Stay safe, protect yourself from ALL the threats, and take care of each other.
“We will learn from this and take the necessary steps to rebuild during this down time, while allowing ourselves to be a cautionary tale for others.”
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It’s a rather stoic statement in the face of such a ginormous loss.
“With most of us in lock down, and those who aren’t locked down, wearing masks in public, apparently it’s a great time to be a thief,” shared Static-X drummer Ken Jay.
Edsel Dope added, “This is tough one to swallow. Our bands are small businesses that have developed and refined our touring systems over years. The amount of time and effort that has gone into building out the tech and AV production alone is hard to quantify. It’s a lot of money. We own all of our own gear and have built our touring business through years of continuous investment back into ourselves.”
The band’s toured together in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Static-X’s career-defining album, Wisconsin Death Trip, last year. Static-X toured with an unidentified vocalist who wore a mask resembling the late Wayne Static.
Watch: Static-X – ‘Push It’
