The semi-annual Regeneration Tour, which bills itself as “North America’s premier ’80s tour,” has lost another high-profile act, as The Human League this week pulled out of the summer trek, announcing “we were promised one thing and delivered something so completely different we just could not make it work, much as we wanted to.”
The tour’s organizers have yet to announce a full slate of U.S. dates, but a number of concerts already are on sale, including shows in Los Angeles and San Diego, that bill The Human League as headliners with support from Erasure frontman Andy Bell, Howard Jones and Information Society.
Promoters already lost Ultravox, announcing last month that the reunited band originally “had been slated to do the slot now occupied by Howard” but would not be able to perform on the tour.
On Facebook on Wednesday, the Regeneration Tour’s organizers wrote that they are seeking a replacement and that “Andy Bell and Howard Jones and Information Society have all expressed their desire to continue with the tour.” The promoters go on to explain why acts such as ABC, Heaven 17, Spandau Ballet, Jimmy Sommerville and Marc Almond can’t do or aren’t right for the tour.
“I know this may be disappointing for those of you who bough tickets and were looking forward to seeing THL,” the tour’s organizers write. “We hope you will be as excited about their replacement.”
As for The Human League, the band today wrote on Facebook that, “All of us were really looking forward to coming over and playing for you but the decision was really completely out of our control.”
Below, see the tour’s confirmed dates and statements about The Human League’s cancellation.
UPDATE 4/29/13: Erasure’s Andy Bell now says he’s can’t commit to the tour until the lineup is fixed.
Regeneration Tour confirmed dates:
Aug. 7: Chastain Park Amphitheater, Atlanta, GA
Aug. 23: Britt Pavilion, Jacksonville, OR
Aug. 28: Humphreys Concerts By the Bay, San Diego, CA
Aug. 30: Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Aug. 31: Mountain Winery, Saratoga, CA
The Regeneration Tour statement 4/24/13:
As some of you may have heard, The Human League will not be joining us on this summer’s Regeneration Tour as was previously announced in certain media and at certain venues.
We are waiting today on an answer regarding their replacement. Andy Bell and Howard Jones and Information Society have all expressed their desire to continue with the tour. I know this may be disappointing for those of you who bough tickets and were looking forward to seeing THL. We hope you will be as excited about their replacement.
The Human League statement 4/25/13:
As some of our US fans may already have heard from other, somewhat premature, sources, we are sorry to announce that we will not now be touring the US this summer as we had planned. We are really very sorry about this cancellation, all of us were really looking forward to coming over and playing for you but the decision was really completely out of our control. Essentially we were promised one thing and delivered something so completely different we just could not make it work, much as we wanted to.
Our apologies again, we will be back we promise.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
Will they just retire already?
Attached to most of the negative comments I read on this site, is the name Paul. What’s that about?
^ You obviously never seen them live.
Agreed, Paul.
Why not get Visage, I’m pretty sure Steve is hurting.
I’ll second that. You’ve clearly never seen them live.
I’ll third that. I saw them on a previous Regeneration tour and they were magnificent live.
It’s a money issue, plain and simple.
I agree with Tom, Scott and Jon!! The Human League are AWESOME live!! My believes that they have a long way to go before retirement!
I’m not sure they are replaceable, but perhaps getting two acts like Wang Chung and say Prefab Sprout or Living In A Box. Okay, a guy can dream.
I’ll 4th that. I saw the Human League last December on their Autumn 2012 UK tour. They were brilliant, as was their last album ‘Credo’. Long may they continue.
Saw Human League in ’06 and again in ’12. Both times they were fantastic. Didn’t care for their last album much, but they always put on a great live show. I’m sure that the replacement act will more than fit the bill. Seeing as how the other acts are rather synth-pop oriented, my guess is that it will be something along those lines.
Perhaps Real Life, Book of Love, Gary Numan or Claudia Brucken/Propaganda? They’re all synth-oriented and are either currently on tour or have indicated they’d do shows if the opportunity was right. Tears For Fears, Wang Chung, Level-42 or even Flock of Seagulls would be fun too.
So long as it’s not When In Rome. The act touring as When In Rome a few years ago was only the keyboard guy from the original band, and the rest of the ‘band’ playing with him were rather disappointing.
OMD have their own tour and a hit album, so they’re off the list. Depeche are WAY too big, as are Pet Shop Boys. Let’s see…… who else? Maybe Vince could join Andy Bell and just have Erasure be the headliner. That’d draw people in. I’d go see that!
Still…….. shame about Human League. :(
Tears For Fears are miles from the second class acts for the Regeneration, especially if you consider PSB to be “too big”.
Maybe hit up Pete Burns again and see if he could do his DoA karaoke act.
THOMPSON TWINS / TOM BAILEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE, TOM!!!!!!!!!!
Love TFF! But agree they are as big as The Human League or bigger. I have them on a pedestal too.
I would so love to see TB re-activate the Thompson Twins even if it was just his voice alone fronting his genius. Where are you brother?
The ‘Ace in the Hole’ is the Thompson Twins… but they will never reform. It’s been 26 years since they played a live show. Tom and Allanah are long divorced, Joe hasn’t been part of the band since 1985…
A real shame because Thompson Twins were one of the bigger acts in the mid 80’s, and far surpassed any of the bands on this tour in popularity. I mean they sold out Madison Square Gardens in 1986 – something no band on any incarnation of the Regeneration tour can claim.
I hold out hope that Tom Bailey will go it solo… someday. His dub is great, but his wonderful voice is absent and missed.
No Human League, then no me.
I have seen The Human League 3 times. Once in the late 80’s and twice in Regeneration Tours. They just keep getting better. What a live show! May they never retire! Keep up the Great Work!
I saw the Thompson twins twice in the 80’s. They put on a great show. But for replacements for the human league (one of my favorites ), I could offer you The Blow Monkeys, Naked Eyes, Men without Hats, the style council (although they were not really sync pop)