Ex-ACCEPT bassist Peter Baltes suffered a serious fall from the stage during a July 25 performance at Pyraser Classic Rock Night, held at Pyraser Landbrauerei in the Pyras district of Thalmässing, Germany, and remains hospitalized as a result.
Baltes, 68, sustained three rib fractures in the fall and was taken to a hospital in Nuremberg for treatment. A statement on the incident said: "Peter suffered three rib fractures and is being treated at a hospital in Nuremberg. He is likely not to be able to perform for a longer period," indicating an extended recovery timeline that will keep him off stage for the foreseeable future.
Baltes was not the only member of the touring party injured that night — guitarist Alen Brentini, who joined U.D.O. and its related project DIRKSCHNEIDER in October 2025, also fell during the same show and sustained severe contusions. Brentini nonetheless continued performing through the rest of the set despite his injuries.
Both U.D.O. and DIRKSCHNEIDER, the latter fronted by former ACCEPT singer Udo Dirkschneider, issued statements attributing the falls to inadequate stage safety conditions at the venue rather than any performance mishap on the musicians' part. The bands confirmed that DIRKSCHNEIDER would continue with its scheduled tour dates as planned, and extended well-wishes to both injured musicians as they recover.
Baltes spent more than 30 years in ACCEPT before departing the band in 2018, with Martin Motnik taking over on bass; he has performed with Udo Dirkschneider's U.D.O. project since fall 2022. Fan-filmed video of the fall circulated following the show, underscoring the seriousness of the incident and prompting renewed discussion among fans and industry observers about stage safety standards at festival and club-sized venues across Europe's busy summer touring circuit.