PAPA ROACH have cancelled their Louder Than Life appearance after what the band described as "an unexpected emergency" involving bassist Tobin Esperance. They had been due on the Life Stage at 8:25 p.m. on Saturday, September 19.
The band announced the cancellation on Friday.
"After careful consideration and advice from medical professionals, PAPA ROACH bassist Tobin Esperance will be unable to perform this weekend due to an unexpected emergency," the statement read. "Therefore, we will not be able to perform at this year's Louder Than Life festival, and wish everyone the best.
"Right now, Tobin's health is our immediate concern. We look forward to welcoming him back on stage in November and appreciate the continued support and respect for his privacy during this time."
No further detail has been given, and the reference to November suggests the band expect to be back before the year is out rather than facing anything open-ended.
Esperance is one of the band's longest-serving members, and has played bass on every PAPA ROACH album from the "Infest" breakthrough onward.
The cancellation caps an unsettled weekend in Louisville. On Friday the festival was evacuated for a couple of hours over the threat of severe weather, with gates reopening just after 5 p.m. and organisers directing fans back through the entrances.
Louder Than Life runs through September 20 at the Kentucky Exposition Center, with more than 200 bands across seven stages. This year's headliners are IRON MAIDEN, MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, LIMP BIZKIT, TOOL, PANTERA, MEGADETH, PIERCE THE VEIL, A DAY TO REMEMBER, SUBLIME, GOJIRA and Danny Elfman. The site adjoins the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park, which festival wristbands also cover.
It is the second piece of lineup disruption around the festival this month. Earlier in September David Ellefson confirmed he would share the Louder Than Life bill with MEGADETH, five hours apart on the same day, and said he did not mind in the slightest.