Rocked Before the Show: Band Robbed at Gunpoint Just Minutes into US Tour
British rock band Sports Team kicked off their first-ever US tour with a harsh dose of reality: a terrifying armed robbery.
The incident happened just 10 minutes into their journey.
The band, fresh off the plane in California, had pulled into a Starbucks in Vallejo. It was 9 a.m., nearly an hour away from their first gig in Sacramento. While resting before the performance, a group of armed men confronted the band, ransacking their van.
“Just been robbed at gun point 10 minutes into the US tour,” They shared in an Instagram post accompanied by the heart-stopping footage of the incident.
“Man runs in saying some guys are smashing into a van,” they continued. “Ran out to try to stop it and find masked guys ransacking the van.”
Though shaken, the band made their gig. “They can take our Nintendo Switches but they can never take our ability to play rock songs about motorways,” they quipped online afterward.
However the "Here’s the Thing" hitmakers also expressed their surprise at the casual resignation to the police response, with local authorities advising them to file a report online. "In all seriousness pretty shocking how resigned everyone seemed to be to it. ‘It happens,’" they reflected.
The robbery resulted in the loss of laptops, in-ear monitors, cameras, and other personal items.
One particularly unsettling detail from drummer Al Greenwood’s account: "Somebody opened the door and was like, does anybody have a white Sprinter van? Because you’re being robbed right now,’” Greenwood told BBC News. “ Lauren, our tour manager, was slightly ahead of me, and somebody else ran past us in the opposite direction, and said, ‘Careful, he’s holding something.’”
He added: “I really thought I was about to watch someone get shot, because it took a while for our tour manager to realize. In the video, you can hear me screaming at her to get down.”
Despite the ordeal, the band was able to pull their performance together, even with their precious instrument unharmed.
The band’s debut album “Deep Down Happy,” done awards, receiving critical acclaim and shooting to number two on the UK Albums Chart,seitige. “It stiff, propelling them through a successful tour." <
"M5," "The Drop,"
Their 2022 album “Gulp!”, continued their success"they, debut album, “Deep Down Happy,” EDITORIAL “Deep Down Happy,” the culmination of sharply
"The Drop
, and a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Prize.
The band’ Please tell Hug
"Those familiar sights
"It happened." "
How did the Sports Team member describe the experience of being robbed?
## Rocked Before the Show: A Chat with Sports Team
**Today we’re joined by [Guest Name], member of the British band Sports Team, who recently experienced a terrifying ordeal just minutes into their first-ever US tour.**
**Guest:** Thanks for having me.
**Interviewer**: Let’s talk about what happened. You were robbed at gunpoint just ten minutes into your tour. Tell us about the incident.
**Guest**: It was surreal, honestly. We had just landed in California, excited to finally be kicking off our US tour. We stopped at a Starbucks in Vallejo to grab some coffee before heading to our first gig in Sacramento. We were just chilling, getting ready, when someone came running in saying guys were smashing into our van. We ran out, and there they were, masked and armed, ransacking the van. It was terrifying.
**Interviewer**: This must have been incredibly frightening. Did anyone get hurt?
**Guest**: Luckily, no one was physically hurt. But it was a very intense experience, and understandably everyone was shaken up.
**Interviewer**: You posted footage of the incident on Instagram. What prompted you to share that?
**Guest**: Honestly, we felt it was important to be transparent with our fans. Plus, it was a pretty wild story. And, I mean, who robs a band ten minutes into their US tour? We had to share that.
**(Chuckles)**
**Interviewer**:
You mentioned your first gig in Sacramento. You actually still made it to the show! How did you manage that after such a traumatic experience?
**Guest**: We were determined. They might have taken our Nintendo Switches, but they couldn’t take our passion for rock ‘n’ roll. We had a show to play, and our fans were waiting for us.
**(Smiles)**
**Interviewer**: That shows incredible dedication! What message do you have for your fans, and any other bands heading out on tour?
**Guest**: First, thanks to those who reached out with support.
We’re incredibly grateful. To other bands, be vigilant, stay safe. And remember, even when things get tough, the music always wins.
**Interviewer**: Well said. Thanks for sharing your story with us, [Guest Name], and best of luck on the rest of your tour.
**Guest**: Thanks for having me.
[[1](https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/british-indie-rock-band-sports-team-robbed-gunpoint-vallejo-starbucks/)]
