1996/06/29, Helter Skelter festival, Große Freiheit 42, Hamburg, Germany

Robin Colman (sisters@pandora.be)
for The Sisters of Mercy Tours site

Initially, there were four Helter Skelter festivals planned in the summer of 1996 in Germany: the first one in Munich, the second one in Hamburg, the third in Berlin on 6 July 96 (Sisters not asked, only Sex Pistols) and the last one in Ochtrup.

Ticket sales didn't go as good as expected. A lot of people were disillusioned by the hype and the bad reviews the Sex Pistols got in previous places and didn't want to pay over 65 DM (over £20) to see them. So the ticket sales went really bad.

Just enough people were there in Munich, but in Hamburg (Alsterdorfer Sporthalle) they had almost no tickets sold! They cancelled The Sex Pistols and The Sisters as these were the most expensive acts on this festival. Only the smaller bands played (Cypress Hill, Dog Eat Dog, Shelter and Sugar Ray) in the much smaller Große Freiheit 42 on the Hamburg Reepherbahn. However, both Sex Pistols and Sisters had a clause in their contract that they would get paid anyhow, even if the show got cancelled.

As the organization had no other option, they made a deal with Sisters and Sex Pistols to put up an extra date on the 14th in Hanau (the August SchatterHallen.) A lot of things went wrong there also, and on the last day, that venue was replaced to Offenbach Stadthalle. Main point is that not so many people were aware of this last gig and not so many people turned up. And that Sisters and Pistols got paid after all.

The ticket was scanned by Robin Colman.