Lollapalooza was already a rainy disaster, but Portugal. the Man had another one after their performance at the festival on Sunday: the band’s van, trailer and gear was stolen in Chicago on Monday!
Using their twitter account, they have posted some pictures of the red Ford 15 passenger 350 van with a black trailer attached and Alaska license plates FJH244.
These Alaska plates should not be too difficult to spot! But what kind of scumbags do that?
The band has tweeted they just want the van and gear returned, since it is irreplaceable equipment, ‘It is a part of us’ as they said,… they even expressed some humor with a ‘worst thing to ever happen that got us exposure. Slightly ahead of sharing a hometown with Sarah Palin.’
Portugal. The Man has just released a new album last month, 'In the Mountain In the Cloud’, their first one released via major label Atlantic Records.
Frontman John Gourley talked to the Oregonlive on Monday afternoon, declaring: ‘Basically every bit of money Portugal. The Man has made over the last five years was in that trailer’
The equipment, which consists of a numerous amount of pedal, guitar, bass and drum equipment that they have accumulated over the year, was listed here, and looking at this long list, I can see why they worry:
https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AhuqJxSxnrEPdEUyd0oxNWJPTGphLXZkN1hNRFQ5dXc&output=html
They have already received an outpouring of support as it is reported by the Oregonlive:
‘Orange Amps, maker of a rare bass amp that was stolen, offered a free amplifier in exchange for the return stolen one, no questions asked’. Blitzen Trapper offered Portugal. The Man whatever they needed — including loaner equipment.’
But still, it is their stuff, they want it back and as Gourley said ‘We need to find this stuff, because it's who we are and what we do at this point. It's the last three records, using those guitars and amps.’
I really hope they find it.