moe. has announced that its tour will go on as scheduled. The band will kick off its fall tour tonight at The Orpheum Theatre in Boston, MA. Bassist Rob Derhak released the following statement yesterday.
Hi everyone, I would like first to say that everyone here with moe. feels the deepest sympathy towards the victims of this unbelievable act of terrorism. The band has always thought of New York as it’s home, and those feelings are stronger now more than ever. As I was watching the Today Show on Tuesday morning, they broke into what I thought was going to be a story about a freak Cesna crash into the world trade center, I felt my heart drop as I watched the second jumbo jet fly directly into the other tower. As I went numb, I knew right away that this was the worst day our country has seen, in my lifetime. As many of you have been glued to your T.V. sets, I’m sure you all know the events, in order, as they unfolded. Not sure how to react, and still having trouble believing, and comprehending what took place, I just watched and took in all the information they were feeding me. Then today, I learned that one of my close friends and colleagues here with moe. has lost dear friends of his own. I also learned that another friend was trapped in his apartment, a block away, watching the destruction and the horror of people’s last ditch efforts to save there own lives. He witnessed people jumping a hundred stories, sometimes two or three at a time, holding hands to give each other courage. Before I knew any of that, I listened to the T.V. from another room, preoccupied with what I was doing. I heard a story about a man who was on one of the flights. This man simply called his wife with his cell phone and told her what was happening, that the plane was hijacked and that he wasn’t going to make it. He told her that he loved her and his children very much, and goodbye. I heard this and immediately tried unwillingly to place myself in that man’s shoes, and the minute that I did, I broke down into a full on cry. How horrible his last minutes must have been. Who the fuck deserves to have anything like this happen to them? I thought. Then it dawned on me, this is exactly what the sick fucks, who committed this horrific act, wanted to accomplish. Sorrow, anger, and frustrated helplessness, these are the weapons of people who have no regard for life, and innocence. Someone who I respect dearly once said to me, Always remember what your enemies do to you, there will be a time, when they least expect it, and when they are most vulnerable, to pay them back in full. With this in mind, we plan on doing all of our shows. If nothing else to prove that life goes on. We also hope that we are providing, if for only a few moments, an escape and an opportunity for people to take their minds off of the events on the last few days.
For the complete tour schedule, visit www.moe.org.