Vaccines fans who can’t name album barred from gig

WELSH fans of indie band The Vaccines were interrogated by police and bouncers at a recent gig, and refused entry if they could not name the lead singer or the band’s albums.

The Vaccines: Gig-goers refused entry. Picture: Contributed

Acting on a tip-off about potential pickpocketing, Venue Cymru in Llandudno enacted the tough door policy at Monday’s gig.

Six people were deemed to have given insufficient answers, and had their tickets confiscated.

One of those who was denied entry, musician Andy Bellis, claims that bouncers were refusing entry to those who ‘didn’t know enough’ about the London band.

Bellis, member of local band The Uninvited, said: “We’re pulled aside to get searched and all that and the security guy asks if I know the lead singer and could I name their 2 albums and some songs. I couldn’t think off the top of my head so... he took the tickets off us and said we couldn’t watch the band because we didn’t know enough information about them.”

Bellis, in an interview with WalesOnline, added: “I remember my first experiences of gigging to be a lot of fun by not knowing much about the bands I was going to see. So do I have to revise the history of each performer when visiting Venue Cymru?”

Venue Cymru have issued an apology, and will be refunding Bellis’ ticket money.

The lead singer of the Vaccines is Justin Young. The band’s two albums are What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? and Come Of Age.

The Vaccines play Rock Ness festival next month.