Refused cancel comeback show after frontman suffers “massive heart attack”
Dennis Lyxzén, the frontman of the Swedish punk band Refused, has suffered a severe heart attack and is now recovering in hospital. The band was scheduled to perform at Stockholm’s Rosendal Garden Party festival on June 14th, marking their first performance in four years.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, Refused have maintained a low profile but stirred excitement among fans several months ago after announcing their first show in four years. The bitter-sweet announcement labelled the festival appearance as “their last festival gig in Sweden.”
As the festival staff make the finishing touches on site, as they anticipate to receive hordes of music fans and artists from around the world, Refused has regrettably announced a last minute cancellation. On June 13th, Lyxzén posted on his Instagram account to reveal the news about his ill health.
Although the announcement will cause concern, he intends to reassure fans that he is in good hands and is expected to make a full recovery. “It was extremely painful and wildly scary… Under the circumstances I feel ok,” he wrote. “Sore and tired and really shook up.” Lyxzén described the festival cancellation as “a complete bummer,” adding, “The good news is that with medication, I can get back to my rocking self hopefully sooner than later.”
The post includes a photograph of Lyxzén lying on his hospital bed, looking somewhat fatigued with all manner of tubes flowing in and out of his tattooed frame. With eyes fixed on the camera and a right hand showing the peace sign, he implores fans not to be too concerned.
Elsewhere in his caption, Lyxzén thanked the “doctors and nurses at the Uppsala hospital” for his survival and stable condition. “The Doctor said no rock for a couple of weeks,” he abidingly observed. “Life is weird and precious,” he signed off. “Take care of each and tell your loved ones that you love them.”
Lyxzén is just 51 years old but leads an extremely busy rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle. In addition to his commitments with Refused, he has been involved with several other touring acts, including The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Lost Patrol Band/INVSN, and Fake Names.
As the show was part of a wider festival, which is also set to include artists such as Massive Attack, M.I.A., Raye and Turnstile, Refused are unable to announce a rescheduled date for the show in Stockholm currently. However, hopefully once Lyxzén returns to full fitness, they are able to bid farewell in the Swedish capital. The band initially split up in 1998 before reuniting in 2012. Refused’s last album, War Music, arrived in 2019.
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