Tornado Hits French Festival Minutes Before B-52s Set, Destroying Band’s Equipment

The B-52s were moments from taking the stage at the Retro C Trop festival in Tilloloy, France, on Saturday when the weather turned violent. According to frontman Fred Schneider, the promoter had been aware of a dangerous storm approaching but still instructed crew to set up and told the band to prepare. Tour manager Alice Martin advised them to hold back ten minutes; soon after, lightning and hurricane-force winds hit.

“Scaffolding even fell from the stage and destroyed our equipment. Keyboards, mic stands, laptops, sound equipment. All destroyed,” Schneider wrote on Facebook. He described crew sheltering where they could, power cutting repeatedly backstage, and no clear warning given to the audience. The band did not perform.

The festival later confirmed it was a tornado, announcing the cancellation of Sunday’s program—which was to include Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Europe—because public reception facilities were destroyed. “We hope everyone got home safely,” the B-52s posted. For an event that markets itself on pastoral charm, the failure to communicate risk before a severe storm reached the site raises questions about how seriously safety protocols were taken.