Beach Slang not breaking up, but tonight's show is cancelled

UPDATE: Beach Slang are not breaking up. James posted a statement:

“Westerberg was playing his favorite guitar […]. Suddenly, he grabbed it by the body and slammed the neck down on the amplifier and splintered it completely. Afterwards, soundman Brendan McCabe approached him in shock: ‘Paul what the hell did you do that for. How could you wreck that guitar? You loved that thing.’ ‘Well that’s the difference between me and you Brendan,’ he told him. ‘You cherish things you love. Me? I destroy them.’”

The first time I read this part of Trouble Boys, I thought, “Fuck, maybe there’s really something to that. Maybe there’s romanticism in destroying the things you love.” Or maybe I’m just a messed up kid who thinks he never deserved any of this. I don’t know. After I left the stage in Salt Lake, thinking I was ending Beach Slang, I was walking down the street, back to the hotel, when a girl from the show ran up to me, hugged me so sincerely, and said, “Don’t do this. We need you.” Straight away, I realized I was wrong. There is nothing sweet, there is no light, and there is nothing romantic when the thing you love is broken.

Salt Lake, for the car crash last night and Boise, for fumbling on you, I am gigantically sorry—even bigger than that. I am going to make good on making it up to you. Cross my heart.

This, and all of you, mean too much to me. I love you with thunder. I love you all the way.

So, yeah, Seattle, we are still coming to your good city, wild-eyed and ready, our hearts bashed back into shape.

If you’re still in, we are.

For us—all of us,
James Alex

Earlier today, SPIN reported that Beach Slang may have announced their breakup on stage in Salt Lake City last night (4/28). They quoted an Instagram posted by Rey Barraza, which reads:

Ok NOBODY QUOTE ME UNTIL YOU HEAR IT FROM THE BAND!! I just had an interesting experience tonight, beach slang put on a fun show! But James kept making comments about this being the last Beach Slang show and how we should all get a refund and we all though it was a big theatric joke and after speeding through their set their other guitarist literally threw the guitar down and stormed out of the stage and James said that that was the last show following by him hitting his guitar against the stage and walking out… Did I just witness the final Beach Slang show? I really hope not, I really am hoping I’m being naïve and didn’t read through some theatrics, once again don’t quote me on this lets wait to hear it from the band first

They also posted the following tweets:

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/725925411096387585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/726052821989122048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/726050836120395776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/726050640829407233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/726050026288373760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/BenHibsh/status/726015199170334722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/JerricaSalazar/status/725921495759753216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

https://twitter.com/JerricaSalazar/status/725921882050981889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

And this video of James saying, “We were Beach Slang, thank you. Natalie, give them their money back,” followed by Ruben throwing his guitar:

There’s still no official statement from the band, and we reached out for comment, but meanwhile, tonight’s (4/29) at Neurolux in Boise has been cancelled. The venue writes:

Unfortunately, tonight’s Beach Slang show is canceled.
Refunds available at point of purchase. All online purchasers will be sent refunds shortly. Potty Mouth and Dyke Drama have also canceled.

Beach Slang said on stage in NYC last week that a new album is due out in September. Their tour with Potty Mouth and Dyke Drama continues at The Vera Project in Seattle on Saturday (4/30). Check out more pictures from their recent Brooklyn show: