BrooklynVegan + Margin Walker Lost Weekend 2019 at Mohawk
photo by Amanda Hatfield

UK duo Her's killed in car crash while on tour in the U.S.

BrooklynVegan + Margin Walker Lost Weekend 2019 at Mohawk
Her’s @ BrooklynVegan + Margin Walker Lost Weekend 2019 at Mohawk (more by Amanda Hatfield)

Both members of UK duo Her’s (Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading) as well as their tour manager Trevor Engelbrektson, were killed in a car crash on Wednesday (3/27) while traveling to their show at Constellation Room at the Oberervatory in Santa Ana, California, from their show at The Rebel Lounge in Phoenix, AZ. Their U.S. tour, which also included shows at SXSW and a headlining gig at Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, was set to end at Soda Bar in San Diego tonight.

The group’s label, Hit or Heist, confirmed the very sad news on Facebook:

It is with overwhelming sadness that we regretfully inform you that Liverpool band Her’s, Stephen Fitzpatrick and Audun Laading and their tour manager Trevor Engelbrektson tragically passed away in a road accident in the early hours of Wednesday, 27th March whilst travelling to a show in Santa Ana, California.

We are all heartbroken.

Having recently released their debut album “Invitation to Her’s”, Stephen and Audun were on their second tour of North America playing 19 dates of sold-out shows to a fanbase that adored them. The pair were one of the UK’s most loved up and coming bands.

Their energy, vibrancy and talent came to define our label. As humans, they were warm, gentle and hilarious. Each time they stopped by the office made for an uplifting experience. To say they were close would be an underestimation of a friendship that was genuinely beautiful to witness; they loved one another like brothers. Musically, Her’s were astonishing. An aptitude for melody, fun, and entertainment combined with a complexity that was as sophisticated as it was stylish. They were in America playing to thousands of adoring fans. Fans they made a point of meeting and spending time with, such was their passion and humbleness. The world was at their feet. Everyone here at the label is overwhelmed and distraught. We have lost our friends and the world has been denied their talent. – Heist or Hit (Mick Scholefield, Martin Colclough & Patrick Fogarty)

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of Stephen, Audun and Trevor, please respect their privacy at this extremely difficult time.

Though the stories haven’t been connected yet, the details match up with a wrong-way crash that killed four on I-10 in western Arizona

Four people are dead after a wrong-way driver collided head-on with another vehicle early Wednesday morning on Interstate 10 west of Centennial, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

The duo, who were blowing up on Spotify especially, were in the U.S. touring for their 2018 album, An Invitation to Her’s, and dates included SXSW where they played the second day of the BrooklynVegan + Margin Walker Lost Weekend day parties at Mohawk. Somebody told us their next NYC show was going to be a headlining one at Webster Hall.

Rest in peace, Stephen, Audun and Trevor.

Hers outside MHOW