No UK tour for So Solid

So Solid Crew won three Mobo awards

Garage act So Solid Crew have had to cancel their entire tour after fears of violence at their gigs.

On Monday, dates at Cardiff, Leicester, Liverpool and London were scrapped, before four more venues followed suit on Tuesday.

The promoters took the decision to call the entire tour off, against the wishes of So Solid Crew and support act Oxide and Neutrino.

It follows a shooting at their 1 November gig at London's Astoria, where two men received gunshot wounds.

They do not condone or encourage violence in any way

So Solid Crew spokesman

The group, who went to number one in the singles charts earlier in the year with 21 Seconds, had to run for cover as gunmen began shooting.

The Metropolitan Police said none of the group was involved in the incident.

The shooting prompted the band to put out a statement saying that they "abhor violence and have made it clear on their record that they want the violence to stop".

Upset

A spokesman for the band said they were shocked at the scrapping of their tour.

He said: "The artists feel that there has been a massive over-reaction from the various authorities because they hail from the underground garage scene and not the usual route of pop or rock bands.

"They do not condone or encourage violence in any way, and have made this clear in their condemnation of the recent incident at the Astoria."

So Solid Crew and Oxide & Neutrino, were due on stage at Cardiff University Students Union on Thursday.

A spokesman for the students' union said: "The decision to cancel the concert was made on the advice of the police.

"They had received information that there might be problems outside of the venue.

"While they were happy with the security we had organised inside, they felt we couldn't guarantee people's safety outside."

Oxide and Neutrino are number 12 in the charts

'Safety reasons'

The band were due to perform at the Cambridge Corn Exchange, on 9 December, but decided to scrap the event after meetings with local police.

"We are disappointed but we have been left with no alternative due to safety reasons and the concerns of the police and local authority in addition to our own," the spokesman said.

This year So Solid Crew won three Mobo awards and their number one single, 21 seconds, sold 375,000 copies.

Oxide & Neutrino entered the charts on Sunday at number 12 with Rap Dis.

The band's management say are currently looking for alternative venues for concerts in the new year.