Clean Getaway: UoB stunned as Gradball headliner pulls out last minute

• Clean Bandit BAILED on Gradball days before gig 
• Guild says it is ‘deeply disappointed and frustrated’ by drop-out
• UK Drum & Bass band Sigma set to replace Clean Bandit as headline act

The headline act for this year’s Gradball, Clean Bandit, have pulled out with just two weeks to go until the big event.

Clean Bandit, who have recently soared to success in the UK, dropped the Guild an email earlier in the week informing them due to “promo commitments… [they] will not be able to fill this commitment.”

It’s more a case of not to be I’m afraid

In a statement released this afternoon, the Guild said: “We are deeply disappointed and frustrated to report that Clean Bandit will no longer be performing at this year’s Grad Ball on Thursday 12^thJune.”

But it’s not all doom and gloom – the Guild have had a quick turn around in securing a decent replacement (don’t worry, it’s not Labrinth).

They said: “We can now confirm that at short notice, we have been able to secure the British drum and bass duo, Sigma as the replacement headline act for your Grad Ball 2014.

“In addition, we can also confirm we have added British singer-songwriter, Jess Glynne to the line-up. Also performing at the Grad Ball 2014 is Gorgon City.”

Speaking exclusively to The Tab, President Poppy Wilkinson and VP Jethro Lee said: “We were genuinely gutted when we received the email and we did our upmost to try and persuade them to change their minds but clearly their “promo commitments” were more important than performing at our students’ Grad Ball.”

It seems Clean Bandit would rather be elsewhere, like Liverpool uni where they are still set to perform this Friday.

Students expressed their disappointment after hearing the news today, with one commenting on the Gradball Facebook page “There is no one else ‘I’d rather it be’ than clean bandit…”

Others were more optimistic about drum and bass duo Sigma taking Clean Bandit’s place. One student commented, “Sigma is way better”. 

Despite Clean Bandit’s decision to pull out pretty last minute, Poppy said “Gradball will still be a night to remember and it’s about much more than the acts.”