Another no show

• Last Updated: November 07. 2009 6:42PM UAE / November 7. 2009 2:42PM GMT

Musicians are not a particularly reliable group. They’re good at keeping time but not at being on time. A legendary example is the great country singer George Jones whose troubles with substance abuse caused him to miss so many concerts that he was dubbed “No Show” Jones. He has since sobered up and is now a 78-year-old titan.

The latest no-show musicians are Echo & the Bunnymen, the Liverpool post-punk band who were supposed to be the headline act for the final night of the Dubai Sound City music festival. The American hip-hop group De La Soul and the South African band The Dirty Shirts were also no-shows. Various reasons are given: problems with transport, visas and “unforeseen circumstances”.

This is disappointing, naturally, but not surprising. Putting your heart into a musician’s appearance is inviting grief, as many a wife and girlfriend can attest. Echo & the Bunnymen have a shape-shifting history, having formed and split up and reformed many times since their debut at Liverpool’s Eric’s Club in 1978. Vocalist Ian McCulloch and guitarist Will Sergeant are what’s left of the band. Ex-members number five. After their no show in Dubai, the band may have many more ex-fans.