MOTÖRHEAD was forced to end its performance at the Wacken Open Air festival in Wacken, Germany earlier today (Friday, August 2) after only six songs due to frontman Lemmy Kilmister's health.
According to people attending the concert, MOTÖRHEAD spent less than half an hour on stage — 45 minutes less than scheduled — including drawn-out pauses between tracks and an unusually early solo spot, presumably to allow Lemmy enough time to gather his strength to perform.
After MOTÖRHEAD left the stage, Wacken Open Air co-founder Thomas Jensen announced to the shocked audience that the concert was over.
Bill Peters, host of the long-running "Metal On Metal" radio show and head of Auburn Records, was in the crowd during MOTÖRHEAD's set. He said: "[Lemmy] did not look or sound good at all and could not continue the set.
"Phil Campbell did a guitar solo before 'The Chase Is Better Than The Catch' while Lemmy left the stage. The solo ended but Lemmy did not return. There was eerie silence on the stage for several minutes. Lemmy came back to play one more song (my favorite MOTÖRHEAD song) but left the stage immediately after it ended. Wacken festival organizer Thomas Jensen came onstage and announced to the crowd he did not know what to do or say about a situation like this. It seemed very serious to me. Hopefully I am wrong."