British Singer Jumps To His Death At Festival
Posted by: MilesSmiles on 21 August 2010
Bizarre
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The lead singer of a British electro-pop trio has jumped to his death at a Belgian rock festival, shortly after playing a set on stage.
Charles Haddon of Camden-based band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool climbed up a telecommunications mast behind the main stage at the Pukkelpop festival and threw himself to the car park below.
The 22-year-old was pronounced dead late on Friday night and district attorney Marc Rubens said police were treating the death as a suicide.
"After performing with his band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, singer Charles Haddon decided to take his own life," Pukkelpop organisers said in statement.
"Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and friends."
The rest of the band said they were "so deeply saddened" and thanked fans for their messages of support.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman confirmed the death of a Briton on August 20 in Hasselt, eastern Belgium, and said consular assistance had been offered.
It was the second time the three-day festival was hit by tragedy.
On Thursday, Michael Been, the 60-year-old frontman of American band The Call suffered a fatal heart attack while working as a soundman for his son's band, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool were due to perform at the Frequency Festival in Austria this weekend and were to start a UK headline tour in Cambridge in October.
The band had supported La Roux on tour last year, which Haddon described in a blog as being a personal highlight.
They also played at Glastonbury and Bestival festivals last year, and were due to make a second appearance at Bestival, on the Isle of Wight, on September 10.
Their third single, Jackson's Last Stand, was released in July.
Haddon's death has shocked fans, who left tributes on the band's Facebook page.
One wrote: "I was At Pukkelpop yesterday. I saw Ou Est Le Swimming Pool live for the very first time. I was really impressed. I just can't believe that we were the last crowd to see Charles alive. I'm so shocked. What a waste.
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The lead singer of a British electro-pop trio has jumped to his death at a Belgian rock festival, shortly after playing a set on stage.
Charles Haddon of Camden-based band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool climbed up a telecommunications mast behind the main stage at the Pukkelpop festival and threw himself to the car park below.
The 22-year-old was pronounced dead late on Friday night and district attorney Marc Rubens said police were treating the death as a suicide.
"After performing with his band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, singer Charles Haddon decided to take his own life," Pukkelpop organisers said in statement.
"Our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and friends."
The rest of the band said they were "so deeply saddened" and thanked fans for their messages of support.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman confirmed the death of a Briton on August 20 in Hasselt, eastern Belgium, and said consular assistance had been offered.
It was the second time the three-day festival was hit by tragedy.
On Thursday, Michael Been, the 60-year-old frontman of American band The Call suffered a fatal heart attack while working as a soundman for his son's band, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
Ou Est Le Swimming Pool were due to perform at the Frequency Festival in Austria this weekend and were to start a UK headline tour in Cambridge in October.
The band had supported La Roux on tour last year, which Haddon described in a blog as being a personal highlight.
They also played at Glastonbury and Bestival festivals last year, and were due to make a second appearance at Bestival, on the Isle of Wight, on September 10.
Their third single, Jackson's Last Stand, was released in July.
Haddon's death has shocked fans, who left tributes on the band's Facebook page.
One wrote: "I was At Pukkelpop yesterday. I saw Ou Est Le Swimming Pool live for the very first time. I was really impressed. I just can't believe that we were the last crowd to see Charles alive. I'm so shocked. What a waste.