Rock band's instruments stolen from trailer after Maryland concert: "It feels heartless"
A band says its trailer was broken into and several instruments were stolen following a concert earlier this week in Maryland.
The band, called Sponge, performed at The Fillmore Theatre in Silver Spring on Tuesday and was staying at the Holiday Inn hotel in College Park.
The next morning, they discovered their trailer had been broken into in the hotel parking lot, and six instruments were stolen.
The band shared photos on social media showing the damage and what appeared to be a broken padlock. The trailer could be seen propped open, with empty guitar cases on the ground.
"They sawed off the locks and just cracked it enough to get the small items out of the back," said guitarist Andy Patalan.
The band told CBS News Baltimore the stolen instruments included four electric guitars and two bass guitars.
They are now offering a $1,000 reward and hoping to spread the word in case anyone recognizes the instruments at local pawn shops or music stores.
"We would like to get these back, no questions asked," Patalan said, adding, "One was especially dear to my heart, was a vintage 90s Reverend Commando that is kind of irreplaceable."
The band shared the following descriptions:
- 1990s Reverend Commando, orange/pink sparkle, offset body, cream pickguard
- Reverend Pete Anderson Signature Eastsider S, satin black, with a Railhammer Hyper Vintage bridge pickup
- Reverend Warhawk, avocado/green burst, white pickguard
- Black Fender Stratocaster, made in Corona, CA around 1997-98, serial Z0152378
- Black Fender Jaguar bass
- Black Fender Precision bass
The Prince George's Police Department confirmed it is investigating the burglary.
Sponge is an American alternative rock band from Detroit, Michigan best known for their 1990s hits, "Plowed," "Molly (16 Candles)," "Wax Ecstatic," and "Have You Seen Mary."
They are currently on the road as the supporting act for Candlebox's "Can't Quit You Tour."
After the Maryland stop, they were scheduled to perform Wednesday in Buffalo, New York. In another post on social media, the band thanked Candlebox for loaning them guitars so that show could go on.
Patalan said the company Reverend Guitars is now sending them a few guitars to use for the rest of the tour.
"We're doing our best to try to protect what we've got just to keep going. We're living on a shoestring budget traveling. We don't have a road crew or anything, traveling in a van across the country," he said.
To make matters worse, this isn't the first time the band has been robbed.
"Not again, because, like I said, a few years ago, it happened to us," said Patalan. "It feels heartless."
Asked whether this will stop them from touring or returning to Maryland, he replied, "No, we'll sing a cappella if we have to."
Their tour continues Thursday at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before wrapping up on Oct. 30 in Sayreville, New Jersey.
