L.A.B. entertained crowds at Tauranga's Wharepai Domain. Photo / Jack Neale
L.A.B. entertained crowds at Tauranga's Wharepai Domain. Photo / Jack Neale
A motorbike accident on his new Harley, which left him with a dislocated shoulder and a high-speed visit to the hospital, did not stop L.A.B. frontman Joel Shadbolt from playing.
Halfway through a summer tour, Bay of Plenty-based mixed-genre supergroup L.A.B. opened for Fat Freddy's Drop in Tauranga's Wharepai Domainyesterday.
But a motorbike accident involving the band's lead vocalist and guitarist the day before nearly stopped play.
Shadbolt was on his way to get his haircut when he came off his Harley, hitting the grass and injuring his left shoulder.
"I knew it was bad, I thought it was broken it was a lot of pain, but no tears," Shadbolt said.
L.A.B. lead vocalist and guitarist Joel Shadbolt was in a motorbike accident just a day before his band played in Tauranga. Photo / Jack Neale
After being transported to Tauranga Hospital and having seven stitches in his forearm, Shadbolt was told by doctors he had dislocated his shoulder and would not be able to play for at least two weeks.
The first person Shadbolt called was his mum - and then he called his manager "Mikey" to break the news.
For a brief moment, the band discussed reshuffling their set without their frontman - but Shadbolt decided it was nothing "some pain killers and a wee drop of Whiskey" couldn't fix.
