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Rock band singer killed in plunge from stage
EXCLUSIVE BY CHRIS MURPHY THE lead singer of an up-and-coming West Yorkshire rock band died after a stage dive went tragically wrong at a gig in Leeds.
Revellers at the city centre's famous Warehouse club, on Somers Street, looked on in horror as Bad Beat Revue frontman, 25-year-old Patrick Sherry, flung himself offstage at end of their set on Wednesday night, as part of the Club NME tour.
Onlookers said the singer, from Bradford, tried to grab the lighting rig hanging from one of the venues wooden beams before losing his grip and plunging to the solid wooden floor head first.
After his fall paramedics were called and the club was emptied. He died at Leeds General Infirmary on Thursday morning.
One eyewitness, who did not want to be named, said: "The band were on at just after 11pm and the lead singer was very energetic, running around on the stage and had already been into the crowd during the set.
"Just before it happened he was looking in the air towards the roof. He put the microphone down and crouched down before leaping off the stage, which was about a metre high, and trying to grab the lighting rig.
"I don't know whether he caught it or not but his momentum carried him forward.
"Basically he went upside down and hit the floor head first. The whole thing lasted about five seconds. It was horrendous."
Bad Beat Revue have been together since 2002 and have played a host of gigs at venues in Leeds including Oporto, Josephs Well and The Faversham.
They only stepped into Wednesday's opening slot a few hours before the gig after another band pulled out.
Graham Hartley, manager at The Warehouse, told the YEP: "It was just a tragic accident and our thoughts are with his friends and family, as well as the rest of the band and their manager."
An inquest is due to open in Leeds next week, and Police have been to The Warehouse to take photos and review CCTV footage.
Horrendous
A spokesman from West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service said: "We got called to The Warehouse in Leeds at 23.37pm on Wednesday.
"We attended to a 25-year-old male who had come off the stage and sustained head and back injuries. He was taken to the LGI."
chris.murphy@ypn.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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