Phosphorescent Amazed by Return of Stolen Gear

Posted on Jul 15th 2010 10:00AM by Linda Laban
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Just days after Phosphorescent's rented van and $40,000 worth of equipment was stolen in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., it was found with every single piece of gear inside, untouched.

"I'm relieved, believe me. It's insane. It's been crazy," the band's frontman Matthew Houck tells Spinner, still lost for words in summing up this emotional rollercoaster. "It was completely unreal. I didn't believe it. I didn't do any celebrating until I actually saw the gear."

The van was stolen Thursday, July 8, after Phosphorescent launched a six-week tour for their newly released album, 'Here's to Taking It Easy,' with a show at New York City's Pier 54. When Houck heard about the theft on Friday morning, he admits his world crashed, but only for a minute. "There was no time for anything other than immediately trying to work out how to get more gear and get everything fixed up so we could get back on the road."

It was a blessing not to think about it, he admits. By the time Houck got the news, the blow was softened by his management team, who had already gone into damage control, putting out the word that the band needed help with gear loans and cash in order to continue the tour. "There was a massive outpouring of people who donated a little here and there," Houck says. "It was completely amazing how many people stepped forward. I didn't expect that would be a thing people would do. Shockingly, there were some large donations, too. It was heart warming to see that people cared so much."

Two dates were regrettably canceled, but the tour resumed in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday. In a weird way, what should have been devastating event was actually a positive experience. "Yeah, it was, in the end," says Houck. "That was the bright spot -- how supportive and caring everyone has been."

As for the theft, Houck jokes that the band has some theories: "That's the joke -- we were like 'OK, whose girlfriend didn't want us to go?'"