Riley Gale Foundation Issues Statement Objecting To The Surprise Power Trip Reunion In Austin, Then Issues Apology And Clarification
The surviving members of Power Trip staged a surprise reunion Friday at the Mohawk in Austin, following a performance by guitarist Blake Ibanez’s new band Fugitive. It was the first time the remaining Power Trip members took the stage together since the death of frontman Riley Gale in 2020. They played four songs, with Fugitive’s Seth Gilmore stepping in to handle the vocals.
The Riley Gale Memorial Foundation was not pleased. Gale’s family previously sued the other members of Power Trip in an effort to gain more control over management of the band’s legacy and future activities. Now, as Lambgoat points out, the foundation has issued a statement strongly critiquing the surprise Power Trip reunion.
In the statement, Gale’s family writes that they were not consulted about the reunion. They believe the show should have been held in Dallas, ideally as part of the foundation’s annual Riley Gale & Friends Day charity concert. The statement also suggests that Gale laid out specific instructions for who should replace him on vocals at any posthumous Power Trip show.
Here’s the full statement:
The Riley Gale Memorial Foundation & Gale family are aware of the event that took place at Mohawk in Austin, TX on December 1st, 2023. It caught us entirely by surprise.
At no point in the planning or lead up to that moment was anyone in the Gale family consulted, or even invited.
We were not asked our thoughts or feelings about it taking place.
If we were, we would have liked to discuss who would fill in on vocals, since Riley had laid out very specitic requests for this exact scenario.
We would have requested it take place in Dallas, where Riley and Power Trip were born, and where Riley was instrumental in building up the Dallas hardcore and metal community before even setting foot on stage as a performer.
We would have liked it to be a surprise and wonderful addition to the Riley Gale & Friends Day concert, the main fundraising event for the Riley Gale Memorial Foundation, a 501(c)(3) that supports the causes Riley cared about as well as aiding up-and-coming bands through the Riley Gale Band Touring Grant.
Riley’s family would have liked the opportunity to show our appreciation to you, Riley’s fans who continue to support him by listening and buying albums because we know how much his lyrics and music meant to his fans.
As Blake said on stage at Mohawk, they owe a lot to Riley, and the Gale family agrees wholeheartedly.
Riley’s family was not included, and that’s unfortunate, but for those among you who love Riley and what he stood for, you can show your love by buying albums directly from southern Lord Records and becoming a part of the Riley Gale Memorial Foundation at the link below.
Keep an eye out for our announcement of Riley and Friends Vol. 3 early next year–it will feature bands that Riley knew and loved along with hundreds (hopefully thousands) of Riley’s fans and family.
“Birth. Life. Death. Repeat. The goal is to manifest higher than before.”
REST IN POWER.
www.rileygale.org
UPDATE: The Riley Gale Foundation has shared a follow-up statement responding to people who interpreted the prior statement as “some attempt to grab money.” The statement clarifies includes a multi-point clarification about the foundation’s nonprofit status as well as an apology from Gale’s father, Brandon Gale, who authored the original statement, and a note of appreciation for Gilmore’s performance in Gale’s stead at the Power Trip reunion.
Here’s the new message:
The Gale family posted a message on December 2nd and we were saddened to hear that many fans interpreted our original message as some kind of attempt to grab money, which is absolutely not the case. The wishes communicated were simply the ones Riley had shared with his friends and family given the state of the world in 2020, prior to his death. They were never demands. Please take a moment and allow us to correct any confusion we created.
1. The loss of our son, brother and friend Riley is something we will never recover from.
2. The Riley Gale Memorial Foundation (RGF) was established after Riley died by Riley’s family and a handful of his friends and Power Trip fans. The mission of the foundation is to continue the legacy Riley created by raising money for the social causes that were important to Riley and his fans.
3. The Riley Gale Memorial Foundation is an IRS approved 501 c 3 non-profit legal charity and any funds raised must be handled by the laws governing non-profits.
4. 100% of the net funds raised for the foundation are distributed to the causes that Riley supported.
5. The RGF has no employees, no paid executives, and only distributes funds to charitable causes. It operates completely by the kindness and dedication of volunteers.
6. Riley’s surviving siblings and his parents agreed that all royalties and income due to Riley’s estate go into the foundation.
7. The Gales have not taken a single dollar nor benefitted in any way financially from Riley’s estate and in fact the Gale family has used its own resources to fund the establishment of the foundation and all expenses for the fundraising events.
8. To date, the foundation has made significant donations to Dallas Hope Charities (over $100,000 in direct contributions and donations from RGF) and Dog Ranch Rescue.
9. The RGF established The Riley Gale Band Tour Grant to help up-and-coming hardcore/metal artists to cover touring expenses. The first recipient of the band grant was Frozen Soul, who also headlined the foundation’s fundraiser, Riley and Friends Vol. 2 in August of ’22.
10. The RGF will continue to support Dallas Hope Charities, animal rescue and re-homing organizations, the Riley Gale Band Tour Grant, and mental health & wellness support organizations going forward.We also would like to specifically appreciate and thank Seth Gilmore. He really put his all into that performance.
Our only mission is to embrace the incredible legacy of caring for and comforting those who are marginalized, discarded, or simply forgotten by society. Those of you who truly knew Riley knows this was and is his legacy. We are grateful that Riley’s passion for the hardcore community and his work growing Power Trip to one of the best bands in the world will help fund Riley’s wishes for decades to come.
As Riley’s dad and the person who wrote the original message, it broke my heart to hear that I got it wrong. I humbly request that you understand the raw emotions we face and how they impact us every day thinking about what the world lost when Riley died.
Respectfully,
Brandon Gale
On behalf of the Gale family and The Riley Gale Memorial Foundation
