TRIBUTES have been paid to a British drum technician who was killed when a stage collapsed before a Radiohead concert in Canada.
Scott Johnson, 33, from Doncaster in Yorkshire, died when the top portion of the stage fell in on him as he was setting up for the show in Toronto on Saturday. A further three people were injured.
The Oxfordshire band had been due to play to a sold-out crowd at the city's Downsview Park, but cancelled the show after the accident.
Ian West, Mr Johnson's drum teacher in Doncaster, said his former pupil toured the world with famous bands, including Radiohead and Keane.
"It was a very, very big shock. He was a great student and a great drummer. He got a lucky break and made the most of it. He never looked back.
"The list of bands he worked with was endless. His CV had every band worth their salt on it – a lot of British bands and world-class bands."
Tony Vella, a spokesman for Toronto police, said crew was setting up the stage when it collapsed. A force spokesman later tweeted that once the structure was deemed safe to work around, forensic officers would begin a joint investigation with the coroner and the Ministry of Labour.
Fellow musicians who paid tribute to Johnson on Twitter included Geoff Barrow, instrumentalist with Bristol band Portishead, and Tim Burgess, lead singer of The Charlatans.
Jack Lawrence Brown, drummer with White Lies, tweeted: "Devastated to learn that the man killed in the Radiohead stage collapse was drum tech Scott Johnson.
"Scott worked with White Lies on a show earlier in the year as my drum tech. A very talented man and a lovely guy all round. Glad to have known him. A big loss. RIP Scott."
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