The tour, originally announced as a five-band package also featuring NAPALM DEATH, STRAPPING YOUNG LAD and THE BERZERER, was set to include VOIVOD in the middle slot, with a dozen dates having already been confirmed beginning on January 17th in Houston, Texas.

A Chophouse Records representative, speaking exclusively to BLABBERMOUTH.NET yesterday, put VOIVOD's involvement with the tour in doubt, insisting that the quartet were going to be skipping the NILE tour in favor of a headlining trek following the projected March 2003 release of the band's next album, The Multiverse.

The announcement of VOIVOD's non-participation in the NILE tour evidently came as a surprise to the agent — John Finberg of First Row Talent — who has cited several recent conversations with the band's manager, James MacLean, as proof of the Montreal-based group's continued interest in the package.

"We have received confirmation of [VOIVOD's] participation from the band's manager over five weeks ago and have over 12 confirmed dates (more than half the tour)," Finberg told BLABBERMOUTH.NET. "There was a conversation with the manager of VOIVOD last Monday regarding concerns of the band being able to fulfill 'the entire tour' due to a delay in the recording of the new record, but after we last spoke on the Friday just past, there were no changes. It was mentioned at one point that VOIVOD might indeed miss the first couple of shows but that itself has still not yet been made official either. If anything, the manager of VOIVOD expressed a true desire for the band to do this tour. [MacLean] has handled himself in the most professional manner since day one and we are sure he will continue to do so. So since he has not informed us of this change, this is how it stands. We don't think that this piece of information would just 'slip my mind' and he would 'not remember to call.' "
-------------------------------------

I would actually prefer VOIVOD to Headline a Tour, rather than be packaged in the middle with a bunch of other Bands.

I wonder....