Americana troubadour Todd Snider’s scheduled performance Saturday in South Salt Lake was canceled minutes before doors were scheduled to open — although the details of what happened are murky.
On Monday, an announcement posted on Snider’s social media said the musician “sustained severe injuries as the victim of a violent assault outside of his hotel.” The announcement also said Snider “will be unable to perform for an undetermined amount of time,” and the current tour has been canceled.
On Tuesday, the South Salt Lake Police Department issued a statement indicating that on Saturday at 3:40 p.m. officers were called to investigate a reported assault of a 59-year-old man at The Commonwealth Room — the venue where Snider was scheduled to perform that night.
“Limited information was obtained,” the statement said. “At this time, the exact location and details surrounding this incident are unclear.”
On Monday, a Salt Lake City Police Department spokesperson said there was no record of an assault victim by Snider’s name. On Tuesday, though, the department confirmed that officers had interacted with Snider Sunday afternoon.
Salt Lake City Police Det. Michael Ruff said Snider had flagged someone down Sunday afternoon at 245 S. State Street, near The Aster apartments, at about 3:40 p.m. and asked them to call police.
Originally Snider told the dispatcher that he had been beaten up and robbed the night before. When officers arrived “he basically told [officers] he’d been in town with his band, and the band left him,” Ruff said.
“All he could tell [officers] was he was mugged at the venue he was supposed to play at,” Ruff said.
Snider had already been treated at another hospital and had left there with staples in his head, Ruff said. Snider asked officers to take him to the hospital so he had somewhere to sleep, which officers refused, and Snider arrived at CommonSpirit-Holy Cross Hospital a few hours later and allegedly refused to leave.
A probable cause statement filed by police in Salt Lake City Justice Court Monday states that Snider had been discharged but didn’t want to leave and cursed and yelled at hospital staff.
A medical professional then told Snider to leave the property and not come back, the statement said. Snider left but returned, got in someone’s face and told the person he was going to “kick your ass,” according to the statement.
Snider, 59, was booked into the Salt Lake County jail Sunday evening, according to the jail roster. He was released Monday and was not required to post bail, a Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said.
Snider’s tour started last Thursday in Englewood, Colorado. The South Salt Lake show was the second stop on the tour, which was set to continue for the next two weeks in Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington and Montana.
“Todd has received treatment for his injuries and is expected to make a full recovery,” Snider’s publicist, Mike Krumper, said in an email to The Salt Lake Tribune. Krumper said he was unable to share any more details.
Snider is an Americana and blues musician and storyteller who has been recording for the past three decades. He is best known for songs like “Alright Guy,” “Beer Run” and “I Can’t Complain.” His most recent album, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” was released Oct. 17.
South Salt Lake police ask anyone with information related to the alleged assault to call the department at (801) 840-4000.
Update • Nov. 4, 12:50 p.m.: The story has been updated with further comments from a Salt Lake City police detective.
Correction • An earlier version of this story misidentified CommonSpirit-Holy Cross Hospital.