THE OWNER of a bar was left fuming after a popular guitarist set to do a live gig at his venue was forced to cancel his show after 'poor ticket sales.' 

Carl Verheyen, 68, was going to be performing at Marrs Bar on Pierpoint Street on Sunday (October 9) but the event was cancelled after the bar could not sell more than 12 tickets. 

Marr's Bar is a popular venue for music lovers but it struggled to sell even a dozen tickets to see Verheyen who is regularly named as one of the best guitarists.

Verheyen is only set to play a handful of shows in the UK - but even that did not seem to draw in the crowds.

The venue's owner Brian Marrs said the show had fallen victim to "apathy" and that other venues had struggled with live show ticket sales. 

He said he was aware that other venues had started to cancel shows due to poor ticket sales.  

Mr Marrs said: "Carl Verheyen has cancelled his scheduled show for Sunday 9th October due to poor ticket sales...

"I've seen lots of other venues forced to cancel shows due to poor ticket sales just lately - and today we have become victim of the same apathy.

"FFS people, this is the guitarist from Supertramp, one of only 3 shows he was doing in the UK.

Worcester News: The Samples were live at Marrs Bar earlier this yearThe Samples were live at Marrs Bar earlier this year (Image: Supertramp guitarist, Carl Verheyen was forced to cancel his gig at Marrs Bar after poor ticket sa)

"One of the Top 10 Guitar Players in the World” Guitar Magazine

"One of the Top 100 Guitarists of All Time” Classic Rock Magazine

"Verheyen’s guitar work will blow you away” Guitar Player Magazine

...yet we couldn't sell more than 12 tickets."

Supertramp is best known for the hits The Logical Song, Give A Little Bit and Take the Long Way Home.

Verheyen won the LA Music Awards category of Best Guitarist at their sixth annual awards ceremony and has recorded with such artists as The Bee Gees and Dolly Parton.

He auditioned for the Supertramp and was hired as a sideman and toured with the band on their 1985 to 1986 world tour, Brother Where You Bound.

In 1996, Rick Davies re-formed Supertramp adding Verheyen as a formal band member along with three other new members bringing the band up to an eight-man line-up.