“It’s not an unusual thing when you promote shows in churches,” explained Stefan Lehmkuhl, who promoted the June 13 show at Cologne Kulturkirche on behalf of Intro Intim, Germany’s free 140,000-circulation music magazine.

“They’re very strict on curfews in these places and Cologne is a very Catholic city. It’s not unusual to be told to stop right on time, whether the band is in the middle of a song or not.

“As it was, Editors got to the end of the song before they had to stop playing.”

According to the U.K.’s NME, which reported that “local cops forced their way into the venue” following noise complaints from locals, the act still feels it owes Cologne a song.Lehmkuhl is not sure police were present at all and feels the story may have been the result of a misunderstanding between his promoter’s rep and the band’s tour manager.

“I don’t think the rep knew the translation for ordnungsamt [municipal department for public order] and used words like ‘church police’ when he explained to the tour manager. It may be the person from ordnungsamt threatened to call the police if the band didn’t stop, but he certainly wouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”