Update: The owner of the bus said the band was late paying a $6,000 bill, so they instructed the driver to return home. GAYNGS deny the claim. And cue… Indie-busgate 2011.

Tough luck for Minneapolis based indie super group GAYNGS. Late Friday night, just hours before they were set to hit the stage for a performance at the Austin City Limits music festival, the band’s tour bus and gear mistakenly departed Austin and driven across the country. Unable to contact the driven and gather up the necessary replacement gear in time, GAYNGS were forced to cancel their ACL appearance.

Incidentally, the canceled festival performance ended what had otherwise been a rather successful debut tour, which included an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. According to GAYNGS leader Ryan Olson, the J-Fal performance “turned us into a living, breathing band.”

The good news is that contrary to initial reports, the bus and gear weren’t stolen. And though Olson said on Saturday that the band doesn’t have any plans for the future, an issued statement reads, “We can only hope to have the opportunity to make it up to all of you.” So stay tuned for any additional details.