California-based fans of The Damned will have to wait to see the punk legends perform. The "Neat Neat Neat" band had announced that it had to cancel most of its shows in the state. The reason? A mysterious illness has taken hold of many of the band's members.
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The Damned Made the Announcement on Social Media
As reported by the New York Post, the British-based band made the heartbreaking announcement on Instagram. The shows were part of the group's "Final Damnation 50" tour, a celebration marking its five decades together.
"It is with great regret and considerable disappointment that we have to announce the cancellation of all remaining California shows on our current North American tour," it read.
This means that shows scheduled this week in San Diego, Huntington Beach, and Los Angeles will not go on. However, one show in San Francisco, scheduled for yesterday, Nov. 11, has been rescheduled for April 11.
The group added, "Since leaving the UK, we've been hit by one virus after another, and unfortunately some members of the band are now simply too ill to continue."
It is not clear which members of The Damned are ill. The illness that sidelined the band is also unknown.
The Band Says It's "Gutted" About Canceling the Shows
The statement continued, quoting a famous Kenny Rogers song to explain why the band needs to prioritize their health.
"This is the last thing we wanted," it read. "We've loved being out on the road and playing for you, and we're genuinely gutted that we won't be able to complete the remaining dates as planned.
"Sometimes you have to know when to hold em and when to fold em. Health has to come first, and we need to get ourselves fit and fighting again so we can return to the stage."
In addition to its San Francisco date, The Damned are scheduled to perform at Coachella on April 9 and 16. You can read the entire statement below.
