Pearl Jam was scheduled to kick off its North American tour on March 18, but the four-month long run is postponed amid coronavirus fears.
The rock band took to social media on Monday (March 9) to share the news in a lengthy message. “As residents of the city of Seattle, we’ve been hit hard and have witnessed firsthand how quickly these disastrous situations can escalate. Our kids’ schools have closed along with universities and businesses. It’s been brutal and it’s gonna get worse before it gets better,” they wrote. “So we are being told that being part of large gatherings is high on the list of things to avoid as this global health crisis is now beginning to affect all of our lives.”
“Unfortunately, communing in large groups is a huge part of what we do as a band and the tour we’ve been busy planning for months is now in jeopardy… We have and will always keep the safety and well-being of our supporters as top priority,” the message continued. “So it is with deep frustration and regret that we are forced to make this most unfortunate of announcements… This scheduled first leg of our PJ/Gigaton tour will need to be postponed and shows rescheduled for a later date.”
“Again, here in Seattle what we are witnessing we would not wish for anyone,” the message concludes. What we do wish for the rest of the country is that they can avoid the harsh negative effects of this and retain their sense of community and take care of one another. Just as we look forward to our next concerts and the ability to gather together and play loud songs as energized as ever. We are so sorry… And deeply upset.. If anyone out there feels the same based on this news, we share that emotion with you.”
The tour is the latest of countless that have been canceled or postponed due to the global pandemic. See Pearl Jam’s full announcement below.
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