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Bruce Springsteen postpones European concerts due to ‘vocal issues’

The musician's concerts in Marseille, Prague, and Milan have been called off and he has been told not to perform for the next 10 days

Shahana Yasmin
Monday 27 May 2024 08:09 BST
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Bruce Springsteen has postponed at least four concerts on his European tour due to “vocal issues”.

The US rockstar, 74, was supposed to perform at Orange Vélodrome in Marseille on Saturday, which was postponed to a yet unannounced date.

Shortly after this, on Sunday, the musician released a statement on Instagram, announcing that that three other shows, at Airport Letnany in Prague on Tuesday (28 May), and at San Siro Stadium in Milan on Saturday (1 June) and Monday (3 June) would also be postponed.

This comes after “further examination and consulting has led doctors to determine that Bruce should not perform for the next 10 days”.

The entire statement reads: “Following yesterday’s postponement in Marseille due to vocal issues, further examination and consulting has led doctors to determine that Bruce should not perform for the next ten days.

“With this in mind, additional postponements are required for Airport Letnany in Prague (originally scheduled for May 28) and San Siro Stadium in Milan (originally scheduled for June 1 and 3).

“New dates for these shows will be announced shortly. Those wishing a refund will be able to obtain it at their original point of purchase.

“Bruce is recuperating comfortably, and he and the E Street Band look forward to resuming their hugely successful European stadium tour on June 12 in Madrid at the magnificent Civitas Metropolitan.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band’s tour has met with a series of problems since the tour started in September 2023. Two concerts in Philadelphia were postponed due to an unspecified illness in August, and then all planned performances for September were cancelled citing a decision made by “his medical advisors.”

In a statement in September 2023, it was announced that Springsteen was “being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease.”

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Bruce Springsteen (C-R) and the E Street Band perform at BST Hyde Park Festival 2023
Bruce Springsteen (C-R) and the E Street Band perform at BST Hyde Park Festival 2023 (Getty Images)

Springsteen told fans at the time: “Thanks to all my friends and fans for your good wishes, encouragement and support. I’m on the mend and can’t wait to see you all next year.”

The “Born to Run” singer has spoken about his health problems and how the peptic ulcer was preventing him from being able to sing.

“When I had the stomach problem, one of the big problems was that I couldn’t sing,” Springsteen said on SiriusXM’s E Street Radio.

“You sing with your diaphragm. My diaphragm was hurting so badly that when I went to make the effort to sing, it was killing me. So I literally couldn’t sing at all.”

“During the course of it — before people told me, ‘Oh no, it’s going to go away and you’re going to be OK’ — you know, you’re thinking, ‘Hey, am gonna sing again?’” he said.

“This is one of the things I love to do the best, most. And right now, I can’t do it.”

Springsteen and the E Street Band are currently scheduled to resume their stadium tour in Madrid on 12 June.

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