Melbourne psych-rock collective King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have been forced to cancel a number of European and UK dates due to a “personal health crisis” affecting frontman Stu Mackenzie. The news came just one week after the band embarked upon their current tour of the UK and Europe, having already completed dates in Ireland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.
The news was announced via the band’s Instagram page overnight, with Mackenzie explaining that the cancellation was due to his own struggles with Crohn’s Disease, and noting his surprise at the fact the band hadn’t cancelled any shows for this reason previously.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have cancelled UK/EU due to a “personal health crisis”:
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“Right now, my health is in really bad shape and I need to get home for some urgent treatment,” he explained. “I’ve always kept my struggles with Crohn’s private. I guess I didn’t want to be defined by it. And maybe I’m not defined by it, but I’m certainly dictated by it.
“It’s [a] looming threat has shaped almost every major decision in my adult life,” he added. “I think about it and plan for it and around it every day. I know a lot of people deal with chronic illnesses. I’m sorry. It fucking sucks.”
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard also noted that all upcoming dates would be rescheduled if possible, though all concertgoers would also be offered refunds where appropriate. The current tour follows on from a number of US dates, and a handful of other shows throughout Europe earlier in the year.
Further Reading
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