American singer Alex Warren has canceled his concert in Auckland, New Zealand, saying he is too unwell to perform, just four days before the release of his third studio album.
Warren broke the news to fans through his Instagram Stories hours before he was due on stage. He said Auckland was a city he never wanted to let down, adding that it broke his heart to have to write the message, but that he had to cancel that night's show.
He said he had tried everything to make the concert happen, but that he was sadly bedridden at that moment. He said he could barely speak, let alone sing, and that doing the show was not possible.
Part of a world tour
The canceled date was part of Warren's world tour, called "Finding Family On The Road," which began on April 4 and is scheduled to run until September 12. His statement did not specify exactly what had left him bedridden, though the message suggested it could be a virus or a cold picked up during the run of dates.
His next scheduled concert is set for August 28 in Sydney, Australia, giving him four days to try to recover before he is due back on stage.
Message to fans
Warren also addressed fans who had planned to attend the Auckland show. He said he loved them very much and hoped they knew how grateful he was to each of them. He said he understood what it takes to attend a concert, and that knowing so many people had traveled for this one had made the decision even harder. He repeated that he loved them and hoped they would understand.
Cancellations of this kind are common in the touring lives of singers and other live performers. While the disruption is difficult for fans who traveled in advance or gave up other plans to attend, what happened to the American artist can happen to anyone, particularly on tour, when the vocal cords are under the greatest strain.
Refund details
Warren also gave practical information for ticket holders. He said fans would shortly receive refund information from the point of purchase, and asked them to check their email for further details.
New album due in four days
Aside from the setback, which he is expected to recover from, the cancellation comes just four days before the release of Warren's new album. Warren, whose song "Rescuer" reached number one, had already let fans hear fragments of nearly every track on the record ahead of its release.
The songs due to feature on the album are "Emerald Eyes," "Same Stars," "Passenger," "Rescuer," "Cry Wolf," "Fine Place To Die," "Are You Having Fun, Alex?," "I Miss You More," "Only Thing Left," "Fever Dream," "Won't Go Back Again," "Last Time" and "Wildchild."
