Pearl Jam is the latest artist to alter tour plans due to the coronavirus. The rockers announced Monday that they are postponing the North American leg of their Gigaton Tour as the virus continues its global spread throughout the U.S.
The band shared the news on Twitter just days before the 13-date North American run was set to begin in Toronto March 18.
“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,” Pearl Jam wrote. “We have and will always keep the safety and well-being of our supporters as top priority. 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.”
Eddie Vedder and company also noted how the public health situation has escalated in their hometown of Seattle. The region was among the first in the U.S. to experience the virus and to date has seen over 100 residents infected and 18 deaths, according to Bloomberg.
“As residents of the city of Seattle, we’ve been hit hard and have witnessed firsthand how quickly these disastrous situations can escalate,” the band tweeted. “Our kids’ schools have closed along with universities and businesses. It’s been brutal and it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. 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.”
The group went on to say that they “have no reason to believe” the coronavirus spread will be contained in the near future but look forward to getting back on stage to perform. They concluded the message by saying that tickets will be honored at future dates.
The headlining tour was intended to coincide with the March 27 release of Gigaton, their first album in seven years. Pearl Jam’s European tour dates remain unchanged for now as the band is still on track to launch their overseas leg in Germany on June 23.
Pearl Jam’s next confirmed performances in the U.S. will be at New Jersey’s Sea.Hear.Now Festival and California’s Ohana Music Festival, both taking place in late September.