Queens of the Stone Age announced on Tuesday morning (July 9) that the group has been forced to cancel a string of planned European dates this month due to a medical issue affecting singer Josh Homme. “QOTSA regret to announce that Josh Homme must return to the United States immediately for emergency surgery,” the group wrote on Instagram.
At press time a spokesperson for the group had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional information on what procedure Homme will undergo or a timetable for his recovery. “Every effort was made to push through and play for you, but it is no longer an option to continue,” the statement continued.
“Queens are gutted we aren’t able to play for you,” the group said in the statement. “We apologize for any inconvenience and share in your frustration and disappointment.” Last week, the group informed fans that they would not be able to perform at the preview of this year’s AMA Music Festival on July 5 in Italy “due to illness.”
The affected shows include:
July 10 — Vitrolles, FR @ Festival Jardi Sonore
July 13 — Trencin, SK @ Pohoda Festival
July 16 — Berlin, DE @ Zitadelle Spandau
July 17 –Ostrava, CZ @ Colours of Ostrava
July 18 — Vienna, AS @ METAstadt
July 20 — Cluj, RO @ Electric Castle Festival
July 23 & 24 — Zagreb, HR @ SRC Salata
July 28 — Athens, GR @ Athens Rocks
The post encouraged ticket holders for the festivals to visit the event’s websites for updated information, with ticket holders for headlining shows asked to await contact directly from the point of purchase. According to setlist.fm, the most recent show the band performed was on July 6 at the Ippodromo del Galoppo di San Siro in Milan, Italy.
At press time the band’s official page lists another run of European festival dates in August as the next shows on the band’s tour schedule, beginning with an August 8 show in Gothenburg, Sweden at the Way Out West Festival. Following six more Euro festival dates, Queens are slated to bring their End Is Nero tour — which kicked off in Sterling Heights, MI in August 2023 — to U.S. shores again in September, beginning with a show at the MGM Music Hall at Fenway in Boston on the 27th.
See the band’s statement below.
