Elvis Costello cancels tour dates due to cancer recovery

Elvis Costello has been forced to cancel the remaining 6 dates of his current European tour due to recovery from cancer surgery. He wrote that he had a “small but very aggressive cancerous malignancy” and that the cancer has already been “defeated” but that three to four weeks of recovery are recommended. So it sounds like all is mostly well… here’s to a speedy recovery, Elvis!

You can read his full statement:

Elvis Costello has been forced to cancel the remaining 6 dates of his
current European tour on medical grounds. His doctor has strongly
advised him to take a break from his current tour itinerary and rest.

Ticket holders should go to point of purchase for refunds.

Elvis apologises to his fans and releases the following statement:

“Six weeks ago my specialist called me and said, “You should start
playing the Lotto”. He had rarely, if ever, seen such a small but very
aggressive cancerous malignancy that could be defeated by a single surgery.

I was elated and relieved that our European summer tour could go ahead.

Post-surgical guidelines for such surgery, recommend three weeks to four
weeks recovery depending on whether you are returning to a desk job or
an occupation that involves physical work or travel.

It was impossible to judge how this advisory would line up with the
demands on a traveling musician, playing 90-minute to 2-hour plus performances
on a nightly basis but by the time we reached the Edinburgh Playhouse, I was
almost fooled into thinking that normal service had been resumed.

I have to thank our friends attending last night’s show in Amsterdam and
those in Antwerp, Glynde and at Newcastle City Hall for bearing me up.
The spirit has been more than willing but I have to now accept that it is
going to take longer than I would have wished for me to recover my full strength.
Therefore, I must reluctantly cancel all the remaining engagements of this tour.

My apologies go to our ticket holders in Manchester, Pula, Graz, Vienna,
Tysnes and Rattvik but I would rather disappoint our friends there by
not appearing than in pressing on with a show that is compromised and
eventually puts my health at risk.

My deep thanks go to Pete Thomas, Steve Nieve and Davey Faragher of The
Imposters for all their deep friendship, love and support during this
upsetting time. Thanks also to Kitten Kuroi and Briana Lee whose beautiful voices
have spurred me on to do the singing that I’ve managed, whatever the cost. It
goes without saying that there are many others who have worked to get us
to the stage and from town to town to whom I am also deeply grateful.

To leave you with some more optimistic news, The Imposters and I –
together with several of our other friends – have made a magnificent new
record of which we are truly proud. It will be issued in October, I
believe. We will return at the soonest opportunity to play that music
and your favourite songs that still make sense to us all.

Take very good care of your loved ones but Gentleman, do talk to you
friends – you’ll find you are not alone – seek your doctor’s advice if
you are in doubt or when it is timely and act as swiftly as you may in
these matters. It may save your life. Believe me, it is better than
playing roulette.”

Yours through music. Elvis Costello”

As he mentions in the statement, the new Elvis Costello & the Imposters album will be out in October. It’ll be his first for Concord Records. The Imposters also have upcoming North American dates, including Chicago’s Riot Fest and Asbury Park’s Paramount Theatre on November 6. Tickets for the Asbury Park show are still on sale but only single seats are available. Updated tour dates are listed below.

Watch Elvis Costello play “Alison” at Woodstock ’99:

Elvis Costello — 2018 Tour Dates
Jul 6, 2018 CASTLEFIELD BOWL MANCHESTER UNITED KINGDOM
Jul 8, 2018 PULA ARENA PULA CROATIA
Jul 9, 2018 KASEMATTEN – SCHLOSSBERGBÜHNE GRAZ AUSTRIA
Jul 11, 2018 KONZERTHAUS VIENNA AUSTRIA
Jul 14, 2018 TYSNESFEST GJERSTAD ARENA TYSNES NORWAY
Jul 16, 2018 DALHALLA RÄTTVIK SWEDEN
Sep 16-18, 2018 RIOT FEST CHICAGO, IL. UNITED STATES
Nov 2, 2018 THE SANDS BETHLEHEM EVENTS CENTER BETHLEHEM, PA. UNITED STATES
Nov 4, 2018 DAR CONSTITUTION HALL WASHINGTON, DC. UNITED STATES
Nov 6, 2018 PARAMOUNT THEATRE ASBURY PARK, NJ. UNITED STATES
Nov 7, 2018 TURNING STONE RESORT CASINO VERONA, NY. UNITED STATES
Nov 9, 2018 TOYOTA PRESENTS THE OAKDALE THEATRE WALLINGFORD, CT. UNITED STATES
Nov 10, 2018 BOCH CENTER WANG THEATRE BOSTON, MA. UNITED STATES
Nov 11, 2018 SHEA’S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER BUFFALO, NY. UNITED STATES
Nov 13, 2018 THE FILLMORE DETROIT, MI. UNITED STATES
Nov 15, 2018 NORTHROP AUDITORIUM MINNEAPOLIS, MN. UNITED STATES
Nov 17, 2018 20 MONROE LIVE GRAND RAPIDS, MI. UNITED STATES
Nov 19, 2018 ORPHEUM THEATRE MEMPHIS, TN. UNITED STATES
Nov 21, 2018 PEABODY OPERA HOUSE ST. LOUIS, MO. UNITED STATES
Nov 23, 2018 WINSTAR WORLD CASINO THACKERVILLE, OK. UNITED STATES
Nov 25, 2018 FILLMORE AUDITORIUM DENVER, CO. UNITED STATES
Nov 27, 2018 COMERICA THEATRE PHOENIX, AZ. UNITED STATES
Nov 28, 2018 HOUSE OF BLUES ANAHEIM, CA. UNITED STATES
Nov 29, 2018 THE WILTERN LOS ANGELES, CA. UNITED STATES
Dec 1, 2018 THE MASONIC SAN FRANCISCO, CA. UNITED STATES
Dec 3, 2018 PARAMOUNT THEATRE SEATTLE, WA. UNITED STATES
Dec 4, 2018 QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE VANCOUVER, BC. CANADA