Royal Blood have postponed their upcoming tour dates in the UK, Ireland and France after frontman Mike Kerr tested positive for COVID-19.
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The two-piece played the sixth show of their latest UK tour in London last night (March 30), and had been due to perform next in Leeds tomorrow (April 1).
In a statement shared on their social media channels this afternoon (March 31), Kerr confirmed that he had tested positive for COVID-19 following last night’s London gig.
“I’m heartbroken to write this, but despite being fully protected and taking precautions, I have tested positive for COVID following last night’s show at The O2,” he wrote.
“This morning I’ve woken up to discover I have lost my voice. Unfortunately, this isn’t something I can ‘power through’, I currently cannot sing a single note. My voice has gone.
“I’m absolutely gutted. We were having the time of our lives up there, and your support and passion is not taken for granted for one second.”
Kerr added: “I’m so sorry to advise that I cannot continue the tour and want to apologise for the huge disappointment and inconvenience this will cause you all. We will work as hard as we can to reschedule the shows for as soon as possible.”
An additional message attached to the post has advised Royal Blood fans to keep hold of their tickets, which will remain valid for any rescheduled tour dates.
The duo’s upcoming North American tour is set to go ahead in Toronto on April 18 as planned.
You can see Royal Blood’s affected UK, Ireland and France tour dates below.
APRIL 2022
1 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
2 – AO Arena, Manchester
3 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
5 – 3Arena, Dublin
7 – Zenith Paris – La Villette, Paris, France
Speaking to NME earlier this month, Kerr said that Royal Blood’s latest single ‘Honeybrains’ is “a snapshot of right now” and that more “instinctive” music would follow.
“Even with [2021 album] ‘Typhoons’, which was more of a departure than anything we’d done before, it’s never a designed or premeditated idea,” he told NME. “We always just follow what we’re feeling at the time. Having just made that record, we felt the most free, secure and unlimited.
“No thought went into this track – in the best possible way! I wasn’t writing for any reason. I wasn’t trying to write a single or the next Royal Blood song; I was just making music.”