Pearl Jam is postponing the North American leg of its Gigaton world tour because of concerns over the new coronavirus, the band announced Monday. Seventeen US and Canadian performances, beginning on March 18 in Toronto through April 19 in Oakland, Calif., are indefinitely postponed, according to the band's website. Pearl Jam said it was announcing the postponements "with deep frustration and regret," the AP reports. "The levels of risk to our audience and their communities is simply too high for our comfort level," a band statement said. "Add to that we also have a unique group of passionate fans who travel far and wide. We’ve always been humbled by this and respect their energies and devotion. However in this case, travel is something to avoid."
New dates will be determined and current tickets will be honored for those dates, the band said. Band members said they were personally being affected by the COVID-19 health fears. "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 said. "Our kids' schools have closed along with universities and businesses. It’s been brutal." Band members also criticized a lack of clarity from the government when it comes to staying safe and going to work, saying they didn't believe the virus would be controlled in the coming weeks. For now, European shows from June 23 to July 23 are still scheduled, along with two September shows in New Jersey and California, according to the band's website.
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