San Francisco Bay Area metallers MACHINE HEAD have canceled their previously announced rescheduled 2020 tour dates for Europe and Australia due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.
The second run of European dates was originally scheduled to kick off in Zaragoza, Spain on April 19, continuing across Portugal, Eastern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, wrapping in the U.K. with a Birmingham show at the Academy on June 6. After being postponed once, the shows were slated to kick off on October 8 in Pamplona, Spain and conclude on November 23 in London, England.
Earlier today, MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn released a statement announcing that the aforementioned dates have been "pushed back indefinitely" and "will not be rescheduled a third time."
He wrote:
"Hey guys, Robb here.
"Hope you and yours are doing well and are staying healthy through all of the craziness.
"It is with great disappointment and frustration that we must inform everyone of the (not so shocking news) that the due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, rescheduled tour dates for 2020 of both Europe and Australia have been cancelled.
"These dates will not be rescheduled a third time, and all Machine Head tour dates have been pushed back indefinitely.
"Venues unable to open or currently operate at capacity, along with travel restrictions, and potential quarantines has forced this decision onto us. At the moment, zero venues on the tour have been allowed to reopen, and are not expected to for the foreseeable future. As the Coronavirus continues to ravage the world, 17 of the 19 countries for the EU tour have banned US citizens, and vice-versa.
"As you will know the majority of these dates have been rescheduled once already from the original onset of the pandemic, but without any sign of a likely time when these shows can be playable or a miraculous vaccine appearing, we are making the responsible decision to cancel all our forthcoming shows.
"Full refunds will be available from point of purchase.
"Until now, almost daily efforts have been made to figure out a way to keep the tours intact, these last 4 months have been a head fuck of major proportions, we had no idea and no blueprint of how to address many of the issues we were facing.
"As I have implied to you all, we lost a staggering amount of money on the US tour, money we were hoping to make up on the 2nd EU run. And while you absolutely made it worth it, as each and everyone of you crazy motherfuckers who came out to the U.S. shows gave your blood, sweat, and tears (beers) for this band, now that these dates are officially off the table, we're gonna have to tighten our belts, and dig in for the long haul.
"On behalf of both the band and management, I want you all to know how grateful we are for your continued support of MACHINE HEAD, it was a genuinely amazing doing this last go round of 'Burn My Eyes' 25th anniversary dates for you all. People often say metal fans are the most loyal and passionate in the world, Head Cases are that TIMES TEN!!!
"We do not know what the future holds, but want nothing more than to get back on the road, put on some MONSTER 3 hour shows for you guys, and RAGE with you all whenever this mess ends.
"Sincerely hope to see you sooner rather than later.
"Robb and MACHINE HEAD"
Each show on MACHINE HEAD's "Burn My Eyes" 25th-anniversary tour consisted of two parts: part one saw Flynn and bassist Jared MacEachern performing alongside new recruits, guitarist Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka (DECAPITATED) and British drummer Matt Alston (DEVILMENT, EASTERN FRONT); while part two featured "Burn My Eyes" played in its entirety for the first time ever, with original "Burn My Eyes"-era drummer Chris Kontos and guitarist Logan Mader joining in.
On June 17, MACHINE HEAD released "Civil Unrest", a two-song digital single featuring A-side "Stop The Bleeding" and B-side "Bulletproof". This pair of fierce protest anthems were both written days after the back-to-back murders of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery. "Stop The Bleeding" features a guest appearance from KILLSWITCH ENGAGE frontman Jesse Leach, with Flynn and Leach trading lyrical lines that spit anger and frustration at current events.
MACHINE HEAD is donating a significant portion of the streaming proceeds from "Stop The Bleeding" to Grassroots Law Project, the organization representing George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
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