Rod Stewart’s planned tour of Australia has been canceled due to the wave of COVID-19 cases currently spreading the country.
The veteran British singer was booked to perform nine concerts throughout March and April 2022.
However, due to the “ongoing surge of COVID in Australia and the reimposition of entertainment venue capacity limits in several states,” Stewart’s tour has “regrettably, been cancelled,” reads a statement issued by Live Nation, which is producing the trek.
Stewart was scheduled to play a mix of arenas, and outdoor wineries, for Roundhouse Entertainment’s A Day on the Green series.
“My dear friends, once again I feel we’ve all been cheated by this evil disease, so it is with great regret that I announce my shows for 2022 have had to be canceled,” Stewart says in the statement.
“My thoughts are with all your families at this difficult time as we come out of the joyous and hopefully safe holiday season and I look forward to returning to Australia as soon as the health situation permits.”
Australia, like other countries, is in the eye of an Omicron storm. Though vaccination levels here are high, many locals are unable to procure rapid antigen tests, and COVID-19 cases are soaring.
The state of New South Wales has activated a controversial “no singing, no dancing” policy in entertainment venues, while Victoria this week announced a temporary ban on indoor dancefloors, alongside strict social distancing measures.
And on Thursday, the state of Queensland announced the largest number of COVID deaths recorded on a single day, with six. Omicron is now said to be the dominant variant in these parts.
Stewart promises he’ll make the long haul when the health crisis settles. “I’m absolutely gutted with disappointment and when I do eventually get there we‘ll have the party to end all parties,” he says. “Guaranteed.”
