Morrissey postpones U.S. tour opener in Chicago over guitarist’s visa problems

Morrissey today postponed what was to have been the opening night of his upcoming tour of the United States and Mexico — Thursday’s sold-out concert at Chicago’s Congress Theatre — because his lead guitarist, Boz Boorer, can’t perform in the U.S. this week “due to a visa administration error.”

According to a press statement posted at fansite True To You, “The issue is out of Morrissey’s hands but it will not affect Monday’s concert at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, nor will it affect the rest of the tour.” The Chicago show has been rescheduled for Dec. 17.

The upcoming U.S. tour, which follow Moz’s extensive touring of the U.K. and Europe this summer, marks the former Smiths singer’s first American concerts since a pair of cancellation-prone visits in 2009. Unlike this week’s concert, however, those shows were never rescheduled.

Morrissey tour dates:

UNITED STATES
Nov. 14: Majestic Theater, San Antonio, TX
Nov. 15: Bass Hall, Austin, TX
Nov. 17: McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Dallas, TX
Nov. 19: Santa Fe Center, Santa Fe, NM
Nov. 20: Orpheum Theater, Phoenix, AZ
Nov. 22: Center for the Arts, Escondido, CA
Nov. 23:  Performing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Nov. 25: The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 26: Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA
Nov. 28: Fox Theater, Pomona, CA
Nov. 29: Performing on “Conan”
Dec. 1: Fox Theatre, Oakland, CA

MEXICO
Dec. 5: Arena, Monterrey
Dec. 7: Plaza Condesa, Mexico City
Dec. 8: Plaza Condesa, Mexico City
Dec. 10: Auditorio del Complejo Cultural Universitario, Puebla
Dec. 12: Diana, Guadalajara
Dec. 13: Diana, Guadalajara

UNITED STATES
Dec. 17: Congress Theatre, Chicago, IL

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:

• Morrissey to perform on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!,’ ‘Conan’ during upcoming U.S. tour
• Morrissey announces 17-date fall tour of southwestern U.S., Mexico
• Morrissey: Norway killings ‘horrific,’ but millions ‘murdered every single day’ for fast food
• ‘The Smiths — Complete’ box set: 8 albums on vinyl, CD; plus 25 7-inch singles, DVD
• Video: Cheeky ad for The Smiths’ ‘Best…’ spoofs comp as suicide soundtrack
• ‘Fuck Morrissey-solo.com’: Morrissey attacks his own fansite with naughty T-shirt
• The Smiths’ ‘Queen is Dead’ released 25 years ago today; watch ‘Rank’ concert
• Stream: Morrissey debuts three new songs on Janice Long’s show on BBC Radio 2