Morrissey postpones Indio, Calif., concert over ‘blown voice’ — 20th cancellation this year

The increasingly commitment-phobic Morrissey abruptly canceled tonight’s concert in Indio, Calif., without official explanation — bringing the total number of shows Moz has canceled or postponed in 2009 to at least 20. And that’s not even counting the two U.K. performances the ex-Smith cut short after first collapsing on stage and then, two weeks later, storming off after getting bonked in the head with a water bottle tossed by a fan.

Morrissey’s Web site was updated this afternoon with a terse announcement of the cancellation of tonight’s concert at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, with the advisory that fans “please stand by for possible rescheduling information.”

The venue’s site, however, comes off a bit more optimistic, reporting the concert will be rescheduled, and offering this explanation: “Fantasy Springs Resort Casino management was informed Saturday morning that Morrissey had ‘blown out his voice’ and would be unable to perform Saturday night.”

The concert was to be the fifth of nine U.S. dates in support of the singer’s new B-sides compilation, Swords. Instead, it’s the 20th concert — by Slicing Up Eyeballs’ count — either postponed or canceled outright this year by the singer during his tours of the U.S. and Europe. While Moz did reschedule some of his scrapped U.K. and European dates, he has yet to make good on any of the now seven U.S. concerts canceled this year.

Our own theory of what’s really behind tonight’s cancellation: The very thought of returning to Indio — home of the Coachella festival and its purveyors of barbecued meat — so nauseated Morrissey he couldn’t bear the thought of taking the stage. Or maybe he really did just blow out his voice.

See Morrissey’s remaining tour dates after the jump…

Morrissey tour dates:

Dec. 7: Fox Theater, Pomona, CA
Dec. 8: Copley Symphony Hall, San Diego, CA
Dec. 10: Gibson Amphitheatre, Los Angeles, CA
Dec. 11: Ventura Theatre, Ventura, CA

PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS:

• Video: Morrissey storms off stage after getting hit in head by drink
• Video: Morrissey returns to stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall
• Morrissey released from hospital, Monday’s Bournemouth concert postponed
• Morrissey collapses on stage during U.K. concert, hospitalized in stable condition
• Morrissey’s U.S. tour dates: West Coast concerts planned in November, December
• Morrissey ‘irked’ at Andy Rourke’s claim he was fired from The Smiths via postcard
• Morrissey fleshes out fall European tour, featured in another nearly naked photo
• Tracklist for Morrissey’s ‘Swords’ b-sides CD revealed; singer plans L.A. concert
• Morrissey: Don’t buy my new box sets — I’m not making money off them