Morrissey cancels 3 more shows, apologizes and promises to be ‘fit as a ferret for San Diego’

Despite being photographed leaving Soundgarden’s concert last night in Los Angeles, Morrissey today announced that his doctors have ordered additional rest, forcing the postponement of three more concerts late next week — in Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco — as the former Smiths frontman continues to undergo treatment for a bleeding ulcer and Barrett’s esophagus, according to his official Facebook page.

Morissey followed that announcement with his own lengthy statement, posted to fan site True To You (and included below), in which he promises his treatment will be complete soon and he will be “fit as a ferret for San Diego” on Feb. 27. He also acknowledges he may be seen out and about in Hollywood (including at “heavy rock” shows), and is aware of his own reputation: “I fully realize that the word ‘cancellation’ in every known dictionary is followed by my own name, but no morale drops as low as my own at the mere suggestion of re-jigging shows.”

To date, Morrissey has canceled or postponed 19 concerts since falling ill Jan. 24 on his lengthy North American tour that already had been rescheduled since last fall, when he abruptly canceled the bulk of the dates to return to England to see his sick mother. So far, none of those shows have been rescheduled, although Moz has promised to do so with all but the Flint, Mich., concert.

The trek is now scheduled to resume with a “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” taping on Feb. 26, followed by six West Coast concerts, including his L.A. date with Patti Smith (see full dates below).

The statement posted to Facebook:

As the doctor has ordered additional rest for MORRISSEY, the upcoming engagements in Denver (2/21), Salt Lake City (2/22) and San Francisco (2/24) will need to be rescheduled. MORRISSEY is currently undergoing treatment for a bleeding ulcer and Barrett’s esophagus. These shows are in the process of being rescheduled immediately and all patrons are encouraged to hold on to their tickets as the new dates will be announced shortly. MORRISSEY thanks everyone concerned for their well wishes and looks forward to getting back on the road. The tour will resume with a performance on Live with Jimmy Kimmel on February 26 followed by six shows on the West Coast including a sold-out concert in Los Angeles at Staples Center on March 1.

The statement posted to True To You:

16 February 2013

Statement:

I am terribly sorry that the next three shows have been moved back. The worst is for the best. I am certainly on the road to recovery, but caution and prevention demand further IV blood work lest I keel over and die before your very eyes. I apologize to an almost annoying degree for any trouble I’ve caused to anyone by way of travel plans and dog-sitters and ticket-outlay and re-molded hairstyles. I should be as fit as a ferret for San Diego. Please don’t be too appalled if you see me out and about this week in the Hollywood area. Perversely, it’s all in accordance with doctor’s orders: to have myself re-integrated with the call of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd; the flash of light and the full thrust of mosh-pit sound. Illness turns the body into a complete stranger, and I’ll be testing the capabilities of my strides at the most unlikely music shows this week. The will to get on with it runs strong. Even death can be used as a springboard. For those scholars who are heatedly curious, my ulcer is now under reins, even if neither asleep nor dead, but the continued cause for concern is a slightly embarrassing absence of blood – most of which the bleeding ulcer relieved me of. Anemia sets its own terms with quite obvious biological conclusions, and I have spent these last weeks under expert medical care in Los Angeles with an almost erotic dependency on various IV drips. Sitting around reading indecent books is no substitute for continuing the tour, but my progress holds great promise and Flint shall not escape quite so lightly. We are all at the mercy of biological chance, and I once again beg for your liberal tolerance. If you bump into me this week at a heavy rock show, please understand that I’m lowering myself into the cut and thrust after weeks on ice – horizontal, with sockets empty of eyes. In the midst of the abyss, I’m saved by the news that tickets for the tour continue to sell very well, and my straightjacket twitches with excited gratitude. But the patient must be patient. Our goal, now, is San Diego, by which time my blood-work shall have finally taken its course and I shall be shot from a cannon and might even be equipped with an extra eye. We just never know, do we? Being on life’s danger list, I’ve found, actually prevents you from thinking about how you are, and there’s a bread-like warmth in giving in to whatever was meant for you and whatever wasn’t. The only critical mistake might be to confuse your pre-med with creativity – which is certainly worth the confusion if it renders you not fully present in your own life. Finally, I gorge myself on thanks for the many and varied messages of support that I’ve received over these recent four weeks. They have yanked me out of prolonged mood dips and cured a crisis of spirits. I fully realize that the word ‘cancellation’ in every known dictionary is followed by my own name, but no morale drops as low as my own at the mere suggestion of re-jigging shows. I sincerely ask for your pardon and your understanding. As for those of you who claim to now be officially sick to death of me – if this is really true, then why exactly are you reading this? As a matter of fact, I am even prepared to humble myself to nothing before those who carp; you see, any hospital-stay leaves us in danger of becoming unnecessarily agreeable. Life will right itself.

Whatever happens, I love you.

Morrissey
Los Angeles
16 February 2013

Morrissey North American tour dates:

Jan. 24: The Whiting, Flint, MI
Jan. 25: Orpheum Theater, Minneapolis, MN
Jan. 26: Chicago Theater, Chicago, IL
Jan. 28: Orange Peel, Asheville, NC
Jan. 29: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Jan. 31: Cobb Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Atlanta, GA
Feb. 2: Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS
Feb. 5: Surf Ballroom, Clear Lake, IA
Feb. 6: Rococo Theatre, Lincoln, NE
Feb. 9: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Feb. 10: Marquee Theatre, Phoenix, AZ
Feb. 12: Tricky Falls, El Paso, TX
Feb. 13: Austin Music Hall, Austin, TX
Feb. 15: Pharr Events Center, Pharr, TX
Feb. 16: Jefferson Theater, Beaumont, TX
Feb. 18: Palladium, Dallas, TX
Feb. 21: Temple Hoyne Buell Theatre, Denver, CO
Feb. 22: Kingsbury Hall, Salt Lake City, UT
Feb. 24: Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, CA
Feb. 26: Jimmy Kimmel Live! taping, Los Angeles, CA
Feb. 27: Balboa Theatre, San Diego, CA
March 1: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA (w/ Patti Smith)
March 2: John Ascuaga’s Nugget – Rose Ballroom, Sparks, NV
March 4: Robert Mondavi Center at UC Davis, Davis, CA
March 6: Moore Theater, Seattle, WA
March 8: Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR
March 9: Regency Ballroom, San Francisco, CA
March 14: Vive Latino Festival, Mexico City, Mexico

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