When Pearl Jam canceled a gig in Vienna this week, it was only the second time in the band’s more than 30-year career. But apparently it was necessary. Eddie Vedder is currently unable to sing. During a performance in Paris he had his voice demolished. Regardless of the disappointed fans in Austria, this has further consequences for the Pearl Jam tour.
On Friday (July 22) the group announced that the concert in Prague on Friday evening had to be cancelled.
Eddie Vedder “has seen a doctor in Prague and is continuing treatments for his vocal cords, but unfortunately his voice is still not back,” the statement said. “Once again, we sincerely apologize to all those who worked hard to put the show together. Our apologies even more to those who were looking forward to the concert.”
If you bought tickets for the show in Prague, you can get them refunded at any advance booking office.
“This is brutal news and terrible timing”
In a detailed statement, Pearl Jam explained the problem with Eddie Vedder’s voice after the cancellation of the Vienna gig on their social channels:
To everyone who was looking forward to a great ‘Pearl Jam’ show tonight in Vienna – so are we. Due to the extreme circumstances at the last outdoor event outside of Paris (heat, dust and smoke from the fires) our singer Ed Vedder’s voice was damaged. He’s been to doctors and has been treated, but his vocal cords haven’t recovered yet.
This is brutal news and terrible timing… for everyone involved. For those who work so hard to make the shows happen and everyone who gives their precious time and energy to be a part of it. As a band we are deeply sorry and have tried to find ways to play anyway. And Ed wants to play. There’s just no voice available at the moment… So we’re very, very sorry.
Will the fans in Prague react in a similar way to those in Austria? Some showed understanding and wrote sentences on the net like “poor people in Vienna ….. but there is only one voice of Eddie Vedder .. and it is so unique, it absolutely has to be treated and completely healed.” Others were angry because of the very late cancellation. For example, one user wrote, “Don’t get me wrong, but you should know that for all people who travel hundreds of miles, a morning notification is a kind of ‘last second failure.'”