Tia Haygood; Ross Halfin; Trudi KnightAt 80 years old, Ian Hunter is no longer a young dude, and unfortunately the Mott the Hoople frontman has developed a hearing issue that’s forced him to cancel the current incarnation of the group’s previously announced fall U.S. tour.
According to a statement, Hunter “recently developed a severe case of tinnitus and has been advised by his doctors to discontinue performing until this condition subsides.” The upcoming 11-date leg of the Mott the Hoople ’74 tour had been scheduled to run from an October 21 concert in Port Chester, New York, through a November 6 show in Seattle.
Those who purchased tickets for the concerts can get refunds at the point of sale.
In a note on his official Facebook page, Hunter explains, “It happened out of the blue three weeks ago; I got hit heavily by tinnitus. It’s unrelenting and on doctors orders, I’ve had to cancel everything for the time being. I’ve had it on and off for years, but it’s always slid away. This time it’s stayed — it knocks the stuffing and the confidence out of you.”
He adds, “Where do we go from here — I’ve no idea kids. I’m just hoping it gets fed up with me eventually!!…Maybe it will sod off at some point — I just don’t know.”
Mott the Hoople ’74 features Hunter joined by guitarist Ariel Bender and keyboardist Morgan Fisher, both of whom played in Mott the Hoople in 1974, as well as several members of Ian’s longtime solo outfit, The Rant Band. This past April, Mott the Hoople ’74 played a brief series of shows in the U.S. and the U.K. The new leg was going to visit stateside cities where the band hadn’t played earlier this year.
Here’s the full list of canceled dates:
10/21 — Port Chester, NY, The Capitol Theatre
10/22 — Washington, D.C., The Warner Theatre
10/24 — Atlanta, GA, The Coca Cola Roxy Theatre
10/26 — Nashville, TN, The War Memorial Auditorium
10/28 — Dallas, TX, The Majestic Theatre
10/29 — Austin, TX, ACL Live at The Moody Theater
10/31 — Scottsdale, AZ, The Talking Stick Resort Ballroom
11/1 — Los Angeles, CA, The Orpheum Theatre
11/3 — Oakland, CA, The Fox Theater
11/5 — Portland, OR, The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
11/6 — Seattle, WA, The Moore Theatre
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