Pearl Jam fans in Austria got some disappointing news on Wednesday. On July 20, the band had to cancel their concert in Vienna due to lead singer Eddie Vedder losing his voice. According to a statement posted on the band's official Instagram, due to the conditions at their previous concert, the frontman's throat was "damaged" and his vocal cords did not recover in time for the next show. Pearl Jam's earlier performance was in Paris on July 17, and "extreme circumstances" at the venue were the cause of the issue. Read on to find out more about what caused the condition and how Vedder is doing now.
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Weather conditions were at fault.
According to Pearl Jam's statement, heat, dust, and smoke from wildfires in France are responsible for Vedder's throat and vocal cords being damaged.
"To all those who were anticipating a great Pearl Jam show tonight in Vienna, we were too," the statement begins. "However, due to the extreme circumstances at the last outdoor site outside of Paris (heat, dust, and smoke from the fires) our singer Ed Vedder’s throat was left damaged. He has seen doctors and had treatment but as of yet, his vocal cords have not recovered.”
France has been experiencing extreme weather.
LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty ImagesThere has been a major heatwave in Europe this week, which has resulted in wildfires, including in France. As reported by CNN, a government spokesperson said that wildfires have burned 25 times more land this year compared to the same period in 2021.
Pearl Jam's Paris show was part of the French Lollapalooza music festival. It took place on Sunday, July 17 at the Hippodrome de Longchamp.
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The band apologized for the cancellation.
Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images"This is brutal news and horrible timing… for everyone involved," Pearl Jam's statement continues. "Those who work so hard to put on the show as well as those who give their precious time and energies to attend…. As a band, we are deeply sorry and have tried to find options to still play. And Ed wants to play. There’s just no throat available at this time… So very, very deeply sorry."
The statement also notes that fans can receive refunds for their tickets at the point of purchase.
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This is not the first time they've had to cancel a show for health reasons.
Jim Bennett/Getty ImagesPearl Jam has had to cancel a show before because of Vedder losing his voice. In 2018, a concert at The O2 arena in London didn't take place.
"Singer Eddie Vedder has completely lost his voice," the band posted on Twitter (via NME). "He is on vocal rest for the next few days in an effort to heal and perform the remainder of the tour dates."
The statement continued, "It’s the first time ever having to postpone a show for this reason. Ed and the band are gutted thinking of all the folks who have travelled and made plans. Sending their biggest apologies out to everyone. And huge gratitude for all their continued support."
Pearl Jam has more shows coming up.
Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesFollowing the canceled July 20 Vienna show, the next Pearl Jam concert is scheduled for July 22 in Prague. Then, the band is set to play two shows in Amsterdam on July 24 and 25 before taking a month off and then resuming their tour in Canada in September.
