LONDON (CelebrityAccess) — Brian May, the lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band Queen, announced that the group was axing the remainder of their scheduled shows for 2016 while May grapples with an persistent medical condition.
"We’re very sad today to announce the indefinite postponement of our ‘candlelight’ concert dates this coming December. This is a decision I’ve agonized over, but in the end it has become inevitable. I managed to complete the recent Queen and Adam Lambert dates in Asia but I have been increasingly battling with a persistent illness which is destroying my energy and my will," May said in a statement posted on his official website.
"I am now at the point where I don’t feel confident to perform the scheduled shows to the standard we all expect. I’ve been strongly advised to rest and heal, rather than go out and risk ‘falling down on the job’ out there, which would be a real tragedy. I’m convinced it’s much better taking the step to cancel the dates now, refunding the fans for the ticket sales, and giving all our team a chance to re-plan their time in December," May continued.
In a subsequent post, May explained that he was disconnecting from social media for a while and traveling to recover. He did not elaborate on the nature of his persistent illness.
May's last live performance was Sept. 30 in Thailand, with Queen and Lambert. The group had been slated to perform a series of shows in the UK in December. – Staff Writers
