Heavy metal outfit Metallica has postponed their upcoming 2019 fall tour in Australia and New Zealand as lead singer James Hetfield has entered a rehab program. The tour was scheduled to begin on October 17th in Perth, Australia and end on November 2nd with a performance in Auckland, New Zealand.
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Hetfield’s bandmates Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo shared a message via the Metallica website. They explained,
As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years. He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again.
We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We’ll let you know as soon as we can. Once again, we are devastated that we have inconvenienced so many of you, especially our most loyal fans who often travel great distances to experience our shows. We appreciate your understanding and support for James and, as always, thank you for being a part of our Metallica family.
The band also noted that all tickets purchased to the shows in Australia and New Zealand, including Enhanced Experiences and Black Tickets, will be fully refunded. Fans can head here for more information on how to obtain your refunds.
Metallica currently has a benefit concert scheduled for March 28th, 2020 in San Francisco, and a run of shows throughout Chile, Argentina, and Brazil in April 2020.
Head to Metallica’s website for a full list of the band’s upcoming tour dates, ticketing, and more information.