This sucks.....
Ted Leo Strains Vocal Cords, Cancels Tour
Guitar cords, however, in stable condition, despite much yanking
Kevin Keenan reports:
Ted Leo announced yesterday on his website that he's had to cancel the remaining dates of his tour due to "vocal issues." Leo lost his voice during a set on Saturday, May 3rd in Urbana, IL, and though he was able to perform Sunday in Chicago, he has decided, for the long-term best interest of his vocal cords, that he will head back home to New Jersey, consult a doctor, and rest his weary pipes.
According to Leo, this has been something of an ongoing problem for him over the past 2? months, and he feels that if he doesn't take care of the problem now, things could get "really bad, which would also mean more medical bills (and not having any insurance because, like everyone else, I can't afford it, I have to factor that into my decision as well)." Yes, just as nearly every song on Earth-- from Godspeed's "Black Flag Blues" to Springsteen's "I'm on Fire"-- seemed a spooky premonition to September 11th, Leo's own "Dead Voices" now strikes as eerily clairvoyant.
"About 20 seconds into 'The Ballad of the Sin Eater', which was only the second song of the set, it [his larynx] caved," said Leo, who pointed out that he was pretty shaken by the realization that a room full of people had paid good money to see the band and he didn't want to sacrifice any "level of engagement" on his part. "I mean, this is punk rock, not Dave Fucking Matthews, right?" Right! Thank god the man can still type!
Punkrockacademy.com, which posted a review of the Urbana gig, reported that, "by the middle of the show, he couldn't hit the high notes. Toward the end of the show, he invited someone onstage and encouraged them to make up their own words to the song. And with the exception of that song, he gutted it out, voice cracking, register going, and drinking lemon tea all the way."
According to Lookout! Records, all dates from the May 5th Milwaukee show through the May 26th Atlanta shows have been cancelled. A representative from his label was hopeful that Leo would be able to make up the cancelled dates later this year, but it was too early to determine scheduling details at press time. We'll be sure to update you as soon as we hear different. In the meantime, the group is planning on playing ten dates in late May and early June, and is still set to play the Siren Fest in New York in mid-July, doctor's orders permitting. Remaining tour dates:
05-27 Raleigh, NC - Kings Lounge (w/ Transportation, Jai Lai Savant, El Guapo)
05-28 Washington, DC - Black Cat - Benefit for Fort Reno (w/ Dismemberment Plan, El Guapo)
05-30 Hoboken, NJ - WFMU studios (The "Cherry Blossom Clinic" Show; 3-6PM EST, webcast on
www.wfmu.org)
05-30 Albany, NY - Valentines (w/ El Guapo, Jai Lai Savant)
05-31 Cambridge, MA - Middle East Restaurant (w/ Jai Lai Savant, El Guapo)
06-01 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom
06-12 Akron, OH - The Lime Spider (w/ Radar Secret Service, Party of Helicopters)
06-13 Bowling Green, OH - Howards Club H (w/ Stylex, Certainly Sir)
06-14 Lancaster, PA - Chameleon Club (w/ Jai Lai Savant)
06-15 Philadelphia, PA - North Star (w/ Jai Lai Savant)
07-19 New York, NY - Siren Music Festival (w/ Radio 4)
Now, it should be noted that Leo was set to play Denver, Colorado, this Saturday night, and while we're certainly not superstitious here at the Pitchfork Newswire, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention something of a Cowboy Curse that seems to loom over rock shows in this metropolitan area like the brown cloud that lingers over it on inversion days. We don't blame Denver, per se-- I mean, it's a wonder any band visits this high plains wasteland to begin with, considering that it's approximately 800 miles from everywhere-- and about 600 miles from nowhere (aka Lawrence, Kansas).
But the fact of the matter is that if shows aren't cancelled due to inclement weather, then they get cancelled later on down the road due to travel delays. Or, bands flip their tour vans on icy interstates trying to hustle their asses to a mile-high gig and later just fucking break up! (Ask At the Drive-In about that one.) Anyway, I'm letting my Denver show as I file this dispatch and, well, it's Stanley Cup season and at least we have the Avalanche-- er, shit.
Leo told Pitchfork that he's definitely bummed out about having to cancel shows and hopes his fans understand and won't hold it against him: "We'll be back as soon as we can, of course..." We'll be holding you to it, Ted. Just don't let that silly Denver show curse thing bother you-- as far as you (or any other fine touring acts) know, we just made all that shit up.
) here in Illinois.
