Coronavirus impacts live tours

The impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is having an enormous impact on live music.

As the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the ongoing spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) a pandemic, the impact of this outbreak is having an unprecedented impact on live music. In the buildup to the summer festival season, the winter touring cycle is essential for bands to survive but given the increasing number of countries imposing bands and lockdowns to try and curb the spread of the virus, more and more tours are being cancelled as a result.

In the weeks prior to the virus being declared a pandemic, there were signs that live music was experiencing difficulties as a result of spread of the virus. First, it started with Asian tours as bands like VENOM PRISON, SLIPKNOT and TRIVIUM cancelled their tours of Asia and then on March 6th, the prestigious SXSW in the US announced that the festival was cancelled.

Now, it seems that with every passing hour, more and more tours are cancelled. To keep you updated, we are going to attempt to cover every tour that has been cancelled as a result of the spread of COVID-19.

AFTER THE BURIAL – The latter stages of their European and UK tour has been cancelled.

AVRIL LAVIGNE – Her March and April European and UK tour has been cancelled.

CAR BOMB – Have cancelled the remainder of their European and UK tour dates with CONJURER.

CHELSEA WOLFE – Her March and April European and UK tour has been cancelled.

DECAPITATED – Budapest and Wroclaw shows have been cancelled. As of writing, the remaining tour dates will go ahead as planned.

FULL OF HELL – Have cancelled their European and UK tour with PRIMITIVE MAN.

HOLDING ABSENCE – Have cancelled their April European tour.

KORPIKLAANI – Have cancelled the UK portion of their tour with BURNING WITCHES.

KVELERTAK – Have cancelled their remaining European and UK tour dates.

MACHINE HEAD – Their European and UK tour to celebrate 25 years of Burn My Eyes has been cancelled.

PARKWAY DRIVE – Have hinted that several shows on their massive European tour will be affected by the bands on large events. We will provide further updates when we get them.

RAGNARÖK FESTIVAL – The German-based metal festival has been cancelled.

SOJOURNER – Have announced that their April European tour with FINSTERFROST has been cancelled.

UPDATE: March 13th 2020

ALAZKA – Have cancelled their upcoming March and April European and UK tour.

INSOMNIUM – After just one show, INSOMNIUM have cancelled their headlining North American tour.

LAMB OF GOD – LAMB OF GOD‘s headlining European and UK tour with KREATOR and POWER TRIP has been postponed. Rescheduled dates will be announced in due course.

MEMORIAM – Have postponed all shows that were scheduled between now and May.

THE ACACIA STRAIN – Have cancelled their upcoming April European and UK tour. The band’s scheduled US dates will run as scheduled.

ANATHEMA – Have cancelled the remaining dates of their European tour.

DECAPITATED – Remaining tour dates of the Faces of Death tour have been cancelled whilst the UK dates (aside from Bristol and Southampton which have been cancelled) will continue as scheduled.

EVANESCENCE/WITHIN TEMPTATION – Have postponed their European and UK co-headlining tour which was supposed to kick off next month.

NOVA TWINS – Have cancelled the remainder of their European and UK tour.

OUR HOLLOW, OUR HOME – Have cancelled their upcoming European and UK tour which was set to kick off next month.

PENGSHUI – Have postponed the remainder of their UK tour.

RAZOR – Have cancelled their upcoming debut UK show at The Underworld in London.

ROTTING CHRIST – Have cancelled their upcoming North American tour and it has been rescheduled to next year.

SILVERSTEIN – Have postponed the remainder of their 20th anniversary European tour.

THY ART IS MURDER – Have cancelled the remaining dates on their North American tour with FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, ENTERPRISE EARTH, AVERSIONS CROWN, UNE MISÈRE, EXTINCTION AD and GUERRILLA WARFARE.

WHITECHAPEL – Have cancelled their upcoming European and UK tour which was set to kick off next month.

UPDATE: March 16th 2020

CATTLE DECAPITATION – Have postponed their upcoming European and UK tour for March and April.

DANNY WORSNOP – Has postponed his upcoming UK solo tour which was supposed to take place later this March.

HAGGARD CAT – Have cancelled their extensive UK tour which was supposed to run throughout the rest of March and April.

LEECHED – Have cancelled their upcoming live tours with GODEATER and THE ACACIA STRAIN.

SET IT OFF – Have postponed their European and UK tour.

We will continue to update this article as more bands and tours are likely to be affected as the impact of the virus continues to grow. It goes without saying that the bands affected by cancelled tours will be impacted financially, so please support them by purchasing merch or physical copies of their music.

UPDATE: March 24th 2020

Epicentre, Welcome To Rockville & Sonic Temple – The three US-based festivals have been postponed to 2021.

Heavy Music Awards – Has now been moved to September 3rd. Public voting for this year’s awards have been extended to June 5th.

GOTTHARD – Have postponed their London headlining show on May 20th. The rescheduled show will now take place on October 28th.

Roadburn Festival – As the result of the tightening of movement of people in the Netherlands, April’s planned date for the festival has been postponed. Rescheduled date and more information will be announced in due course.

Slam Dunk Festival – Has been postponed to September. Slam Dunk North in Leeds will now take place on September 5th and Slam Dunk South in Hatfield will now take place on September 6th.

UPDATE: March 27th 2020

Desertfest London – The UK’s dedicated festival to all things doom, stoner, sludge, psychedelic and everything inbetween has sadly been cancelled as the result of the Coronavirus pandemic. Desertfest London will return in 2021 to celebrate their ten year anniversary.

Download Festival – Yesterday, on March 26th, Download Festival – the UK’s biggest rock festival – announced that this year’s festival, featuring headliners IRON MAIDEN, KISS and SYSTEM OF A DOWN and countless more bands, has been cancelled as the result of Coronavirus. Ticketholders can retain their ticket to carry it over to 2021’s planned festival.

Incineration Festival – The London-based extreme metal festival has been cancelled. Refunds are available and any tickets purchased for this year’s festival will now be valid for 2021’s edition of the festival.

UPDATE: April 2nd 2020

POLARIS – Aussie metalcore crew POLARIS have announced that their upcoming European and UK tour inMay has been cancelled. All tickets will be refunded.

UPDATE: April 5th 2020

WINTERFYLLETH – British black metallers WINTERFYLLETH have cancelled their upcoming European and UK tour with MORK due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dates throughout April and May have been postponed with a view to rescheduling.

If you’re in the UK and you suspect that you may have contracted Coronavirus, follow the advice listed on the NHS website. More information on Coronavirus (COVID-19) can also be found on the WHO (World Health Organization) website.