ARIZONA NEWS
Pearl Jam postpones tour stops in Phoenix, 16 other cities
PHOENIX – Worried about the spread of coronavirus, Pearl Jam has postponed part of its tour that included a stop in metro Phoenix, the band announced.
The band was scheduled to play Gila River Arena in Glendale on April 11. The postponement was indefinite, the band said in a series of tweets posted Monday.
“We are being told that being part of large gatherings is high on the list of things to avoid as this global health crisis is now beginning to affect all of our lives.”
” … So it is with deep frustration and regret that we are forced to make this unfortunate of announcements,” the band from the Seattle, Washington, said.
The Seattle area has been hit harder by COVID-19 than most U.S. cities. The area is ground zero for the outbreak – 18 have died and 118 have been diagnosed, as of Tuesday morning.
“As residents of the city of Seattle, we’ve been hit hard and have witnessed firsthand how quickly these disastrous situations can escalate,” the band said.
There have been six positive tests for the virus in Arizona, most of them in Maricopa County.
The first leg of the North American junket would have taken the band from Toronto, Canada, starting March 18, to Oakland, California, ending April 19.
New dates will be determined and current tickets will be honored for those dates, the band said.
The tour supports Pearl jam’s 11th studio album, “Gigaton.” The album will be out March 27.
