Queens of the Stone Age have cancelled several European tour dates due to Josh Homme’s emergency surgery.

The US rock band made the decision to cancel eight European shows as lead singer Homme needs to undergo emergency surgery in his home country.

The band expressed deep regret over the cancellations, stating on social media, “QOTSA regret to announce that Josh Homme must return to the United States immediately for emergency surgery. Every effort was made to push through and play for you, but it is no longer an option to continue.”

The affected dates include performances at festivals in France and Slovakia, along with headline shows in Croatia and Greece. This follows a recent cancellation at the AMA Festival in Italy on July 5th due to illness.

While the band’s website still lists dates for upcoming shows in August across Europe and North America running through November, the status of these events may be subject to change depending on Homme’s recovery.

Homme has been open about his health issues in the past, revealing last year that he was diagnosed with a form of cancer in 2022 and had undergone surgery to remove it.

This year, following the release of their first album in six years, In Times New Roman…, Queens of the Stone Age launched ‘The End Is Nero’ tour, which included the now-cancelled European dates.

The band’s statement concluded with an apology to fans: “Queens are gutted we aren’t able to play for you. We apologise for any inconvenience and share in your frustration and disappointment.”

Queens of the Stone Age returned to Australia and New Zealand for the first time since 2018 last year.

The tour was in support of the band’s acclaimed eighth studio album, In Times New Roman…, which debuted at number two on the ARIA Albums Chart earlier this year. The album was also a top 1o hit in the UK and Queens of the Stone Age’s home country.

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