May 25, 2010 11:33

U2 cancel Glastonbury headline slot and postpone 16 US shows

Bono's injury means tour is off until late July

Photo Gallery: U2
Photo: Drew Farrell

U2 have cancelled their Glastonbury headline slot and 16 US shows following frontman Bono's recent back injury and surgery.

The Irish band had been set to headline the Somerset event on June 25. They have postponed shows up to and including their New Jersey New Meadowlands Stadium show, which had been set for July 19, the band explained on U2.COM.

Meanwhile, festival organiser Michael Eavis confirmed that the band would also not be playing Glastonbury on Glastonburyfestivals.co.uk.

"It was obvious from our telephone conversation that U2 are hugely disappointed," Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis said. "Clearly, they were looking forward to playing the Pyramid Stage as much as we were looking forward to watching them. At this point, we have no comment to make about possible replacements for U2's Friday night slot. Instead, we would simply like to send Bono our very best wishes for a full and speedy recovery."

Meanwhile Bono expressed his regret at pulling the festival appearence, declaring: "I'm heartbroken. We really wanted to be there to do something really special – we even wrote a song especially for the festival."

Bono received surgery on May 21 after being injured in Munich while rehearsing for the forthcoming tour, and his doctor Muller Wohlfahrt insisted surgery was essential.

"Bono suffered severe compression of the sciatic nerve," he explained. "On review of his MRI scan, I realised there was a serious tear in the ligament and a herniated disc, and that conservative treatment would not suffice. I recommended Bono have emergency spine surgery."

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