The Steve Miller Band is in uncharted territory when it comes to reasons for canceling a tour.
The band announced Wednesday night
on social media
and
its official website
that it had canceled all upcoming shows. Why?
“The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and massive forest fires make these risks for you our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable,” the post says. “So … you can blame it on the weather … the tour is canceled.”
The tour had 31 scheduled shows, beginning Aug. 15 in Bethel, N.Y. and ending in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 8, according to the
Live Nation website
. There were no shows scheduled for the Cleveland area or elsewhere in Ohio.
“Don’t know where, don’t know when … we hope to see you all again,” the band’s post says. “Wishing you all peace, love and happiness.”
The post does not give information on refunds for ticket purchases.
Miller, 81, and his band have been performing since the 1960s and has a long list of hits, notably “The Joker,” “Jungle Love,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner,” “Take the Money and Run,” and “Abracadabra.” It’s estimated the band has sold 24 million albums in the U.S.
Miller was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 2016. He made news by criticizing the Rock Hall’s induction process, including the need for more women to make it in,
during his speech
.
He was more pointed in comments to the media after his speech.
“The whole process needs to be changed from the top to the bottom,” Miller insisted. “They need to get their legal work straight. They need to respect the artists they say they’re honoring, but they don’t.”
After his criticisms, Black Keys members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney said they
regretted introducing Miller
for his induction.
“Listen, I just want people to know that he’s allowed to say whatever he wants, of course,” Auerbach said. “But he does not speak for me. He does not speak for Pat. And some of the things he said is just … I don’t know. I really don’t know. It’s weird. He called the whole thing “a boys’ club. The Steve Miller band has had 35 members and no women.”
