Steve Miller Band Cancels Upcoming Tour Due to Possible Weather Disasters

Band and musicians occasionally canceling shows is an unfortunate fact of life, albeit frustrating for ticket holders. Maybe the singer, or the whole band, came down with a nasty illness. Or perhaps a physical issue requires surgery, and it can’t be put off until after the tour ends, as recently happened with Paul Simon.

And then, there are cancellations related to tornadoes, hurricanes, or the aftermath of these events that make playing at a venue impossible. The Steve Miller Band, who were due to begin their North American tour on August 15 in Bethel, New York, aren’t taking any chances. Just the possibility of extreme weather has led them to announce the cancellation of all upcoming tour dates.

Steve Miller Band Tells Heartbroken Fans to ‘Blame It on the Weather’

On July 16, fans of the Steve Miller Band were startled by the message the band left on their social media. The tour, set to begin in 4 weeks, was off. Whether they reschedule any of the dates for the future is uncertain.

“Dear Steve Miller Band fans,” the Instagram message read. “You make music with your instincts. You live your life by your instincts. Always trust your instincts… The Steve Miller Band has cancelled all of our upcoming tour dates. 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. So… You can blame it on the weather…The tour is cancelled. Don’t know where, don’t know when… We hope to see you all again.”

“Wishing you all Peace, Love and Happiness, Please take care of each other,” it finished, with a sign-off by the band.

Given the increase in many of these weather-related reasons, and that they don’t seem to be abating anytime soon, it seems unlikely that the Steve Miller Band will reschedule their tour.

Many Fans Are Just Grateful the Band Has Toured for 60 Years

Brad Barket/Getty Images for Mount Sinai Health System

Many took to the comments to express their confusion at the news.

“Love ya Steve, but this is rather strange,” one puzzled fan commented. “Somehow all the other bands are managing. Maybe tour in the winter?” Another wrote, “So guessing [never] going on tour again since the weather isn’t going anywhere.”

However, many expressed support for the band and were grateful that they were considering the safety of their fans and crew.

“The man is 81 years old … feel lucky we have gotten to see him play live this long,” one understanding fan commented. Another chided those who made negative comments. “Steve has been doing this for decades and has earned the right to play by his own rules,” they wrote. “Have some class, people.”