Changes: Morrissey, Madonna, James Blunt, P.O.S., & Red Sky Fest

Morrissey postpones upcoming shows, Madonna cuts Dallas down to one concert, James Blunt talks about quitting, rapper P.O.S. cancels fall tour and Nebraska’s Red Sky Festival is no more.

Photo: AP Photo

World Trade Center, Pasay City, Philippines

Morrissey’s U.S. tour was sidelined this week when the former Smiths singer returned to England to be with his mother who was recently hospitalized.

Shows affected are Pittsburgh at the Heinz Hall For Performing Arts originally scheduled to take place Oct. 23; Columbus, Ohio, at the Lifestyle Communities Pavilion that was set for Oct. 24; Flint, Michigan, at The Whiting scheduled for Oct. 26 and Chicago at the Chicago Theatre planned for Oct. 27.

At this time Morrissey plans to resume his tour in Minneapolis at The Orpheum Theatre Oct. 29.

Although rescheduled dates have not been announced, venues facing a Morrissey-size hole in their calendars for this week are telling fans to hold on to their tickets.

The same cannot be said for Madonna’s Oct. 20 MDNA show in Dallas. That gig was flat-out canceled this weekend. Announcing the cancelation Oct. 19, promoter Live Nation blamed the bad news on “severe laryngitis.”

However, that doesn’t mean all Dallas fans missed their chance for a night with Madge. Scheduled for two shows in the Big D, Madonna’s Sunday night gig went on at 10:45 p.m. “long after an opening stint by Italian DJ Benny Benassi,” according to the Dallas Morning News.

Photo: John Shearer/Invision/AP

Performing in Los Angeles at The Staples Center.

Across the Pond, singer James Blunt is making noise about quitting the music business. A London newspaper says the officer in the Life Guards cavalry regiment wants some personal time.

“I just want to take some time out for myself,” Blunt told the Daily Mail. “I haven’t got any plans to do more songwriting. I have been chilling out since I finished my world tour and I’ve spent a lot of time in Ibiza, where I have a villa.”

While chilling in a villa in Ibiza certainly sounds like a worthy life’s goal, we couldn’t help but wonder if Blunt’s people will issue a clarification shortly.

Photo: AP Photo / Keystone

"FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011," Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland

That’s because when other singers talked retirement, it wasn’t long before their reps issued statements to the contrary.

Like the artist formerly known as Lily Allen who changed her professional name to Lily Rose Cooper to reflect her married name. In 2009 when she said she had no plans to make another album, fans took it as a so long-farewell statement. But it wasn’t long before her representative told the press that Allen/Cooper wasn’t “quitting pop music.”

Pop sensation Adele underwent a similar scenario, telling Vogue earlier this year that she wanted to take a few years off. However, her U.K. representative told BBC News that Adele’s Vogue remark was “just an off-hand comment.”

While you’re waiting for that Blunt clarification, we can tell you that P.O.S. has canceled all but the first date of his fall tour.

The rapper took to YouTube to explain that his failing kidneys forced him to nix the journey. P.O.S. said he has been on dialysis for a month and needs a new kidney.

P.O.S. will still perform on what was supposed to be the tour’s kickoff – Oct. 26 in Minneapolis at First Avenue.

And you won’t find Omaha’s Red Sky Music Festival on the 2013 concert calendar. Launched in 2011, the summer festival in Nebraska has played host to several big names, including Def Leppard, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band, and Kid Rock.

But that’s all for the history books. Live Nation and Omaha’s Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority issued an announcement saying, “difficulties with artists’ summer tour schedules and hot weather conditions in July” made holding the festival “challenging” and organizers “did not see those issues changing in the future.”