Morrissey Cancels ‘Almost Acoustic’ Appearance

Morrissey, who canceled two other shows last week, pulled out of the second night of KROQ-FM’s “Almost Acoustic Christmas” in Inglewood, Calif., citing illness with fans being alerted in a Facebook post by the radio station as the first of the two shows at the Forum was in progress Dec. 9.

AP Photo / Eduardo Verdugo – Morrissey
Morrissey makes a stop at Palacio De Los Deportes in Mexico City March 31.

“It is with great regret that we must inform you that Morrissey’s performance for Sunday night’s shows has been cancelled due to illness,” KROQ reported.

“Earlier this week the tour’s performances in Philadelphia and Boston were also forced to be canceled, but it was hoped that conditions would improve for the Almost Acoustic Christmas performance to continue as scheduled. Morrissey’s team and KROQ apologize greatly for this disappointment and Morrissey loos for to making it up to the Las Angeles fans as soon as possible.”

No replacement was announced for Morrissey, who was to have closed out the Dec. 10 show. But fans should still be happy with the rest of the lineup that includes The Killers, Weezer, The Lumineers, Foster The People, Phoenix, and Walk The Moon. Almost Acoustic Christmas, in its 28th year, is a Los Angeles radio show institution and both nights were reportedly sold out at the 17,500-capacity Forum. The first night featured performances by Muse, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Queens of the Stone Age, Rise Against, Prophets of Rage, and Run The Jewels.

Morrissey last performed in Los Angeles Nov. 10-11 at the 17,500-capacity Hollywood Bowl with Billy Idol, with the 10th proclaimed “Morrissey Day” by the city. However, the mercurial former Smiths frontman postponed a concert as fans filled Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, Calif., a few days earlier on Nov. 5.

Moz also called off a scheduled Dec. 4 show at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, citing an “illness in the touring party” as well as a Dec. 7 gig at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre, marking four no-shows on a 16-date North American tour in support of his latest album, Low In High School.

Almost Acoustic Christmas was his last scheduled appearance in the States before taking a couple of months off. He is to embark on a European outing Feb. 16 at BHGE Arena in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Box office data for Morrissey’s latest tour is incomplete, but he’s remained a potent box office draw, with an average gross of $298,000 and average attendance of 4,377 over the last three years.