BACKBITER have withdrawn from the remainder of CROWN MAGNETAR and TO THE GRAVE's autumn co-headlining tour, three days after it started.
The Ohio band were booked on the opening leg of the run, which began September 17 and finishes September 27, with FACE YOURSELF also on the bill. They announced the exit on September 19, citing health concerns inside the band.
"We will be dropping the rest of our run with CROWN MAGNETAR, TO THE GRAVE, and FACE YOURSELF," the statement read. "Due to unfortunate mental and physical health concerns amongst the band, we have to do the right thing and prioritize that above anything else. We're sorry to everyone that planned on seeing us on this run. Thank you so much to the bands and to Sound Talent for this opportunity."
It ended with a single word: "sorry."
There is a version of this announcement that gets buried in a Story and never mentioned again, and there is the version BACKBITER posted — naming the reason, thanking the other bands and the agency by name, and apologising twice to people holding tickets. Walking off a tour costs a band at this level real money and real momentum, and the honesty about why is not the default.
The band have not said whether the health concerns affect their plans beyond this run. CROWN MAGNETAR, TO THE GRAVE and FACE YOURSELF continue as scheduled through September 27.