Bruce Springsteen cites peptic ulcer disease for tour stall

Bruce Springsteen cites digestive disease for postponement of remaining September shows

Bruce Springsteen sings on a dark stage while playing guitar

By Nardine SaadStaff Writer

Sept. 7, 2023 8:25 AM PT

Bruce Springsteen will not be performing his remaining September shows because of a digestive illness that requires rest and treatment for the remainder of the month.

The 73-year-old rocker is suffering symptoms from peptic ulcer disease — open sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach and upper portion of the small intestine — his camp announced Thursday on social media.

“Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band have postponed all performances currently scheduled for September 2023, beginning with [Thursday’s] show scheduled for the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, NY,” the statement said. “Mr. Springsteen is being treated for symptoms of peptic ulcer disease and the decision of his medical advisors is that he should postpone the remainder of his September shows.”

The “Born to Run” and “Born in the U.S.A.” singer, who launched the Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 2023 Tour in late April with two nights in Barcelona’s Estadi Olímpic, apologized Wednesday to fans for the schedule change.

“Over here on E Street, we’re heartbroken to have to postpone these shows,” he added in the statement. “First, apologies to our fabulous Philly fans who we missed a few weeks ago. We’ll be back to pick these shows up and then some. Thank you for your understanding and support. We’ve been having a blast at our US shows and we’re looking forward to more great times. We’ll be back soon. Love and God bless all, Bruce.”

Springsteen missed two shows in Philadelphia in mid-August because of an unnamed illness, pushing those dates out a year to Aug. 21 and 23.

In addition to the Syracuse show, the band will miss a concert in Baltimore, two shows in Pittsburgh and others set in Uncasville, Conn.; Albany; Columbus, Ohio; and Washington, D.C., through Sept. 29.

Ticketholders will receive information about the rescheduled dates for the postponed shows, the statement said.

The three-hour show, which he most recently played at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium between Aug. 30 and Sept. 3, has continued its road tour for eight months after its originally announced finale. It includes Springsteen hits such as “Wrecking Ball,” “Dancing in the Dark” and “Glory Days,” as well as a more recent track “See You in My Dreams.”

Last month, after wrapping the European leg of the tour, the act announced its return to North America for 31 more shows between Aug. 9 and Dec. 12. Springsteen was already set to take off the month of October, which now gives him an additional month to recuperate from his illness.

Peptic ulcers occur when acid in the digestive tract eats away at the inner surface of the stomach or small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic. The acid can create a painful open sore that may bleed. (The enviously fit entertainer reportedly stays in peak performance shape by following a modified diet that has him eating only one meal a day, according to his younger rocker peers such as Chris Martin and Tim McGraw, who have gone to the Boss for health advice.)

The band’s next calendar date is slated for Nov. 3 in Vancouver. After that, the tour is scheduled to go through Canada and the West Coast — playing a pair of shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood on Dec. 4 and 6 — before closing out the tour in San Francisco on Dec. 12.

In May, the 20-time Grammy Award winner laughed off an onstage fall in Amsterdam after he tripped on a set of stairs and tumbled face-first with his electric guitar in hand. The band also drew criticism that month for proceeding with a scheduled arena show in Ferrara, Italy, after the country’s northern region was flooded by rainstorms, which caused several deaths and landslides and broke riverbanks. Some local officials considered the show an insult to those reeling from the tragedy.

Times staff writer Jonah Valdez contributed to this report.