Chad Gray has cancelled two solo shows after illness aggravated what the Mudvayne vocalist described as “deep vocal issues.”
The October 5 performance at House of Blues San Diego and the October 6 date at Observatory OC in Santa Ana have both been pulled. His 30 Years of Madness tour is currently expected to resume at Fremont Country Club in Las Vegas on October 7.
Gray addressed the cancellations after struggling through his Aftershock appearance. He said he had already been dealing with vocal problems before becoming sick on the day of the festival.
“I’m already dealing with enough shit right now, and I need to take some time to rest so I can protect my voice, my health, and hopefully keep this tour going,” he wrote.
The decision interrupts Gray’s first sustained solo run, built around material from both Mudvayne and HELLYEAH. The singer has assembled a backing band featuring Marcus Rafferty, Devin Attard, Nick Villarreal and Joe Bonasorte rather than presenting the dates as acoustic appearances or stripped-down side shows.
Gray previously described the tour as a test of whether audiences would follow him outside his established bands. BLUNT covered that uncertainty when he asked whether fans genuinely wanted a Chad Gray solo show, as well as his suggestion that the project could eventually produce new music.
The Australian leg remains scheduled for December, when Gray will bring 30 Years of Madness to Good Things Festival in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The set is billed as a career-spanning performance of Mudvayne and HELLYEAH material.
There has been no announcement changing those Australian dates. The immediate question is whether a short break is enough to stabilise Gray’s voice for the remaining US shows, not whether the entire tour has been abandoned.
Gray apologised directly to fans in San Diego and Santa Ana. Protecting the instrument that has carried three decades of abrasive, high-pressure music is the less dramatic decision, even when it arrives after people have bought tickets.
