The Whole Machine Head Tour Could Be Canceled Due to Robb Flynn’s Illness, More Shows Postponed

Last week Robb Flynn was forced to cut Machine Head’s set in Pittsburgh short due to a severe lung infection he’d been attempting to fight off for days. The following shows in Cleveland and Detroit were canceled while Flynn saw a doctor, rested and attempted to get better.

Unfortunately Flynn’s condition hasn’t improved much despite several days off. A doctor he saw earlier this week informed him that this particular kind of infection, which is currently savaging the U.S., won’t respond to antibiotics so he’s just gotta “ride it out.” And that riding out process could take up to THREE WEEKS. Woof.

Yesterday he issued an optimistic statement saying the tour would resume tonight (February 20th) in Des Moines, IA, while tomorrow’s show in Madison, WI would be canceled to give Flynn some vocal rest between gigs. But an hour ago on Facebook he posted a video update saying that Des Moines will be canceled, too, Madison will remain down, and Minneapolis and Chicago are “possibly off” as well. Beyond that it isn’t clear what will happen, but that would give Robb an additional five days — until Saturday, the 24th in St. Louis — to heal.

Later in on the video he even says the entire tour is in doubt: “If we lose Minneapolis and Chicago the whole tour may be in jeopardy at this point. We might not be able to survive the financial loss. We’ll do what we can. But we’re already losing a lot of fucking money. The tour is a loss at this point.”

Flynn plans to see a throat specialist today. He attempted to sing yesterday for the first time since Pittsburgh and said that “nothing’s coming out of my throat, particularly for my heavy vocals,” and that he’s still got a constant, deep cough. The man is clearly not doing well and is obviously supremely bummed about letting down his fans.

Watch Flynn’s update video below for a more detailed description of his illness and his efforts to cope with the defeating feeling of having to cancel so many shows. The good news is that he’s pledging to make up all the canceled shows on the second leg of Machine Head’s tour next fall. That’s a long while to wait, but Flynn is absolutely a man of his word.

Here’s Machine Head’s statement in full, posted