On Monday night, Morrissey left his sold-out Fox Tucson Theatre show in Tucson, Arizona after only six songs and did not return to finish the set. Many fans turned to social media to express their outrage after paying $60 to $100 for tickets and only getting to see a 30-minute set from the famed English singer. According to the Arizona Daily Star, he left directly after singing “Everyday is Like Sunday.”
Fox Tucson Theatre Executive Director Craig Sumberg told the Arizona Daily Star that one of Morrissey’s band members let audience members know his voice was “reduced to a whisper,” and that he couldn’t finish the show. However, a video clip of the performance shows Morrissey telling the audience, “It seems I have left half my mouth in Guadalajara. But I will stand here and I will sing and if necessary, I will drop dead.” The clip is available online via Madchester.
One fan posted on Facebook, “He sang for 30 minutes, said he was losing his voice & then walked off of the stage. House lights went up. The show was over.”
On Tuesday, Sumberg stated he was negotiating with Morrissey’s managers to discuss a possible rescheduled concert or refunds for attendees. Before closing the show with “Everyday is Like Sunday,” attendees were only able to listen to “Suedehead,” “Alma Matters,” “When Last I Spoke To Carol,” “Speedway,” and “Staircase At The University.”
Directly before his Tucson show, Morrissey performed at the When We Were Young Festival in Santa Ana, California. His next scheduled tour stop was for a sold-show on April 12 at the San Antonio Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. According to the San Antonio Current, Morrissey’s management canceled the show on the day of, stating:
“Following health concerns stemming from Morrissey’s appearance in Tucson, it is with great sadness that tonight’s sold out engagement in San Antonio at the Tobin Center is cancelled to allow him to fully recuperate. Refunds are available at point of purchase.”
Morrissey’s 2016 fall tour was also notably postponed for several dates after his keyboardist Gustavo Manzur collapsed before a Colorado show.