DJ Shadow’s Winter 2024 tour, which wrapped up earlier this year, marked the musician’s first tour since the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the world and prevented communal gatherings from occurring. He continued to play shows throughout the year, totalling nearly one hundred shows, and although his 2024 run has wrapped up, he has scheduled shows in Australia and Japan this coming February. It’s safe to say that the man’s been keeping himself busy, but as long as he loves what he’s doing, he shouldn’t have much reason to complain, right?

Well, according to a recent Facebook post from DJ Shadow (as reported on by NME), the artist has been experiencing some disillusionment with the current state of the touring industry:

In his post, DJ Shadow reveals his struggles with touring companies and how they’ve changed since before the pandemic. Prices are up for travel expenses, venues are having trouble booking, and it’s harder for him to find the same energy he once had. He explains how much he loves the fans he gets to meet too, but it seems that the negatives of the whole experience were enough to turn him off from performing another hundred shows anytime soon. So, after his aforementioned February 2025 shows, DJ Shadow will be taking a break from touring and will return once he feels that he’s fully ready to do so. 

This news will likely be difficult for fans who might have wished to see him perform live that haven’t already, though it’s also understandable, given the hardships of his last tour, that he’d want to take a well-deserved break. If for nothing else, then his hiatus will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for touring companies to better their current conditions.