Neil Young explains why he cancelled the European tour, which was also set to stop in Italy

After the sudden cancellation of the 2026 European tour, Neil Young has stepped in directly to explain the reasons behind the stop. The Canadian singer-songwriter responded to a few fan letters posted on his official website, adding some details to the statement released in recent days. 

The “Love Earth Tour”, planned alongside Chrome Hearts, was set to kick off on June 19, 2026 in Manchester, with a series of European dates and a closing leg scheduled in Italy. Two Italian shows were also on the calendar: July 14 at the Lucca Summer Festival and July 16 at Villa Manin, both now cancelled.

To a fan asking for clarification about his condition, Young replied directly: "All is good Michael. Just needed a break. Listening to my body". So no emergency, then, just the need to stop and take a break, following what his body was telling him. Even to those pushing for a more detailed explanation, the musician simply reiterated that he needed time, without going into further specifics.

When announcing the tour's cancellation, Young had posted this message through his Neil Young Archives, the Canadian artist's official digital pages: “I've decided to take a break, and this time I won't be doing the European tour. Grazie a tutti quelli che hanno comprato i biglietti. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't the right time. Adoro suonare dal vivo e stare con voi e i Chrome Hearts. Con affetto, Neil. State bene”.

One door remains open on the live front: asked about the possibility of a US tour to "bring people together" in the current political climate, Young said he would try to make it happen. In recent months the Canadian artist has kept up an active public profile on political matters too. He made his music freely available to the people of Greenland, as a gesture of solidarity following Donald Trump's statements about a possible annexation by the United States, and he circulated a letter critical of the American president.

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