The Smith Street Band have been forced to cancel their New Zealand tour after frontman Will Wagner sustained a high grade muscle tear and suffered internal bleeding in his leg following an injury during the band’s recent Melbourne show.
As The Music noted last week, Wagner told the crowd that he had “re-injured” his leg during the band’s performance at Max Watt’s, joking that he’d play the rest of the band’s Australian tour in a wheelchair like “a fat, modern day Axl Rose”.
“I think I’ve broken my leg … so if anyone needs me after the show I’m going to the hospital,” he reportedly told the crowd at the end of the set. A subsequent Facebook post from the band confirmed that Wagner did indeed end up in hospital.
“Doc says ‘High grade muscle tear and internal bleeding. Crutches for 4-6 weeks’. But the show must go on!! We spoke to Dave and Axl, made some arrangements and for the next two nights we’ll be introducing the ‘WIL-CHAIR’,” the band wrote.
The band finished up the remainder of the Australian tour dates (“No soft tissue injury can stop us!”), but have unfortunately been forced to cancel a planned trip to New Zealand, apologising for the circumstances in an official statement.
“We are very sorry to announce that we’re going to have to cancel this weekend’s New Zealand shows due to my leg injury!” they write. “It’s very swollen and due to the amount of internal bleeding the doctor has said I can’t fly because it would risk blood clots and other serious complications!”
“We’re very sorry to cancel and wouldn’t be doing it if there was any other way! The shows are already being rescheduled for later in the year!” Read the band’s full statement in the embed below.
