US metallers Killswitch Engage had to cancel two UK dates pretty last minute at the weekend because guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz was taken to hospital for emergency surgery on his back.
A statement issued by the band yesterday explained the cancellations: "Following months of recuperation after previous back surgery for a herniated disc, Adam had been touring in the USA with little to no incident, but after a week of shows in the UK, the guitarist found himself suffering increasing back pain, spending the time before and after shows lying flat with a bag of ice on his lower back, in an effort to continue touring. To make matters worse, vocalist Howard Jones was suffering from a chest infection. After a series of tests in hospital, Adam was informed his back injury was so severe, he could definitely not continue the European tour, nor fly home - and would in fact need urgent surgery. Killswitch Engage had no choice but to postpone their shows in London, Bristol, and Paris while a Plan B was devised. Naturally, the band were worried about Adam and extremely disappointed he would not be able to finish the tour".
Plan B was to draft in Peter Wichers, former guitarist with death metallers Soliwork, who will fill in on upcoming dates while Dutkiewicz recovers. The cancelled London show will now take place while 29 Jan, while plans for rescheduling the cancelled Bristol show are tbc.