The 1975 replace Rage Against the Machine at Reading and Leeds festivals
Image credit: Louder
The 1975 will perform as the opening act at the Reading and Leeds festivals after Rage Against The Machine withdrew due to a medical concern involving its vocalist.
Two weeks before they were scheduled to headline the two UK festivals and perform at a date in Edinburgh, the US band called off their European tour on Thursday.
According to a statement, Zack de la Rocha was adhering to “medical advice.”
The 52-year-old musician hurt his leg on stage in Chicago in July, but it wasn’t clear what condition he was suffering from.
The 1975 (Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann, and Ross MacDonald) make up The 1975, who hasn’t performed live in the UK since 2020.
The band previously postponed their live appearances in 2021 due to the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. They most recently performed in Reading and Leeds in 2019.
In the UK, the top spot has been attained by all four of the 1975’s albums. Later this year, they’re slated to release their fifth album.
With de la Rocha performing while seated, Rage Against The Machine, famous for the anti-authority anthem Killing in the Name from 1993, resumed their US tour and will perform three more times in New York this week.
The statement released on Thursday stated that Zack will then need to go home to recuperate. “The risks associated with flights, travel time, and a demanding schedule in the UK and Europe are simply too great for a full recovery.”
We sincerely apologise to all of our fans who have waited so long to see us live and promise to return soon.
The band had been scheduled to headline Reading and Leeds in 2020, but COVID caused it to be cancelled.
The festival’s organisers have not yet revealed a stand-in. The festival, which runs from August 26 to 28, features performances by The Arctic Monkeys and Dave on the other days.
Additionally, Rage Against the Machine postponed their performances in the following countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.