Citing climate change, the Steve Miller Band has canceled their upcoming 31-date North American tour, which includes an Aug. 28 stop at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand.
“The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and massive forest fires make these risks for you our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable. So …You can blame it on the weather… The tour is canceled,” reads an announcement on the band’s website. “Don’t know where, don’t know when… We hope to see you all again.”
Ticket buyers who purchased from Etix or the Minnesota State Fair using a credit card will automatically receive a refund. Others should return to the point of purchase for a refund.
State Fair officials learned the news Wednesday evening and have yet to announce a replacement act.
While it’s not unusual for a tour to cancel shows due to weather issues, Variety notes this may be the first time an entire tour was canceled due to climate change.
Led by 81-year-old Milwaukee native Steve Miller, the group released seven albums to little commercial success, but broke through to the mainstream with 1973’s “The Joker.” The band’s biggest hits include “Take the Money and Run,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” “Jet Airliner,” “Rock’n Me” and “Abracadabra.”
Miller earned headlines in 2016 when he was nominated to the Rock Hall as a solo artist. He told Rolling Stone: “I kind of enjoyed having people complain that I wasn’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame more than I think I’ll like being in it.” After the induction ceremony, Miller further vented to the magazine in an expletive-filled rant about the ceremony and the music business in general.
The Minnesota State Fair runs from Aug. 21 through Sept. 1.
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