The Smile Cancel European Tour As Guitarist Jonny Greenwood Receives ‘Emergency Hospital Treatment’

15 July, 2024

Radiohead off-shoot group The Smile was forced to cancel its European tour last week after guitarist Jonny Greenwood was hospitalized for a serious infection. “A few days ago, Jonny became seriously ill from an infection that needed emergency hospital treatment, some of it in intensive care,” read a statement from the group on Friday about the unspecified ailment that struck the guitarist and Oscar-nominated composer (The Phantom Thread, There Will Be Blood).

“Mercifully he is now out of danger and will soon return home. We have been instructed by the medical team in charge of Jonny’s care to cancel all engagements until he has had time to make a full recovery. To that end, the Smile tour of Europe in August is cancelled. Refunds for headline shows will be available from your ticket provider. We all wish Jonny a speedy recovery.”

The group fronted by Radiohead singer Thom Yorke that also features drummer Tom Skinner launched a European swing in support of the band’s Wall of Eyes album with a run of shows in June that hit Germany, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Romania, Croatia and Bulgaria before winding down in Italy on June 23. They were slated to pick up dates again on August 13 in Sigulda, Latvia, followed by dates in Warsaw, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Bordeaux and Valencia after an earlier run of Euro dates in March.

To date the trio has not announced any North American gigs in support of the full-length follow-up to their 2022 debut studio album, A Light For Attracting Attention.

See the band’s statement below.