Doctors Advise Springsteen to Take a Break

Bruce Springsteen evidently wasn't faking it when he struggled to sing "Thunder Road" at an awards ceremony in London on Thursday. His Saturday concert in France was canceled at the last minute because of what his website called "vocal issues," and an announcement Sunday says three more shows in Europe are off, the Asbury Park Press reports. "Further examination and consulting has led doctors to determine that Bruce should not perform for the next ten days," the statement on Instagram says. As it stands, the next concert will be June 12 in Madrid.

Fans and reviews had noted that Springsteen's voice seemed strong when the tour resumed this spring after pausing last fall while he was treated for peptic ulcer disease. He had blamed his squeaky voice Thursday on performing a three-hour concert the night before in heavy rain. The newly postponed shows were scheduled for May 28 in Prague and June 1 and June 3 in Milan; new dates will be announced soon, the post says. The E Street Band already had scheduled a weeklong break after Milan, per Rolling Stone. (More Bruce Springsteen stories.)