HEART have been forced to cancel their entire European and UK tour – including the Manchester show at the AO Arena

An iconic rock band has been forced to cancel their entire European and UK tour, which was due to include a show at Manchester’s AO Arena.

HEART, known for their 1987 mega-hit Alone as well as songs such as These Dreams, Barracuda and All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You, were due to play in Manchester alongside legendary British new wave group Squeeze on July 6.

The Royal Flush tour, which would have marked the band’s first UK gig in eight years, has now been cancelled. In a statement, the band said they “deeply regret” the decision and apologized for “any inconvenience”.

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Frontwoman Ann Wilson, 73, is to undergo a “time-sensitive but routine” medical procedure and will need six weeks to recover. The UK tour dates, which also included a big gig at The O2 in London, as well as shows in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds and Glasgow, would have coincided with this time frame.

HEART representatives said ticket goers will now be contacted by their ticket suppliers and full refunds will be issued during the show. No new dates have been added, but the band added that they hope to “return to Europe soon”. Dates in Antwerp, Berlin, Stockholm, Helsinki and Oslo have also been cancelled.

The statement, which was issued on behalf of the band, said: “We regret to inform you that the upcoming Heart UK tour is cancelled. At the end of May, Ann Wilson will undergo a time-sensitive but routine medical procedure for which the minimum recovery time is six weeks.

“Heart deeply regrets this unfortunate circumstance and hopes to return to Europe soon. Tickets will be refunded from your point of purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience.”

Since their formation in 1973, the American-Canadian band has sold over 50 million records worldwide and been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Their 16th studio album, Beautiful Broken, was released in 2016. Two years ago, lead singer Ann was nominated for consideration for the 2023 Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Current members of HEART also include Nancy Wilson, Ryan Wariner, Paul Moak, Tony Lucido and Sean Lane. Speaking about the tour at the time of the announcement, Ann said she was “excited and ready to hit the road”. She added: “The exceptional talent of the band – Ryan, Ryan, Paul, Tony and Sean – brings a whole new level of energy to HEART’s live show.”

The full list of canceled UK dates is as follows:

• 1 July 2024 – London The O2 Arena
• July 3, 2024 – Birmingham Utilita Arena
• 5 July 2024 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
• 6 July 2024 – Manchester AO Arena
• 8 July 2024 – Leeds First Direct Arena
• 9 July 2024 – Glasgow OVO Hydro