Billy Joel, Silverchair, Elbow Scratch Shows Due To Illness

TAMPA, Fl. (Top40 Charts) - A variety of medical conditions have forced the cancellation of several shows by major artists over the course of this week.

On Monday (March 11), Billy Joel and Elton John's Face to Face tour stop at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Fla., was postponed due to Joel's "acute upper respiratory infection and laryngitis," according to the Associated Press. The date will be rescheduled for an as-yet-undecided date. The tour's next stop in New York City on Friday (March 15) is on as scheduled.

Silverchair has been forced to pull out of a scheduled appearance at Australia's Gone South festival in Hobart, Tasmania, on Saturday (March 16) due to a viral infection in the knees of singer Daniel Johns.

"The infection causes severe swelling in these joints and is extremely painful," said a message on the band's official Web site (www.chairpage.com). "The debilitating condition has worsened dramatically in recent days and has actually made it impossible for Daniel to walk or even stand unaided. The condition is neither permanent nor life-threatening but his doctors have demanded complete rest for at least two weeks to help him recover from this infection."

Silverchair manager John Watson reports this is the first gig the band has ever postponed. "Daniel and the band are extremely disappointed that they are not going to be able to play at Gone South," said Watson via the Web site. "Silverchair has done over 400 gigs in the last seven years and this is the first one that they have ever had to postpone. They would like to sincerely apologize to their fans for this inconvenience."

Back on these shores, Elbow singer Guy Garvey has been diagnosed with throat exhaustion, forcing the U.K. act to cancel its tour-ending Atlanta show on Wednesday (March 13). The band will return for a U.S. tour with Pete Yorn beginning April 2 in Santa Ana, Calif.