Pearl Jam cancel shows after two members test positive for Covid

Pearl Jam onstage at the Forum in Inglewood, California, earlier this month (Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Pearl Jam have cancelled the remaining shows on their current US tour after drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Jeff Ament test positive for Covid.

Cameron tested positive on May 12, prior to a show at the Oakland Colosseum in California, with his place taken by former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer and Richard Stuverud, drummer with Jeff Ament side projects Three Fish and Tres Mts. And on May 16 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, the band were also joined by Dave Krusen, who played on Pearl Jam's debut album Ten.

Cameron's absence also made stars of two audience members: Josh Arroyo, who played on the set-closing Yellow Ledbetter on the first night in Oakland after receiving an on-the-spot Covid test, and local teenager Kai Neukermans, who played on Mind Your Manners the following night after sending the band a video of him performing the song.

Now Ament has also tested positive for the virus, leading to the cancellation of the band's upcoming shows in Sacramento in Las Vegas.

In a statement, the band say, "While the band battled through Oakland after drummer Matt Cameron tested positive for Covid, and Fresno where Ed and the band got through it with the help of Dave Krusen as special guest drummer, they now have to present the heartbreaking news that this morning bassist Jeff Ament has tested positive for Covid.

"This is horrible for everybody involved and we are especially sorry to those out there who have made plans to attend these shows. Our attention to staying inside the bubble has been constant. We have truly done all that we could have to remain clear of infection.

"Regretfully, the Sacramento and Las Vegas shows are canceled. Ticket refunds will be automatically processed to ticket holders' method of purchase. We are so very sorry. Be safe out there."

Pearl Jam's next scheduled performance is June 18 at the Pinkpop festival at Landgraaf in the Netherlands, the first date of a European schedule that includes two shows at London's Hyde Park.

Pearl Jam 2022 Tour

Jun 18: Landgraaf Pinkpop Festival
Jun 21: Berlin Waldbühne
Jun 23: Zurich Hallenstadion
Jun 25: Imola Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari
Jun 28: Frankfurt Festhalle
Jun 30: Werchter Rock Werchter
Jul 03: Stockholm Lollapalooza
Jul 05: Copenhagen Royal Arena
Jul 08: London BST Hyde Park
Jul 09: London BST Hyde Park
Jul 12: Budapest Arena
Jul 14: Krakow Tauron Arena
Jul 17: Paris Lollapalooza
Jul 20: Vienna Wiener Stadthalle
Jul 22: Prague O2 Arena
Jul 24: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome
Jul 25: Amsterdam Ziggo Dome
Sep 01: Quebec City Videotron Centre, QC
Sep 03: Ottawa Canadian Tire Centre, ON
Sep 06: Hamilton FirstOntario Centre, ON
Sep 08: Toronto Scotiabank Arena, ON
Sep 11: New York Madison Square Garden, NY
Sep 14: Camden Waterfront Music Pavilion, NJ
Sep 16: Nashville Bridgestone Arena, TN
Sep 18: St. Louis Enterprise Center, MO
Sep 20: Oklahoma City Paycom Center, OK
Sep 22: Denver Ball Arena, CO

Tickets are on sale now.

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 40 years in music industry, online for 27. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.