British singer Morrissey cancels Spain concert due to ‘sleep deprivation’

The 66-year-old said the din from Valencia’s traditional pyrotechnics festival left him in a “catatonic state”. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Madrid – British indie rock star Morrissey cancelled a concert in Spain’s Valencia on March 12 because the din from the city’s traditional pyrotechnics festival left him “catatonic” with sleep deprivation.

The lead singer with 1980s English band The Smiths had travelled for two days by road to reach his hotel in Valencia from Milan, arriving late on March 11, said his official website.

“Any form of sleep or rest throughout the night was impossible due to festival noise/loud techno singing/megaphone announcements,” said a statement. “This experience has left Morrissey in a catatonic state.”

A second announcement on March 12 confirmed that the “show in Valencia has been rendered impossible due to sleep deprivation”, disappointing fans of the singer whose British chart-topping albums include Viva Hate (1988) and Vauxhall And I (1994).

“It will take me one year to recover. And that is an understatement,” Morrissey added in a message on his official website.

The Mediterranean city draws hundreds of thousands of people every March during the colourful Fallas festival, famed for its art, fireworks and the spectacular burning of giant sculptures.