Neil Young has cancelled his entire tour.
The 80-year-old musician has called off his UK and European tour, which was due to begin at Cornwall’s Eden Sessions on June 17 before ending in Udine, Italy on July 26, saying “this is not the time” for him to be playing shows.
In a statement posted on his website Neil Young Archives, he wrote: “I have decided to take a break and will not be touring Europe this time.
“Thanks to everyone who bought tickets. I’m sorry to let you down, but this is not the time. I do love playing LIVE and being with you and the Chrome Hearts. LOVE Neil be well.”
After kicking off in Cornwall, Young was due to play Manchester’s Heaton Park on June 19 and the headline slot at the inaugural State Fayre Festival in Chelmsford on June 27. He was scheduled to travel to Scotland for the Glasgow Summer Sessions at Bellahouston Park on June 29, before performing at Blenheim Palace Festival in Oxford on July 3 and Cardiff’s Blackweir Fields on July 5.
After that, he was due to travel to Europe for a number of shows before his final gig in Italy on July 26.
Eden Sessions shared on Instagram: “We’re sorry to share that Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts will no longer be touring Europe this year. This means that regrettably the Eden Sessions show on Wednesday 17 June 2026 is cancelled. Ticket purchasers will be contacted directly and receive full refunds.”
Meanwhile, Neil – who turned 80 in November – recently admitted he spent years dreading the big birthday but he’s since come to accept his age and decided it “doesn’t matter any more”.
Speaking to fans on a live Zoom chat in January, he explained: “I thought I’d be scared. I was scared of getting to be 80 all the time until I was 80. And then I went: ‘I’m 80. What the heck? Who cares?’ It doesn’t matter any more. Lots of things don’t matter that used to matter.”
Young went on to explain he is trying his best to stay fit and healthy, but he doesn’t like going to the gym so he takes himself off for long walks instead.
He said: “I like to be healthy. I like to be physical. I like to go out and walk. I don’t like to go to the gym, but I walked three miles yesterday at 8,500 feet. That’s what I like to do.”
In the chat, Young also dismissed the idea of having his life turned into a movie – declaring a biopic shouldn’t be made until after he’s died.
When asked if he would follow in Bob Dylan’s footsteps by approving a film like A Complete Unknown, Young explained: “I don’t know how you could do that while you’re still alive.
“I’ve got some people that I know that are working on something, but I don’t want to have anything to do with that. I’d rather make another record.
“Can you imagine being there and having someone making a film and you’re going: ‘Yeah, this is a good film about me’.”