CROWBAR Cancels Summer 2026 European Tour Due To KIRK WINDSTEIN's Spinal Synovial Cyst

CROWBAR has canceled its previously announced summer 2026 "Confess To Nothing" European tour due to the "physical health" of the band's frontman Kirk Windstein.

The 12-date trek was scheduled to kick off on July 27, 2026 at the Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Brașov, Romania and conclude on August 7, 2026 at the Alcatraz Metal Festival in Kortrijk, Belgium.

Earlier today (Monday, July 20),Windstein released a video message in which he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): " Hey, everybody. Kirk Windstein from CROWBAR here, and I have an announcement to make. As everybody knows, or most fans know, I had to perform sitting down last year during the CROWBAR/EYEHATEGOD U.S. tour. And I have a bilateral synovial cyst on my spine that is beginning to flare up again and it's giving me a lot of problems. To cut straight to the point, it's acting up and has been for a couple of weeks now, so I begin physical therapy tomorrow morning.

"Unfortunately, we have to cancel this upcoming European tour. I have been touring for 36 years, and I've never canceled a tour. But due to my physical health at this point, I'm unable to get on plane flights and ride in the van for two weeks and catch two flights home. So I do apologize, and I understand y'all will be disappointed, understandably, but we're gonna do everything we can to make up these shows. We're not rescheduling the tour, but just to make up these cities next year when we're over in Europe with CROWBAR.

"So thank y'all for understanding and all the best."

Affected shows:

Jul. 27 - Brasov, Romania - Rockstadt Extreme Fest
Jul. 28 - Belgrade, Serbia - Belgrade
Jul. 29 - Pécs, Hungary - Pécsi Est
Jul. 30 - Cham, Germany - L.A. Cham
Jul. 31 - Lacznik, Poland - Lacznik
Aug. 01 - Lobnitz, Germany - Full Rewind
Aug. 02 - Essen, Germany - Turock
Aug. 03 - Aschaffenburg, Germany - Colos-Saal
Aug. 04 - München, Germany - Backstage
Aug. 05 - Jaromer, Czech Republic - Brutal Assault Festival
Aug. 06 - Frankfurt, Germany - Das Bett
Aug. 07 - Kortrijk, Belgium - Alcatraz Metal Festival

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a synovial cyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms between joints in the spine. They're most common in the lumbar spine in the lower back.

CROWBAR's latest album, "Zero And Below", came out in April 2022 via MNRK Heavy.

"Zero And Below" was produced, mixed, and mastered by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana. The LP was described in a press release as CROWBAR's "most unforgivably doom-driven record" since the group's 1998 landmark effort "Odd Fellows Rest".

CROWBAR was created in 1990 from the ashes of THE SLUGS! Original members Kirk Windstein and Jimmy Bower (DOWN, EYEHATEGOD) had a vision to move away from the trendier thrash sound of that time, and create their own brand of doom metal with a bit of upbeat hardcore mixed in. Heavily influenced by THE MELVINS, CARNIVORE, TROUBLE, SAINT VITUS and a blend of BLACK SABBATH meets East Coast hardcore, CROWBAR set out to create an original sound which has become influential to many bands over the last 36 years. Windstein is the only original member and has helped carry the band through numerous lineups and twelve critically acclaimed albums.

CROWBAR's current lineup consists of Windstein alongside guitarist Matt Brunson, drummer Tommy Buckley and returning bassist Pat Bruders (DOWN, ex-GOATWHORE).