Crowbar has canceled its summer 2026 “Confess To Nothing” European tour following an announcement from frontman and founding guitarist Kirk Windstein that his bilateral spinal synovial cyst is flaring up and preventing him from traveling. The 12-date trek was set to open July 27 at Rockstadt Extreme Fest in Braşov, Romania, and close Aug. 7 at Alcatraz Metal Festival in Kortrijk, Belgium.
In a video message released today, Windstein said (transcribed by Blabbermouth): “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.”
Canceled dates:
- July 27 — Braşov, Romania — Rockstadt Extreme Fest
- July 28 — Belgrade, Serbia — Belgrade
- July 29 — Pécs, Hungary — Pécsi Est
- July 30 — Cham, Germany — L.A. Cham
- July 31 — Lacznik, Poland — Lacznik
- Aug. 1 — Lobnitz, Germany — Full Rewind
- Aug. 2 — Essen, Germany — Turock
- Aug. 3 — Aschaffenburg, Germany — Colos-Saal
- Aug. 4 — München, Germany — Backstage
- Aug. 5 — Jaromer, Czech Republic — Brutal Assault Festival
- Aug. 6 — Frankfurt, Germany — Das Bett
- Aug. 7 — Kortrijk, Belgium — Alcatraz Metal Festival
A synovial cyst is a fluid-filled sac that develops between joints in the spine, most commonly in the lumbar region of the lower back. Windstein had previously been required to perform seated during Crowbar’s co-headline U.S. run with Eyehategod, indicating the condition had been an intermittent issue prior to this cancellation.
Crowbar’s most recent album, Zero And Below, was released in April 2022 via MNRK Heavy. Produced, mixed and mastered by Duane Simoneaux at OCD Recording And Production in Metairie, Louisiana, the record was described as the band’s most doom-driven effort since the 1998 landmark Odd Fellows Rest. The band’s current lineup features Windstein alongside guitarist Matt Brunson, drummer Tommy Buckley and returning bassist Pat Bruders (Down, ex-Goatwhore). Crowbar was founded in New Orleans in 1990 by Windstein and drummer Jimmy Bower (Down, Eyehategod); Windstein remains the sole original member across twelve studio albums.
