What was supposed to be the closing show of their US tour got called off at the last minute. Papa Roach announced on social media that bassist Tobin Esperance is unable to take the stage due to a health "emergency," leading the band to cancel their September 19 slot at the Louder Than Life festival.
The four-day festival, held in Louisville, Kentucky, features over 200 bands taking the stage, kicking off on September 17 and wrapping up the following day. Papa Roach had been scheduled to perform on the festival's second-to-last day. The band said in a statement: "After careful consideration and consultation with medical professionals, Papa Roach bassist Tobin Esperance will be unable to perform this weekend due to a sudden emergency situation."
"As a result, we are unable to perform at this year's Louder Than Life festival, and we wish everyone well. Tobin's health is our top priority right now. We look forward to welcoming him back on stage in November, and we appreciate everyone's continued support and respect for his privacy during this time," the band wrote in the statement.
The canceled performance was set to be the band's final US show before kicking off their European tour. Papa Roach's "Rise Of The Roach" tour will launch on November 1 at OVO Hydro in Glasgow, then head to UK cities including Dublin, Birmingham, Manchester, London, and Cardiff, before moving on to multiple stops across mainland Europe, ultimately wrapping up on December 6 at LDLC Arena in Lyon, France.
The band just wrapped up a UK tour last year, during which they donated a £20,000 check to mental health charity CALM ahead of their sold-out London show. For the upcoming November tour, the band will once again support CALM, donating £1 from every ticket sold.
Frontman Jacoby Shaddix previously spoke with NME about why the band continues to prioritize mental health awareness: "We've been singing about this since day one. Our first song, 'Last Resort,' was about a cry for help. It's always been part of our story, and part of my life too. I've been through my own ups and downs, and I've slowly learned how to face it. I understand that darkness, and putting it into music has connected me with hundreds of thousands of people."
The band has not yet released specific details about Tobin Esperance's health condition.
