Just over a month out from what was supposed to be the kick-off for the Australian leg of their Old Gods tour, New Zealand icons Shihad have been forced to cancel their upcoming tour of the country.
The group took to social media to announce the news this evening, explaining that because of the “ongoing COVID-19 restrictions on travel between New Zealand and Australia”, the January and February dates have been axed.
“We were looking forward to playing our new album OLD GODS live for you and are very sorry that we’re not able to make it happen this time around,” they explained. “We are working on replacement shows for next year and will announce a new batch of dates as soon as possible. Stay tuned!”
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Originally announced back in July, Shihad were set to tour the country in support of Old Gods, their tenth studio album and first new record since 2014. One of Shihad’s most direct and powerful releases to date, the record placed the likes of conservative talk radio, the legitimisation of racism, and the radicalisation of a generation fuelled by misinformation placed squarely within the band’s crosshairs
Having experienced a decade of growth and change – including becoming a parent, converting to Islam, and marrying his Sudanese wife – Toogood admitted he began to see new perspectives other than those he had been raised with. This, paired with the COVID-inspired soul searching, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the disgust at the rise of conservative politics, Toogood began take on a new understanding of his place in the world as a privileged white male.
“My whole consciousness changed. I haven’t been able to see the world like I used to,” he explained. “And all of this was feeding into, oh right, we’ve written the soundtrack, and this is what I’m going to talk about. I’m going to talk about the fact that I don’t want a future where white supremacy reigns supreme, especially with my bi-racial children.
“I don’t want to see leaders like Trump hold sway over a big portion of the population on the planet. Cos it’s not gonna end well.”
Currently, no replacement dates have been announced for the band’s forthcoming tour, though they hope to unveil new dates in the near future.
Shihad’s Old Gods is out now.
Shihad Old Gods Australian Tour
Tuesday, January 25th, 2022 (Cancelled)
170 Russell, Melbourne, VIC
Thursday, January 27th, 2022 (Cancelled)
The Triffid, Brisbane, QLD
Friday, January 28th, 2022 (Cancelled)
Manning Bar, Sydney, NSW
Saturday, January 29th, 2022 (Cancelled)
Entrance Leagues Club, Central Coast, NSW
Thursday, February 3rd, 2022 (Cancelled)
The Gov, Adelaide, SA
Friday, February 4th, 2022 (Cancelled)
Metropolis, Fremantle, WA
Saturday, February 5th, 2022 (Cancelled)
Prince Of Wales Bunbury, WA
