Downpatrick longhairs The Answer have been forced to cancel the three headline shows planned for this week due to a broken bone in drummer James Heatley’s left hand. The band, who have spent most of the last six months on tour with AC/DC, were due to play Belfast’s Mandela Hall last night (April 20), and they have also had to pull out of dates later this week in Nottingham and Glasgow. All three shows have been rescheduled, the new dates being June 29, July 2 and July 3 respectively. The band’s support dates with AC/DC will go ahead with a stand-in drummer until Heatley has recovered.

In happier Answer news, the band have announced a major headlining tour for November and December, culminating in dates at Dublin’s Academy (Dec 12) and the band’s first ever Belfast Ulster Hall show (Dec 14). A message to fans from singer Cormac Neeson and the full list of headlining dates are below.

“We are bitterly disappointed to have to postpone our UK headline shows especially for all our fans who have been waiting so patiently for so long. We have left the decision to the absolute last minute in the hope that the medical problem with our drummer James might get better. Unfortunately his hand is now in a cast and he is in immense pain. He has struggled using pain-killers to get through the recent 30 minute support sets on the AC/DC tour and whilst he could perform a short support set, it is a medical impossibility for him to perform a full one hour and fifteen minute headline set at present. We are all very upset that we cannot play our full headline show and have rescheduled the postponed shows as soon as we could.

“Furthermore and as a token of our appreciation to all our disappointed fans we will provide a free and new limited signed tour poster for everyone who has purchased a ticket and this will be distributed at the rescheduled shows. Once again we are very sorry at not being able to perform but you know we would never postpone any show unless it was an absolute necessity and in this case we are all hoping that James will make a swift and speedy recovery”

29-Jun Belfast Mandela Hall
02-Jul Glasgow Grand Central
03-Jul Nottingham Rescue Rooms

25-Nov Manchester Academy
26-Nov Glasgow ABC
27-Nov Edinburgh Picture House
28-Nov Newcastle Academy
30-Nov Sheffield Corporation
01-Dec Nottingham Rock City
02-Dec Wolverhampton Wulfrun Hall
04-Dec Bristol Academy
05-Dec Oxford Academy
06-Dec Portsmouth Pyramids Centre
08-Dec Cambridge Junction
09-Dec London Forum
10-Dec Liverpool Academy
12-Dec Dublin Academy
14-Dec Belfast Ulster Hall