Neil Diamond cancels NZ concert

SONG SUNG BLUE: Entertainer Neil Diamond has cancelled his Mission Estate concert due to Parkinson’s disease. Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP

TICKET-holders to Neil Diamond’s Mission Estate concert will be saddened to hear the performer has announced his retirement from touring due to a recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

The onset of the disease has made travel and large scale performance difficult. Based on his doctors’ advice, the third leg of Diamond’s 50th Anniversary tour has been cancelled.

The Grammy and Golden Globe award winning artist was due to perform at Mission Estate in March.

“My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows,” he said.

“My thanks goes out to my loyal audiences around the world. You will always have my appreciation for your support and encouragement.”

Diamond celebrates his 77th birthday today and on January 28 the Recording Academy will honour him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tickets bought by credit or debit card will be refunded in full. Ticket holders are asked to allow up to 10 working days for the refund to appear in their account.

Ticketek will contact people who bought tickets with cash or EFTPOS to arrange a refund.

UPDATE: Two acts have been lined up as potential replacements for Neil Diamond.

SEL events manager Garry Craft said he was hoped an alternative act could be found to ensure people who had bought tickets for the Mission show did not have to change plans.

“I have three plans I am working on in parallel,” he told the New Zealand Herald.

“Two would see a concert take place on March 17 and one would see us cancelling the Mission concert for this year, which for all involved is the last thing we want to happen.”

A full refund will be issued if the 17 March concert is cancelled or if a replacement artist is secured but the ticket-holder does not want to go.