Bono Undergoes Back Surgery in Munich

U2's immediate plans were thrown into doubt today, with the announcement this afternoon that Bono has undergone emergency back surgery for an injury sustained during tour preparation training.

The U2 singer was admitted to a specialist neurosurgery unit in a Munich hospital, and is under the care of neurosurgeon Prof. Dr. Jorg Tonn and Dr. Muller Wohlfahrt. The expectation is that Bono will spend the next few days there, before returning home to recuperate.

The immediate impact of the news is that the opening date in the band's US tour – originally scheduled for Salt Lake City on June 3 – has been cancelled. U2 fans who have tickets for the Salt Lake City show are being encouraged to hold onto their tickets, until updated show information can be provided. Live Nation and the band hope to reschedule the date. For the moment the remainder of the band's tour dates remain in place.

No further information has been given regarding the circumstances which led to the surgery.

"The band were really looking forward to getting back out on the road until the emergency surgery on Bono's back, which took place in Munich today," the band's manager Paul McGuinness said in a statement. "We were due to start rehearsals on Tuesday in Salt Lake City and get the show ready for the next leg. There are going to be some changes and some new material.

"It's unfortunate that we're inconveniencing fans. We will make plans to reinstate these dates as soon as possible.
Obviously it's been very disruptive for our crew as well. We had over 400 people converging on Salt Lake City and some of those have been turned around and told to stay at home until we make our new plan. We hope to get things resolved as soon as possible. Keep watching U2.com and you'll get the information as soon as we can get it out to you."

No decision has been taken, Hot Press understands, regarding the band's brace of dates in Anaheim, which are scheduled for June 6th and 7th, though quite clearly the band would be in a race against time to be ready to kick off the tour those dates.