Cheap Trick are stepping away from touring after five decades on the road, announcing that they have withdrawn from several concerts scheduled for 2027 to take an extended break.
The decision will not affect the band's remaining 2026 dates. Cheap Trick are scheduled to resume their current tour November 5 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and will play their previously announced November shows before taking time off.
The announcement follows speculation about the band's future after several concert cancellations, including a February 13 appearance at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. Earlier this month, the venue shared a statement attributed to Cheap Trick explaining that the band had decided to take an unspecified amount of time off after many years of touring.
On Thursday, October 29, the band addressed the situation directly in a social media statement, thanking fans for their concern and making a point of clarifying that the decision was not health-related.
“To clear things up, we've decided to take some time off after decades of touring because we need a break. Not for health reasons,” the statement read. “We'll play our November shows and then take our first break in 50 years.
“Thank you for all your support!”
The clarification comes after a worrying incident involving founding guitarist Rick Nielsen last month. During a concert in Aurora, Illinois, Nielsen left the stage after experiencing difficulty breathing, later returning to finish the performance seated. The episode prompted questions about his health, which the guitarist subsequently addressed in an interview with Nexstar's WTVO.
Nielsen said he had undergone an MRI and offered some reassuring news: “I have no cancer, so that's good news.”
Cheap Trick also canceled or postponed several concerts in June, citing “circumstances beyond our control” at the time.
The band, whose current lineup features three original members — Nielsen, singer Robin Zander and bass guitarist Tom Petersson — has maintained a remarkably busy touring schedule throughout its career. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the group in 2010, with Nielsen's son Daxx taking over behind the kit. Zander's son, Robin Taylor Zander, also performs with the band on rhythm guitar and vocals.
Cheap Trick broke through to mainstream success in 1979 with their live version of “I Want You to Want Me,” which became a top 10 hit in the U.S. Their signature songs also include “Surrender” and “Dream Police,” while they enjoyed another major commercial resurgence in the late 1980s when “The Flame” topped the U.S. charts.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and have performed more than 6,000 concerts since forming, selling more than 20 million albums along the way. Their 21st studio album, All Washed Up, arrived in November 2025.
In related news, Nielsen recently auctioned off his five-neck Hamer guitar, which sold for $313,600 — nearly twice its pre-auction estimate of $175,000.
