Wigan band The Lilacs shelve tour after shock cancer diagnosis
A UK tour by the Wigan band The Lilacs has been postponed at the 11th hour after after guitarist Sam Birchall revealed he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
The indie band, which formed in 2018 and launched its debut single Vicarage Road the following year, had been due to perform at a sold-out show in Hull tonight (March 27), another packed out gig in Sheffield tomorrow, and had several more dates booked across the country in the weeks ahead.
In a social media post, the band wrote last night: "Dear all Lilacs fans. We’re absolutely gutted to announce that our UK tour that starts tomorrow will have to be postponed. Sam’s health is far more important and we are behind him every step of the way."
Sam, who is lead guitarist, said that after “a downturn in health and various tests” he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer.
In his online post he said: "After starting this band with Ollie all those years ago, and in fact naming the band after The Lilac Centre, after my mum sadly passed away with cancer before we formed, this all seems ironic and as you can imagine, a huge shock to myself and us all.
"With this in mind, my personal health and well-being must come first and I will be starting my ongoing treatment immediately.
"Unfortunately, it is absolutely gutting to say we will have to reschedule the tour to a later date and more information on this will follow.
"Everyone who knows me knows that if I could be up on that stage with my three best mates doing what we love over these next few weeks I definitely would, but it just won’t be possible.”
He added that in a “testing week” it would be great to see their newly released EP The 395 (To Forever) get into the charts.
And Sam ends with: “I will beat this and be back on that stage where I belong very soon.”