Photo Credit: Steve Knight / CC by 2.0
Jeff Lynne, the frontman of Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), had to cancel his final live performance at BST Hyde Park after health issues.
The show at the festival was to be the last of his “Over and Out” farewell tour, but Lynne posted on Instagram about being unable to perform. “Jeff Lynne is heartbroken to report that he will not be able to perform at tomorrow’s BST Hyde Park show,” the Twitter post reads. “Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.”
“The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today—and while he is sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.”
ELO formed in Birmingham in 1970 by Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood, and Bev Bevan. The group split up in 1986, with Lynne briefly returning in 2001 and rejoining in 2014 with the revamped lineup. At the time of their farewell tour, Lynne was the last original member of the ELO lineup due to pianist Richard Tandy’s passing in 2024.
This final show was highly anticipated, marking the end of ELO’s ‘Over and Out’ farewell tour. The Hyde Park event was to be a celebration of ELO’s decades-long influence on rock and pop. Lynne had recently performed with a broken hand that was sustained in a taxi accident. His previous show in Manchester was also canceled at the last minute due to illness. Fans responded with understanding, gathering in Hyde Park to celebrate the band’s music despite the absence of a live performance.
Their debut album, The Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1971 and quickly put the band on the map for their fusion of orchestral instruments including cellos, violins, and horns with a traditional rock setup. The band continued with a string of successful albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s, including A New World Record (1976), Out of the Blue (1977), Discovery (1979), and Time (1981). ELO achieved over 50 million worldwide sales and notched 27 UK Top 40 singles with kits including “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Don’t Bring Me Down,” and “Livin’ Thing.”
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