‘Pain’ and ‘Numbness’ Spark Cancellation of Guitarist’s Concerts

A guitarist recently had to cancel a string of shows due to some health issues.

Hayden Pedigo shared on Instagram on Nov. 25 that his shows in Indianapolis, Toronto, and Montreal that week would be canceled.

He revealed that his picking arm “started to feel fatigue/pain” the previous week and after his Chicago show on Nov. 23, “the pain and numbness really came to a head.” He continued, “To be honest, when I signed up to do a six week tour of Europe directly into a seven week run of the US, I vastly overestimated my stamina and what my body could handle. I play for over an hour completely solo nearly every night and I did not anticipate how much of a toll that would take on my arm. I have played nearly 80 shows this year, mostly back to back.”

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Pedigo went on to share that he was “currently resting” at a hotel and seeing a doctor to get back on the road for his next show in New York that following Saturday. “I truly hate canceling shows, but I had to listen to my body and it was telling me to STOP,” he said. “I guess I thought I was invincible and could just keep going forever, but I was sadly mistaken. Thank y’all for understanding and I really appreciate everyone who has come to as how. HP.”

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned for the 31-year-old avant-garde musician. On Nov. 28, he revealed he had to cancel the final seven dates of his tour and is working on rescheduling them. Pedigo explained he took three days off from the tour in Detroit to rest his hand and seek treatment from a physical therapist and acupuncturist. “While both believe I likely didn’t cause permanent damage, they recommended that I immediately take 4-12 weeks off playing guitar to let this overuse injury heal,” he wrote.

“I’m struggling not to beat myself up over this, but my body is telling me to pump the brakes,” Pedigo admitted. “I’ve been going hard since the summer and convinced myself I needed to keep going even though it was taking a physical and mental toll. A lot ofc are and consideration is put into my live shows, and I didn’t want the performance quality to drop because of severe fatigue in my arm.”

In support of his latest album, I’ll Be Waving as You Drive Away, Pedigo’s U.S. tour kicked off on Oct. 22 in Albuquerque. It was set to run through Dec. 5 in Memphis, and as of now, an update has not been given about rescheduled shows. But health always comes first, and it’s possible Pedigo won’t be rescheduling the shows until he’s 100% better.