Alice in Chains’ Sean Kinney Shares Health Update After Cancelled Tour

Just days after suffering a “non-life-threatening medical emergency” that necessitated the cancellation of their spring tour, Alice in Chains drummer Sean Kinney has provided fans with an update to his health.

The legendary grunge outfit had initially been scheduled to perform at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Arena on May 8, though announced the show’s cancellation after Kinney suffered a medical emergency following their soundcheck.

An additional five shows over the next week, including appearances at the Sonic Temple Art & Music and Welcome to Rockville festival, had been scheduled but were cancelled one day later on May 9. 

“While we were all eager to return to the stage, Sean’s health is our top priority at this moment,” the band wrote in a statement. “Although the issue requires immediate attention, his long-term prognosis is positive.”

Now Kinney – one of two remaining founding members of the band, alongside guitarist Jerry Cantrell – has issued his own statement, apologizing to fans for the short-notice cancellation and outlining his experiences dealing with the unspecified medal issue.

“I was very much looking forward to getting back out there and playing with the band again, and it’s been a difficult but necessary decision to make,” Kinney wrote on social media. “I don’t personally utilize social media and I’m not particularly fond of my health issues being made public, but I understand that people are concerned.”

Kinney explained that doctors advised against him performing in the short-term, coming to terms with his situation after a quick trip through the five stages of grief. 

“I finally concluded that medical doctors with many hard-earned degrees on their walls might know a bit more about health than a musician with some shiny spray-painted records on his wall,” he explained. “The outpouring of love, concern and well wishes has been both extremely humbling and very much appreciated.

“The good news is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live,” he concluded. “The bad news (for some of you?) is that I’m going to be fine and I’m going to live.”

Alice in Chains’ cancelled run of dates were to be their first live appearances since performing at Las Vegas’ Sick New World festival in April 2024.

Currently, their website lists only one upcoming date, which is the Back to the Beginning concert in England on July 5, and boasts a lineup featuring Black Sabbath, Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and myriad others.