Music legend Paul Simon has been forced to cancel two performances in Philadelphia this weekend due to "chronic and intense back pain" that has become "unmanageable". The 83-year-old singer-songwriter announced the cancellation on Instagram, stating that he will undergo a "minor surgical procedure" in the coming days.

The cancelled shows were part of Simon's A Quiet Celebration Tour, which kicked off in April. The tour has seen Simon perform in intimate venues across the US, including Austin's Bass Concert Hall, Denver's Paramount Theatre, and New York City's Beacon Theater.

Simon's team has scheduled a "minor surgical procedure" to address the back pain, and the musician is hopeful that he will be able to complete the tour as planned. Patrons who purchased tickets for the cancelled shows will receive a full refund.

Simon's A Quiet Celebration Tour is in support of his 2023 LP Seven Psalms. The tour marks a return to the stage for Simon, who announced his retirement from touring in 2018 due to hearing loss. However, he has since worked with the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss and his own production team to find ways to accommodate his hearing loss during performances.

Simon's next scheduled performance is at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center's Terrace Theater in Long Beach, California, on July 7.

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