Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger Stops Show Mid-Song to Apologize for Vocal Issues

Chad Kroeger paused Nickelback's Aug. 3 show in Maryland Heights, Missouri mid-song to apologize to the crowd for vocal issues he was experiencing, struggling to hit the proper notes. Despite this, the frontman powered through the rest of the set, doing his best to give the crowd a worthy show.

Canceling a show is typically a last resort option for a band and the untold aspect of this is what musicians endure and treatments they seek to best be able to hit the stage and meet fan expectations. As Kroeger tells the crowd in the fan-filmed video clip seen further down the page, a prednisone (steroid) shot was administered prior to taking the stage, but even that wasn't enough to completely do the trick.

While playing the All The Right Reasons hit song "Animals" fourth in the set, Kroeger shuts the song down to address the crowd.

"I can't do this. I cannot sit here with a fucking absolutely destroyed throat and try to make it through this show and pretend like there's nothing fucking wrong and take your fucking money, because that is wrong," says Kroeger, whose voice is clearly hoarse.

"I'm having a hard time hitting fucking notes. The doctor just jabbed me in the hip with some prednisone and we all crossed our fingers backstage hoping this was going yo work. But I cannot, in good conscience, stand up here and sing these fucking songs and have my voice crack and everything sound like shit," the agitated singer continues, "It's driving me fucking nuts."

READ MORE: 10 Nickelback Songs That Are Actually Really Heavy

"So, I'll tell you what. I could give it my best. I could keep just trying and we could just pull the fuck around if you want to," Kroeger goes on and then laughs off guitarist Ryan Peake's suggestion that he can handle the singing instead for the night. "No, these guys don't want that," Peak quips, building his singer up.

"Fuck it. Let's start this one over again. I'm just gonna give it all I've got," enthuses Kroeger, who finished out the set, which was 15 songs in total.

Cheers to Kroeger for his honesty with Nickelback fans and for gritting it out for the remainder of the show. See the band's upcoming tour dates here.

Nickelback, "Animals" — Aug. 3, 2023

Nickelback Setlist — Aug. 3, 2023 (via setlist.fm)

01. "San Quentin"
02. "Savin' Me"
03. "Far Away"
04. "Animals" (Restarted due to Chad's voice issues)
05. "Someday"
06. "Worthy to Say"
07. "Figured You Out"
08. "Hero" (Chad Kroeger feat. Josey Scott cover)
09. "Copperhead Road" (Steve Earle cover) (With Brantley Gilbert and Josh Ross)
10. "High Time"
11. "Photograph"
12. "Rockstar" (A fan sang this song after winning a contest.)
13. "Those Days"
14. "How You Remind Me"
Encore:
15. "Gotta Be Somebody"