The Spanish embassy in the UK has mocked Morrissey after he cancelled a concert in Valencia due to sleep deprivation from Las Fallas festival noise. The former Smiths frontman cited festival sounds as preventing rest after a long drive. The embassy's social media post playfully referenced one of his band's songs.
Morrissey, the solo artist and former frontman of The Smiths, cancelled his scheduled performance at Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia on March 12, 2026. The cancellation followed complaints of sleep deprivation caused by noise from the Las Fallas festival, a week-long celebration known for fireworks and festivities that typically run from March 15 to 19 but often begin earlier.
His team issued a statement via Morrissey Central, explaining: “Having travelled for two days by road, Morrissey reached the hotel in Valencia late on Wednesday. Any form of sleep or rest throughout the night was impossible due to festival noise / loud techno singing / megaphone announcements.” They added, “This experience has left Morrissey in a catatonic state. Before leaving for tonight’s scheduled concert, please check that the show remains possible under these circumstances.”
Ultimately, the show did not proceed. A follow-up statement read: “Tonight’s scheduled show in Valencia has been rendered impossible due to sleep deprivation. Morrissey drove from Milan to Valencia but has been unable to rest in Valencia due to noise. The show is not cancelled. Circumstances render the show impossible.” Morrissey later described his stay in the Plaza Manises area as an “indescribable hell,” stating, “It will take me one year to recover. And that is an understatement.”
The incident drew online ridicule, including from Pitchfork, which headlined the story ‘Morrissey cancels show because he is sleepy’. The Spanish Embassy in the UK contributed to the mockery on X, posting footage of Las Fallas fireworks with the caption: “The Fallas festival in Valencia has already begun, and we have had our first casualty. Morrissey has cancelled his show because he couldn’t sleep.” They punned on The Smiths' song “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” adding: “Fallas is noise, fireworks… and there is a light that never goes out! Enjoy today’s mascletá!”
This marks the sixth cancellation on Morrissey's tour, following shows in St. Petersburg, Florida; San Diego; St. Louis; and Atlanta— the latter due to “artist illness.” He also postponed a California performance after an “adverse reaction to a prescription medication.” A tracking website reports his current cancellation rate at 24 percent.
