John Cale setlists
Touring in the 20s
The COVID pandemic puts a damper on touring 2020 - only four shows - and 2021 (no shows at all). A European Summer tour in 2022 is cancelled, due to an outbreak of the virus in his entourage:
"The thing we tried relentlessly to avoid, has now run rampant through our camp.We must sadly postpone our July tour. We tried everything to keep it together but Covid has its own path and its own terms. With the world opening up and things starting to feel normal again, we're all learning how to navigate touring from a very different perspective. Like whack-a-mole, it just pops up whenever you think its under control. One person catches it; shut down, isolate, regroup, repeat. We've tried alternate musicians, re-configurations, backup personnel, only to have it fall apart again and again. We've been so eager to get back on the road and play for live audiences again we vowed to just keep trying to make it work. Unfortunately, these last few days have created yet another setback that's made it clear we need to pause and allow everyone time to re-charge and start up again with the full energy we've been preparing to bring to you. We've missed you all more than you can imagine. We WILL re-schedule the dates as quickly as possible. Please watch this space for more details. Stay safe everyone."
The UK leg of the tour is rescheduled until the Fall, but cut short after four shows, when the virus strikes yet again:
"Many of you know, we've been fighting hard to resume these dates. Its been brutal. We're sat here in the UK, unable to do anything other than wait for everything to become safe again. It has not. We tried everything to continue on but things are not better, they are actually worse as the days ticked by. I know many of you are rightfully frustrated with this news, for which I can only apologize and let you know how truly sorry I am for these circumstances. You must know in your hearts, we didn't embark on this level of commitment, time, energy and gripping expense to simply just stop performing. Heartbroken is really the best description I've got.
We did everything we could to steer clear of this dreadful nightmare. Somehow, it got us in the end.
We are committed to making up these dates and will make sure they are first up on the next tour.
I hope you'll have faith and join us in a few months. The shows we did manage to play on this run were some of my recent favorites. Truly warmed our hearts getting back to what matters most, playing for you all. In the best of times, its not an easy fete to tour these days. However, its what I still find the most satisfying. To feel the energy we get from a live audience - there's nothing else like it!"
Promoting the Mercy album
The release of the new studio album, Mercy, his first in over a decade, has to be rescheduled. It finally sees the light of day in January 2023.
He is back on the road again throughout February and March 2023, finally finishing the UK leg of the tour before playing in mainland Europe. Drummer Alex Thomas is back on board for this tour, because Deantoni Parks was not available.
The shows receive rave reviews and he is booked to play more shows on the European Summer Festival circuit, which keeps him busy until the end of August.
Special show in Greece; free show in New York
On June 19, 2023 he performs a special show in Athens, Greece @ Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an ancient Roman theatre on the southwest slope of the Acropolis, with the Athens Philharmonia Orchestra + "immersive visuals".
On August 19, 2023 he plays a free show at the Lena Horne Bandshell @ Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, as part of the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! festival.
Promoting the Poptical Illusion album
In its release year there is only a one-off gig in Mexico on September 7, 2024 to promote the album. The setlist marks the live debut of three songs from that record: How We See The Light, Company Commander and Shark-Shark. He will embark on a European tour in February and March 2025.