Blue Öyster Cult forced to replace frontman at upcoming shows due to surgical procedure
Blue Öyster Cult singer Eric Bloom is set to sit out on a series of upcoming tour dates due to medical reasons.
Bloom, who is now 81, made the announcement on social media, confirming that it’s only a temporary arrangement and confidently reassured fans that he’d be back on stage with Blue Öyster Cult in the near future.
His message reads, “During BÖC’s time off I scheduled a non-life threatening surgical procedure. I am on the mend, but the recovery is taking a little longer than expected.”
Bloom then confirmed “Kasim Sulton will be standing in for me for a few shows” and shared his belief that Sulton will “knock it out of the park”.
The rock veteran finished his message by telling fans, “I’ll see you soon.”
The length of Bloom’s absence wasn’t specified in his message, which suggests he’ll be back performing with Blue Öyster Cult in 2026 rather than on the sidelines for an extended period.
Additionally, Sulton has his own commitments as a member of Todd Rundgren‘s band, who are set to begin their summer tour on June 11th.
Blue Öyster Cult’s next performance is scheduled for May 16th at Feather Falls Casino in Oroville, California. Then, in June, they will play Albuquerque, Del Mar, Eau Claire, and Garrettsville.
The classic rock band have more festival shows lined up throughout July and August, before a series of headline dates pencilled in their calendar for November.
Last year, they found themselves in a strange predicament when President Donald Trump used their hit song, ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, to soundtrack a bizarre AI-generated video, causing Blue Öyster Cult to issue a statement, clarifying they were “not contacted or notified in advance”. However, due to Sony Music owning their back catalogue, the band admitted they have “no legal right to either authorize or withhold usage”.
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