British Lion Drop Off Tour With The Darkness Due to ‘Unacceptable’ Protocols

British Lion, the English solo outfit from Iron Maiden founder Steve Harris, have withdrawn from a scheduled fall U.K. tour supporting fellow countrymen The Darkness, citing "protocols" put in place by the headlining act they deemed "unacceptable."

The Harris-led group revealed as much in a statement on their website and social media pages on Thursday (Oct. 14). The tour behind The Darkness' upcoming album Motorheart, the Motorheart U.K. Tour 2021, was announced over the summer, as shown by Kerrang.

British Lion said, "Due to circumstances beyond our control British Lion are really sad and disappointed to announce that we will not be able to participate in the tour with The Darkness. Very recently we received their own protocols that are not Government protocols which are completely unacceptable to us. Therefore, we have no alternative but to withdraw from the tour."

While COVID-19 and precautions for avoiding catching the contagious disease that's sparked a worldwide pandemic are not mentioned, one could presume the protocols being rejected are health guidelines more stringent than the U.K. government's own.

British Lion's latest album, The Burning, emerged last year — it followed the side project's debut, 2012's British Lion. Iron Maiden released their new album Senjutusu last month.

See The Darkness' fall dates below.

The Darkness Fall 2021 U.K. Tour Dates

Nov. 17 – Brighton, England @ Dome
Nov. 19 – Margate, England @ Winter Gardens
Nov. 20 – Bournemouth, England @ O2 Academy
Nov. 21 – Southend, England @ Cliffs Pavillion
Nov. 23 – Norwich, England @ UEA
Nov. 24 – Cambridge, England @ Corn Exchange
Nov. 26 – Reading, England @ The Hexagon
Nov. 27 – Cardiff, Wales @ Great Hall
Nov. 29 – Exeter, England @ Great Hall
Nov. 30 – Guilford, England @ G Live
Dec. 2 – Liverpool, England O2 Academy
Dec. 3 – Manchester, England @ Academy
Dec. 4 – Hull, X @ Bonus Arena
Dec. 6 – Stoke-on-Trent, England @ Victoria Hall
Dec. 7 – Bristol, England @ O2 Academy
Dec. 9 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowlands
Dec. 10 – Newcastle, England @ O2 Academy
Dec. 11 – Leeds, England @ O2 Academy
Dec. 13 – Nottingham, England @ Rock City
Dec. 14 – Birmingham, England @ O2 Academy
Dec. 16 – London, England @ Shepherds Bush
Dec. 17 – London, England @ Shepherds Bush