Frank Ocean Cancels NYC Show After Promising New Orleans Debut

Frank Ocean, Odd Future's much-buzzed about crooner, seemed to be just getting started when he suddenly canceled his scheduled Sunday show in New York just one hour before his set time citing illness. The jaunt was interrupted only a day after Ocean played the first date on a mini-tour that kicked off in his native New Orleans on Saturday.

Back in February, Ocean independently released Nostalgia, Ultra via Tumblr, and since then the popular mixtape has been pegged for re-release on Def Jam, thanks to the hit singles "Swim Good" and "Novacane," which both made their way from the Internet to the radio. In early October, the 24-year-old singer/songwriter announced plans to embark on an intimate six-city tour in support of the mixtape.

The Odd Future member kicked off his short-lived run with a solo show in his hometown of New Orleans on Saturday night, but after performing sound check at the Bowery Ballroom the following day, he canceled the show.

While some fans were already lined up outside of the venue, Ocean retreated to Tumblr to pen a new post titled "New York Is Cancelled."

"[O]r should i say postponed," Ocean wrote. "I played last night in new orleans, on antibiotics and some other meds. got sick a cpl days before i left los angeles. woke up this morning in new york and could barely speak. called a doctor to my hotel, got a steroid shot. took some more meds. laid in bed all day till soundcheck, got to the venue and could barely sing any of my songs. im really sorry yall. i been workin on this show for months, did everything i could to make it special for yall. i'll be back soon as i'm healthy. thats my word. tickets will be valid for that, or you guys can get refunded. damn this sh--."

During his New Orleans show on Saturday night, it took the shy performer some time to warm up to the crowd. He delivered several tracks from Nostalgia, Ultra, including "Lovecrimes," "Swim Good" and "Novacane," while slipping in some material from his upcoming album. Ocean also performed the hooks from his Watch the Throne features "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America."

Before the cancellation, the tour was expected to stop in the Netherlands, London and Paris before concluding in Los Angeles on November 15; no word yet on whether those shows will go on.