The Beastie Boys [ tickets ] have postponed the remaining dates of their Australian tour, according to a press statement issued by the band on Wednesday (2/17). The brief statement said that the band and crew were returning home immediately due to a familial health emergency and asked that the media respect the privacy of the matter.

The postponement comes half way through a month-long, 15-date tour of Japan, Australia and New Zealand which began on February 2nd and was scheduled to end March 1st in Wellington, NZ. The Japanese stretch of the tour was complete at the time of the announcement.

Following a six-week break, the group was scheduled to begin a two-month European tour on April 19th, to be followed by a second round of US dates, this time expected to concentrate on outdoor amphitheatres. While there's no indication that any of these dates are in jeopardy, routing may be adjusted to work in a return visit to Australia to make up the seven dates affected by the announced postponement.