OTTAWA -- American rockers Pearl Jam are postponing the first leg of their North American tour this spring—including a planned Ottawa show—over coronavirus concerns.

"Unfortunately, communing in large groups is a huge part of what we do as a band and the tour we've been busy planning for months is now in jeopardy," frontman Eddie Vedder said in a statement on social media Monday. "We have and will always keep the safety and well-being of our supporters as top priority."

"So it is with deep frustration and regret that we are forced to make this most unfortunate of announcements... This scheduled first leg of our PJ/Gigaton tour will need to be postponed and shows rescheduled for a later date."

The band was scheduled to play the Canadian Tire Centre on March 20.

The band's new album "Gigaton" is scheduled for release on March 27. They had planned to embark on a 16-date North American tour in March and April.

Other Canadian dates postponed include a Toronto stop on March 18, Quebec City on March 22 and Hamilton on March 24.

With files from the Associated Press