Bono thanks Kiwi fans for patience

Bono

U2 singer Bono has apologised and thanked his New Zealand fans for their patience after the shock news New Zealand concerts of the Vertigo tour were off.

In return, he has promised "amazing shows" when they return in November for the rescheduled concerts, for which exact dates are still to be set.

The band had to cancel the final 10 concerts of the tour last week because of serious illness of a family member of one of the band, disappointing fans in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Japan.

In an interview with the Rock radio station, Bono said again that the band hoped to be back in Australia and New Zealand in November.

"Thanks so much for your patience out there," he said, speaking on his way to Sydney airport to catch a flight home.

Bono said he could not go into details about the reasons for the cancellation, but he expected the end of year concerts would be all the better for the break.

On ABC's Enough Rope show in Australia on Monday night, he said: "Oh yeah, because it will be the only time we get a chance to play these songs for a long time. It will be extraordinary and the member of the band whose life has been turned upside down by this recent news, he will be on fire as opposed to having a cloud hanging over them.

"They'll be amazing shows."

He said the band had only pulled out of a tour once before.

"It's only happened once before and oddly enough it was in Sydney in Australia in the late 80s, we had to postpone three dates. It makes you feel ill. For those who have to travel and change travel arrangements we're really, really deeply sorry."

He told the Rock some of the crew travelling with the band were still going to New Zealand for a break in the South Island, but he was on his way home to Ireland.

He said it had been a "mad, mad, mad year" with the Vertigo tour combined with U2's success in the Grammies.

He would spend the unscheduled break writing, playing the piano and guitar and playing with his children.