Gojira's Duplantier Out on Guitar for French Tour Due to Injury

French metal band Gojira announced that frontman Joe Duplantier will not perform guitar duties on their upcoming tour through France due to a recent hand injury requiring surgery, with guitarist Greg Kubacki stepping in as a temporary replacement. The tour begins Thursday at Reims Arena in Reims, marking the start of a series of shows across the country.

Duplantier, who serves as the band's guitarist and vocalist, shared details of the injury on Instagram earlier this week. He explained that the setback occurred a few weeks ago and, despite undergoing minor surgery and beginning recovery, it prevents him from playing all his guitar parts during the initial leg of performances. "Hey! I hurt my hand a few weeks ago. After getting minor surgery, I'm on the mend, but unfortunately, I won't be able to play all my guitar parts on the next tour in France," Duplantier wrote in his post, which included an X-ray image and a photo of his hand in a cast. He added that the band has enlisted Kubacki, a longtime friend and guitarist from the technical metal group Car Bomb, to handle guitar responsibilities. Duplantier plans to focus on vocals during the shows.