Carlos Santana stepped in it at his August 24th show at Red Rocks in Colorado with it being misguided cancer advice. On stage as part of his “Oneness Tour,” the virtuoso guitarist gave what he probably thought was positive life advice, but maybe didn’t think the connotations all the way through.
On stage, Carlos Santana gave what he probably thought was positive life advice, but maybe didn’t think the connotations all the way through. “If you wanna make sure that in your life you never have cancer, it’s important that you remember this,” he told the crowd. “Grievances cause cancer . . . So it’s important that you let it go and forgive. Let go of that shit. Let it go, and you will be clean. I promise you, you will be clean.”
Santana continued with a dubious anecdote, claiming, “A specialist on cancer, he said he never met anyone that had cancer that didn’t have grievances.” That sounds awfully close to victim blaming, and Reddit users expressed their disappointment. A child with a terrifying and degrading disease doesn’t get it because of grievances to point out the obvious. Anyone who has had a close family member or relations will likely tell you that the guitarist was way out of his area of expertise with his statements.
Reaction to Santana’s Comments
To be fair to Santana, a lot of fans clapped and cheered at his advice, video showed, but they probably weren’t oncologists.
As the news of Santana‘s comments spread, many took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration. A user on TikTok posted a video with the caption “guess I’ll die ¯_(ツ)_/¯ #Santana #cancer #RedRocks”.
Upcoming Tour Dates
Santana 2026 Tour Dates:
08/27 – Shakopee, MN @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater
09/12 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/13 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/16 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/17 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/19 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/20 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/24 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/26 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
09/27 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/04 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/05 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/08 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/12 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/14 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
11/15 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
In conclusion, Carlos Santana‘s comments on cancer at his recent show have sparked a lot of controversy and disappointment. While he may have been trying to offer positive advice, his words came across as insensitive and misinformed. As Santana continues his Oneness Tour, it will be interesting to see how he addresses this situation and whether he will take back his comments. Meanwhile, fans can still catch him at his upcoming shows, including his 2026 Tour Dates in various cities across the US.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte, widely regarded as the “Shakespeare of Sh*tposts,” is a video game expert with a unique knack for turning pixels into punchlines.
Born in the small town of Respawn, Pennsylvania, Pixel grew up mashing buttons on an ancient NES controller, firmly believing that “blowing into the cartridge” was a sacred ritual passed down through generations.
Pixel P. Snarkbyte: proving that life, much like a buggy open-world game, is better with a little lag-induced chaos.
