Revelers react to Kylie Minogue as she performs at the Glastonbury Festival. One of Britain’s biggest summer music events, the Glastonbury Festival, has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Organizers say the festival, due to take place June 24-28, will be postponed until 2021. Photo by Grant Pollard/Invision via AP
With federal social distancing guidelines extended to April 30, the future looks unclear for music-related events like concerts and festivals that normally thrive in the warmer weather. As they usually attract throngs of people, it’s only right that upcoming shows be postponed or canceled, as disappointing that may seem. If you have a ticket for a concert or festival in the near future, chances are you will be contacted with information about rescheduling a refund, but here are some of the events that have adjusted due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Some big events, like the famous South by Southwest Conference (SXSW) down in Texas, had already passed and were canceled ahead of its original date, March 13. The conglomeration of media events and panels was the first major arts and music festival that was canceled in the United States as a result of the pandemic, according to Business Insider. The World Tour Bushfire Relief charity concert, which was supposed to be held the same day in Melbourne, was also canceled, with ticket holders refunded after headliner Miley Cyrus dropped out.
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“With the situation remaining uncertain for the unforeseen future, entertainment companies and artists will continue to assess the situation around their remaining concert dates.”
Perhaps the most famous music festival in the world, Coachella, made headlines with its status up in the air. Insider reports that the California star-studded event has been rescheduled to Oct. 9-11 and 16-18. The main headliners, Travis Scott, Frank Ocean and Rage Against the Machine, are still committed to performing in the fall, and all tickets will still be honored. Refunds are being offered for those who can no longer attend.
Two of the northeast’s main music festivals, Boston Calling and Governors Ball, have both been canceled. The former, which traditionally takes place over Memorial Day weekend at the Harvard Athletic Conference, has not yet rescheduled. Those who have already bought tickets will have options for a refund or put it towards next year’s festival, according to the Boston Herald. The larger festival in New York’s Randall Island Park was scheduled for the weekend of June 5-7, but was also canceled and unable to schedule for a later date in the year. Ticket holders will have similar refund or credit options.
Anyone who knows me, knows that performing has always been my favorite part of working in music.
However, during times like these, the safety and protection of touring crew, fans, and everyone else around the world is an immediate priority. pic.twitter.com/RgRPP17rb6
— Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles) March 25, 2020
Individual artists and entertainment companies that oversee their tours have suspended or rescheduled concerts as well. Harry Styles’ “Love On Tour” leg in Europe, which was originally supposed to start this month, has been rescheduled to start in February of 2021. Back domestically, Billie Eilish announced the postponement of her North American tour dates for “Where Do We Go?”, which kicked off in early March. Country duo Dan + Shay have postponed the spring leg of their tour, from March 12 until July 30, for their show in Tulsa.
Eilish’s tour postponement is a result of Live Nation Entertainment and AEG Worldwide suspending all tour engagements in North America, according to the New York Times. This includes big names like Tame Impala, The Strokes, Post Malone, Michael Buble, Cher, Zac Brown Band and more.
With the situation remaining uncertain for the unforeseen future, entertainment companies and artists will continue to assess the situation around their remaining concert dates. Insider continues to update a current list of canceled and postponed events if you were planning to attend one, but if you already have a ticket to a concert, chances are you’ve already received an email about possible refunds or credit.
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Hollianne Lao is a staff writer and the social media manager for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at hollianne.lao@uconn.edu.
