Garth Brooks pulled the plug Wednesday on five stadium tour dates amid rising COVID-19 cases.
Brooks canceled shows in Cincinnati, Charlotte, Baltimore and Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Country Hall of Famer also cut a previously announced Seattle show, although tickets for the date never went on sale.
"In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us. Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part," Brooks said in a statement.
The slate of axed appearances includes a to-be-announced date in Nashville's Nissan Stadium, although Brooks said in a statement that the choice to cancel that performance "is not COVID related."
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He added, "As far as Nashville, we are looking for a make up date from the July rain out and though this is not COVID related, to make them wait makes me sad."
Brooks planned to play Nissan Stadium last month, selling more than 70,000 in Nashville. Show organizers postponed the event because of severe thunderstorms minutes after the concert began with an opening set from the Grand Ole Opry.
Brooks hopes to reschedule affected concerts at a future date. Ticketmaster plans to automatically refund customers via each's payment method. Tour promoters plan to continue monitoring COVID-19 cases, including how schools, sports and others in entertainment combat the virus' spread.
His decision comes as many in live entertainment continue to navigate uncharted conditions as COVID-19 cases rise largely among unvaccinated people. Some – from local Nashville clubs to major festivals like Bonnaroo and Pilgrimage and concert promotion giants such as Live Nation and AEG – aim to require a negative coronavirus test or vaccination proof to attend an event. Earlier this month, artists including Jason Isbell, Dead & Company and The Killers and more adopted similar stances.
Others, including Brooks, Celine Dion, Stevie Nicks, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Korn, have postponed or canceled performances.
"I'm sincerely hoping we are back on tour before the year's end," Brooks said. "With that said, the most important thing to me is fulfilling my end of the 'Stadium Tour' by making sure every show is doable before putting tickets on sale (that is why we pulled the Seattle on sale) and making sure the environment these people are trading their time and money to put themselves into is not only the best experience ever, but also the safest one we can provide."
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