With  COVID-19 cases on the rise again due to the Delta Variant many artists are once again being forced to cancel or postpone their concerts. To make matters even worse some artists have announced that they must postpone their concerts due to positive covid tests within their bands. One such artist is Kid Rock who tweeted out that “he would be canceling many of his remaining shows this year due to several members of his band testing positive for COVID-19”. Likewise, Legendary rock and roll band KISS announced that they would be canceling a couple of dates of their farewell tour due to Kiss Member Paul Stanely testing positive for COVID. Stanley would reassure fans on Twitter that his condition was not too serious and that they would be back on the road soon. Other artists such as Garth Brooks, Nine Inch Nails, Stevie Nicks BTS and Tony Bennet have all either postponed or canceled the rest of their 2021 shows. With Bennet   announcing on Twitter that he would be retiring from touring following the cancellation of his remaining 2021 shows.

Covid-19 has forced the concert industry to make some radical changes to keep everyone involved safe. Some artists such as Harry Styles as well as  the Foo Fighters have implemented mask and vaccine mandates at their shows in an attempt to keep fans safe. Other artists such as Phoebe Bridgers have moved their concerts into outdoor venues to make social distancing easier. However, not every artist is taking these precautions and some are even hitting back against them.

 Famed Guitarist Eric Clapton has stated that he will not perform in any Venue that requires proof of vaccination even going as far as stating that he will cancel the show if the venue attempts to enforce vaccination. Clapton has been outspoken against masks and vaccines throughout the pandemic. Clapton even released a song entitled “this has gotta stop” where he criticizes Vaccine and mask mandates. Clapton is not alone in his refusal to play venues that mandate vaccines. Country Band Steel Woods canceled a show in St. Louis because the venue was requiring proof of vaccination. The band took to Twitter after this to clarify the cancelaation .Stating “Steel Woods will not participate in any show in the future that requires proof of vaccination or negative Covid test result for entry. This includes all headline shows, festivals and all shows we are supporting.”

These Cancellations and postponements come after a summer of relative normalcy for concerts. Many concert festivals such as Lollapalooza and Rolling Loud returned after being canceled in 2020 and many big-name artists returned to the road for the first time in over a year. However, this period of calm would come to an end when the Delta Variant made its presence known toward the end of the summer and cases began to skyrocket again leaving the future of many concerts uncertain. As cases continue to rise daily it will be interesting to see how many more artists will decide to postpone or cancel their concerts. These cancellations serve as a grim reminder that the pandemic is still raging on and that we still need to be cautious when going out. All hope is not lost however as studies conducted by the CDC are showing that the steps being taken by concerts venues to limit the spread of covid-19 are working providing a glimmer of hope for those hoping to see their favorite artists live. For more information about COVID-19 in your area please visit your local health authorities website or check out the CDCs official COVID-19 webpage.