Country superstar Garth Brooks is canceling five of his upcoming The Garth Brooks Stadium Tour shows due to the recent spike in COVID-19.
And one of those dates is at Paul Brown Stadium.
Brooks' Sept. 18 show at Paul Brown Stadium is now off, as are his upcoming shows in Charlotte, Baltimore, Foxborough and Nashville.
In a statement shared on his website, Brooks said:
"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. I have asked the wonderful cities of Cincinnati and Charlotte to wait too long and I don't want to now do that same thing to the great folks in Boston and Baltimore. 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, as well. So, it is with a heavy heart we announce the decision to cancel all 5 shows but with a hopeful heart, we will reschedule and start over when this wave seems to be behind us."
Brooks' website also states that they hope they will be back on tour before the end of the year and will be watching COVID cases and how "entertainment entities are handling this stage of the pandemic."
"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," Brooks said.
Ticketmaster will automatically refund the original method of payment for all of the 350,000 tickets sold to these shows, including the Cincinnati stop.
In an email Monday, Music & Event Management, Inc. (MEMI) said that it would require vaccinations or negative COVID-19 tests at all of its venues beginning Oct. 4.
“The policy is being enacted in an effort to safeguard the health of concertgoers, touring artists and employees, and to prevent another shutdown of live music, which devastated the business amidst the pandemic in 2020 thru May of 2021,” MEMI’s email said.
In October, MEMI’s venues — including Riverbend Music Center, PNC Pavilion, Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center, ICON Festival Stage at Smale Park and Taft Theatre — will require concertgoers to show their original COVID-19 vaccination card, a printed copy, or proof of a negative COVID-19 test no more than 48 hours prior to the show.
Promoter Live Nation recently said that it would require all concertgoers, performers and crew to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to present proof of a recent negative diagnostic test within 72 hours of the start of a show. The policy begins Oct. 4 and will include Live Nation venues nationwide, including Bogart’s in Corryville.
The nationwide AEG also recently announced that the new PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION in Newport would require proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test beginning with its first concert (by Kesha) on Aug. 29. Later, on Oct. 1, the venue will accept only proof of full vaccination, not recent COVID-19 tests.
And Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine announced Aug. 16 that it would require all patrons, staff members, contractors and volunteers to wear masks indoors. The policy is effective immediately and applies regardless of vaccination status.
Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get the latest on the news, things to do and places to eat delivered right to your inbox.
