The Foo Fighters announced that Saturday’s concert in Los Angeles has been postponed indefinitely, after a “confirmed COVID-19 case within the Foo Fighters organization.” The last-minute cancellation was announced Wednesday evening via social media.
It wasn’t clear from the band’s announcement whether the case involved a member of the band itself, or someone on the periphery. In its announcement, Foo Fighters noted that they have “made every effort to follow CDC Covid protocols and local laws” as they returned to performing. The decision to postpone the concert was made “out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the band, crew and most of the fans,” it said.
Tickets purchased for the original date will be honored on the rescheduled date once that is determined.
Already in action as the country reopens from its lengthy COVID hiatus on large scale live events, Foo Fighters reopened Madison Square Garden with its first non-socially distanced event last month. The Forum show was also to feature a non-socially distanced crowd, with full vaccination a requirement for entry – a decision which drew protesters at an earlier California performance.
Currently, Foo Fighters have 11 performances on their calendar in July and August, beginning with a July 28 date at Icon Festival in Cincinnati. Just hours prior to the cancellation of this weekend’s show, the band announced three August concerts in Alaska.
With the cancellation, have begun to air worries that the Foo Fighters would be the tip of the iceberg of a fresh wave of event cancellations due to hesitancy by some to get a COVID vaccine, and a related surge in cases from the “delta” variant.
USA Today’s coverage of the announcement includes the following breakdown of the current trend in COVID cases in the U.S.:
The nation is averaging about 25,300 new cases per day, more than double the 11,300 per day the week of June 22. The total rose in 48 states – all but Iowa and South Dakota, though the totals represent only about 10% of the numbers being reported in the worst week in January. Experts attribute the rise in cases to low vaccination rates, the relaxation of mask rules and other precautions, and the swift spread of the more-contagious delta variant.
