Fans who purchased tickets to see The Weeknd and held on to them through a string of COVID-related postponements got some bad news this morning. The Weeknd tweeted the news that all existing tour dates are being cancelled, to make room for a shift from arena stops to stadium dates. Those stadium tour dates will be announced at a later date.
“Tour dates are moving and will commence in the summer 2022,” reads the tweet announcing the news, posted Monday morning. It was accompanied by a graphic touting the After Hours til Dawn stadium tour, which is apparently what will be announced soon.
Tour dates are moving and will commence in the summer 2022 pic.twitter.com/AgeWSy9k4d
— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) October 18, 2021
A second image included in the tweet says “The tour dates are moving and will commence in the summer of 2022. Due to constraints of arenas and the demand for more shows I want to do something bigger and special for you which requires stadiums. Current tickets will be refunded automatically and all ticket holders will be given priority to buy tickets for the stadium shows when they go on sale. New dates forthcoming.”
Initially scheduled to begin in 2020, After Hours Tour was pushed to the summer of 2021 in March 2020 as the coronavirus initially took hold and disrupted all of live entertainment across the globe. Fans were, naturally, told to hang on to their tickets for the rescheduled dates – then told the same when the decision was made to push the start of the tour back once again to the first month of 2022. But those who did are now left with nothing to show for it, save for the theoretical possibility of grabbing tickets to the stadium dates whenever those are announced (and if they are able to get good seats at the new venues, and at what price, remains very much to be seen.)
Fans impacted by the cancellation, who effectively gave tour promoters an interest-free loan for multiple years, let their feelings be known in the thread beneath the announcement on twitter.
Holding on to a ticket for 3 years just to have to buy them again for a new venue pic.twitter.com/EovsTSFE91
— 𓅓 (@EJ_Santana) October 18, 2021
this is so fucked up. my dead fucking dad payed for these tickets when he was alive still and now they will be refunded to his bank account that doesn’t exist anymore like this is fucked up
— kat (－_－) zzZ (@belong2thewrld) October 18, 2021
Nah Abel. I’ve been holding onto these VIP for like 2 years. You’re not taking these from me. Just move the date & let current ticket holders use their ticket on the new dates.
— jos (@jdubbbz) October 18, 2021
I HAD GOOD SEATS AND HAVE BEEN HOLDING ONTO THESE TICKETS FOR TWO YEARS?! SAY SIKE RN pic.twitter.com/NdOC3fvNTn
— julie (@jules97xx) October 18, 2021
I had section 2 right on the floor in Newark, NJ @PruCenter Been waiting for close to 2 years for this @theweeknd show. They’re gonna be MAD more $ when they go back on sale & I know I won’t have the extra $ to get em then. SMH. I’m so irritated over this right now.
— Krystine Leah (@KrystineLeah) October 18, 2021
The Weeknd is the latest artist to have made fans wait long periods before cancelling existing tour dates to move them to larger venues as the COVID reopening continues to unfold. Billie Eilish fans saw it earlier this year – and saw substantially higher prices for the new shows. BTS fans only recently had a similar experience, finding a buggy, infuriating sales process for the group’s four-show run in California that – similar to The Weeknd – included a presale exclusive to former ticket purchasers that had their orders cancelled due to COVID.
Whether or not the experience will be the same after this slate wiping remains to be seen. BTS obviously was a uniquely funnelled demand situation, as the entire tour had presale access to only four dates rescheduled. We’ll update readers with details about the new tour once The Weeknd announces it.
