To think concert cancelling has become far too prevalent

[MXVIT]

and I think its a terrible precedent to have been set

I am probably just an unfeeling wench but I think it is dreadful how easy this has become to do, Lewis Capaldi taking three weeks off to be "Lewis from Glasgow" again bascially saying "I know you've forked out on hotels and travel, and thanks, but sorry"

For me it just shows a huge disrespect to fans. When you're a rich and famous star (all from the hard earned money from your fans) and all of the luxury that that life affords - you don't get to turn it on and off, and I'm sorry, but you don't get to put yourself first 100% of the time. Thats the trade off.

I would never buy tickets to concerts again after the spate of this happening. Adele, Sam Smith, Lewis etc.

AIBU ?

Inclined to agree here.
Dave Grohl broke a leg on stage but finished the gig on a chair to not let the fans down.
Imagine Sam Smith or Adele etc doing the same..

If LC's mental health is bad enough that he can't perform then fine to take time off. I can imagine it's very hard having Tourette's and having to get up onstage when you're unwell knowing you'll be tic-ing more than usual and you don't have control of that. However I do not think the reason given is fine. You can't just say 'I prefer to prioritise other fans at a more prestigious event'. It's disrespectful. He should just have said something like 'I'm going to have to postpone/ cancel due to ill health and am very sorry but hope to be able to pick up again later in the year.

Similarly Adele's reason in Las Vagas was disrespectful. She should either have given proper details about why the show was not in a fit state or got on with it and made it work. People pay to hear her sing, not see her doing a huge Pink- style stage performance.

No idea about Sam Smith.

Hopefully in future they will be a lot more mindful of taking on too much at once as it must be enormously pressure beong where the buck stops for a huge tour but it's better for everyone involved, especially themselves, to say 'no' early in planning rather than pull out last minute. I think this heavy album touring model is so tough on artists, there must be another way if they want to perform. Residency or a little and often approach with a simpler stage show maybe?

If you read my next post (before yours) you will see that I am not refusing to recognise anything of the sort. I could equally ask why you refuse to recognise the impact of colleagues taking months off with stress on those who are left to cover their work.

Earlier this year I attended a concert the thought of which had literally kept me going when I was suicidal. So I'd have been pretty upset if it had been cancelled.

However, accidents/illness happens, and it's hard to be cross with Lewis Capaldi.

I know a semi-famous artist and know what massive lengths she went to to keep her tour dates when she had a nasty throat infection. Most touring artists do take it seriously.

Yes, I agree.

My daughter has Tourette’s and sometimes people just don’t understand just how tough it is. It’s not just a bit of random twitching and swearing

She finds it painful, debilitating, exhausting and frustrating and it’s taken a huge toll on her mental health.

It’s not always a case of being better prepared. Tics wax and wane. Yes, she’s learned her triggers - stress and anxiety are her biggest trigger, she’s currently in the middle of exams and she’s having daily tic attacks where she can barely talk or walk. She’s given herself a black eye, knocked herself out head butting a metal pole, scraped her hands and knees with constant falls.

I watched his documentary and I know that he struggles the same way

We’ve got tickets to go and see him too. If he cancels, he cancels

I am currently working for a department with a sickness absence rate running at a ten year high, thanks to a recent reorg. I do not resent my colleagues for taking time off sick with stress. I have taken time off sick myself. I have attempted suicide at work in a previous job and will not put myself through that level of work-induced mental illness again.

If you are covering for someone who is off sick by doing more work, stop. The missed work is management's problem, not yours. You can do someone else's work instead of your own, but you can't do more than one person's work.

I am absolutely sick of people treating work-induced mental illness as "not really an illness" or something you just have to suck up. I am sick of people treating working extra hours to keep up with the workload as some kind of badge of honour. Stop shilling for the bosses, get a backbone, and look out for your own health.

I personally think he has done the right thing cancelling. The audience seem to be carrying most of his shows at the moment, sadly.

I didn’t think the Glasto line came across well in the statement and also don’t understand why even up until 2/3 weeks ago he was releasing tickets for more (intimate) gigs if things were as bad.

I’ve seen the documentary and it was a hard watch.

He’s absolutely money obsessed though - I’m sure I would be as well if I was in his shoes but it doesn’t always sound great.

Surely the artist gets a say in how frequently they perform on tour etc?

If so, knowing that Lewis has extra needs then I think this could have been avoided with a reduced schedule and rest time etc.

Apologies if this isn't the case for people who are affected by tourettes.

I have a diagnosed and medicated mh disorder. I know that I need to be careful with my workload to avoid burning out or becoming very unwell.

I'm an amateur musician. Over a decade ago, I injured myself permanently because I wouldn't stop playing when in pain to fulfil gig commitments (a week-long venue residency). The injury has a lifelong impact upon my ability to do my day job and forced me to change to a different instrument for life.

Every day I feel the pain, reminding me of what I've lost, and I regret pushing through because "the show must go on".

I've also been bitterly disappointed by artists canceling.

I'd rather someone cancelled than go through what I went, and still go, through.

unless they literally can't perform, they should honour the planned gigs. And if they are too weak to do it? then they should find a different job.

I'm still salty about Panic in the Disco realising that they had booked a load of sold out gigs across several European cities in relatively small places, then realised they could sell out much bigger ones. For a band who banged on and on about how they are a family with their fans and how they respect them etc. That so many young people had forked out for travel, hotels etc and mostly being young had taken the cheapest non-refundable/changeable options.

And they never had the decency to address it.

So bands that do this? i am loud and annoyed on Twitter etc, and i never give them a red cent. (I go to about 80-100 gigs a year, from small bands to massive stadiums so it's not something i take lightly)

Jesus is that what he said? absolute fucker.

Yanbu - apart from Lewis Capaldi funnily enough. I've seen clips of him struggling so much - that it looks like he should have cancelled. He's known for attacks of tourettes etc on stage.

Jesus is that what he said? absolute fucker.

There is absolutely no way that he would have had a say in the statement that was put out.

I doubt the artist gets a huge amount of say in tour schedules. It'll depend on venue availability, band availability, local weather for outdoor gigs, roadies and stage equipment. Doing ad hoc shows would presumably cost more. (This is me guessing).
I'd be happy to go back to paying for music (£1 a track) but it's not as easy as it used to be. Google play music ceased to exist 2 yrs ago. I do pay for Spotify though.

If he didn’t he needs to be having words with his manager

And if they are too weak to do it? then they should find a different job.

1. Mental illness and other disabilities are not weakness. Attitudes like yours contribute to the widespread misbelief that mental illness is a character flaw instead of an illness and contribute to the suicide rate.
2. Last time I looked, the key skills required of a pop musician were being able to write and play songs. Poor mental health doesn't stop the person from having those skills.

It should never have got to the point that it needs cancelling.

He's a big star, he should be saying no to big tours that never end, he should be putting in gaps to allow him to decompress.

He's not new to the lifestyle - hell, he did a Netflix doco where his family said the pressure was getting to him. Sure his health comes first - but he has a documented neurological condition that gets worse with stress, he needs to manage this better and like I say, build in periods of rest.

Does no one have compassion for those that save their £ to travel, stay overnight plus tickets only to be told, soz, you'll have to accept the loss on travel and acommodation?

It's almost word for word what Radio One have been reporting on all day.

yeah, he's a grown up lad, he can make sure he gets approval on what goes out in his name.

Depending on the band, i'll send the tickets back for a refund. But i have experienced very very few cancellations in my long and glorious gig-going career (oh that week in the early 90s when we went to 5 gigs in 8 days...)

Had tickets for a gig last year (November) with DH and our DDs and one of their friends (it was a deal, we went to that one, they had been to see one of our aging rock bands in summer). The first people were in the venue already when news came that 5 of the 6 band members had tested positive for covid and since their show involves getting in with the fans (it's bonkers but great) they cancelled. And managed to reschedule the same venue 3 weeks later and it was great.

The difference being that they, or their management or other lackeys, didn't put out a piss-poor statement that totally takes the piss out of the people that put them where they are.

Capaldi really needs to take a long good think about if live music is for him, recording is a whole different kettle of fish and may be a better fit for him.

@Doggymummar

Didn't mean to @ but phone not letting me delete!

Just Google the full statement.
It's glastonbury and upcoming shows which are the other international dates.
After Glasto he's got two at the end of July and then a few in September.

Honestly I'm not sure how that counts as a 'packed tour schedule' but there you go. It's not like he's doing consecutive days across a month or something...

I don't agree- it was on his Instagram. He's an established and well respected singer songwriter, not an X Factor winner. I think he would have some say in what goes out. To be fair, I think he's just picked Glasto as a date to work towards being recovered by, which is unerstandable it's just the wording that really isn't great.

@ChiefWiggumsBoy in his documentary he talks about cancelling and packing it in but then talks about how many people rely on him. His band, his childhood friends he employs, the crew etc… It’s well worth a watch, the Ed Sheeran documentary was a good watch too.

Wrong. Live performing isn't just about 'playing music', it's also about being a good performer which involves physical condition, mental resilience etc.
The reason why these people are professionals and the rest of us aren't is because they can do it all. Just like how a home cook can put a great dinner on the table but you need a professional chef for restaurant volume and service.
And just like athletes singers have to prepare for tours, they don't just rock up and sing.

Of course, forcing people to work non stop with drugs etc is wrong but some people like Adele genuinely don't like performing. Trouble is in 2023 it's not very viable to make big money solely as a recording artiste.

There are quite a few independents I support on Patreon, folk musicians etc. There are also the people who play at weddings. If someone REALLY wanted to get away from th stress of it all they could, without entirely giving up performing. But I guess they'd lose the fame and money.

I think that it is the wording of the statement that is the issue. Had he said that he was ill and had to cancel, then fair enough. But saying that he just wants to live a normal life for a bit and be with his family just sounds so awfully selfish to those of us who would dearly love to be able to do that but have got to work to pay the bills.

Must be a generational thing. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine the likes of Springsteen and Elton John doing this.