Ed Sheeran Cancels Gillette Stadium Weekend Shows Over Storm Warnings
Ed Sheeran's concerts at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 25-26, have been cancelled because of severe weather warnings in Boston and across New England.
Messina Touring, the promoter — the company that organises Sheeran's Loop Tour — confirmed the cancellation in an Instagram message on Friday morning, Sept. 25, Billboard. The decision followed consultation with local officials. The statement said the safety of fans, staff and everyone involved was the top priority.
The threat is a nor'easter, a powerful coastal storm moving toward the East Coast. Wind gusts in the Foxborough area were forecast to reach 40-55 m.p.h., peaking Friday night through Saturday night. That matters for an open-air stadium. High winds can make staging, lighting rigs and sound structures unsafe, as well as travel to and from the venue.
Refunds are available at point of purchase, meaning wherever fans bought their tickets. Purchases made through Ticketmaster will be refunded automatically, with no need to apply.
Sheeran's shows are not the only live events affected. Ocean Calling Festival cancelled the first day of its three-day event because of the expected impact of the same storm.
The next date on Sheeran's schedule after Foxborough is Oct. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
The Gillette Stadium dates had already drawn attention for a separate reason. Sheeran has said that dropping Macklemore from his United States tour was not his decision, Reuters. His opening acts and his own band left the tour in solidarity with Macklemore after Macklemore was cut from the line-up, according to that report. Separate reporting ahead of the weekend said Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium, Reuters.
For ticket-holders, this means watching for a message from the seller rather than heading to Foxborough. Ticketmaster buyers should see the money returned to the original payment method. Anyone who bought elsewhere will need to contact that outlet directly.
