Wildfires Prompt Rock + Metal Artists to Cancel or Postpone Shows

The current spate of wildfires in Canada led to a number of musicians including Creed, Black Keys, John Mellencamp and Sebastian Bach to postpone shows in the U.S.

Health alerts have been issued in a number of American areas as a result of smoke spreading from over 800 blazes north of the U.S. border.

With 30 new fires identified in the past 24 hours, hazard warnings have been issued in Chicago, Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh and Toledo in Ohio, while New York citizens were also advised to stay indoors.

Artists Who Have Canceled or Postponed Shows Due to Wildfire Smoke

Creed were set to perform in Shakopee, Minn. but moved the date to Sept. 5, explaining the call was made “given the environmental conditions and the challenges they create for the band, crew, venue, staff and attendees.”

Bach was forced to cancel his Thursday night show at Wisconsin's Waukesha County Expo Center. "This really stinks! We were super stoked to play tonight but due to the hazardous air quality index level of 644 in the interest of the safety of our fans, crew and ourselves we unfortunately will not be able to perform an outside show for 90 minutes in these conditions," he explained on social media.

"We don’t want anybody to jeopardize their health in any way. We are looking into rescheduling the show and coming back to rock with you Waukesha! We gotta get a handle on the weather on this planet before it’s too late."

The Black Keys called off their planned outdoor appearance in Chicago “upon advisement from the city… and for the safety of our fans.”

They’ve replaced the performance with two indoor shows on Oct. 20 and 21.

Mellencamp’s concert in Clarkston, Mich. was canceled, with ticketholders given refund information. He confirmed the decision was the result of “poor air quality” and added: “We were looking forward to seeing you tonight!”

When Will The Air Quality Improve?

The wildfire emergency has caused the evacuation of six communities in Canada to date, and activated protective protocols in many areas. Authorities estimate that continued hot weather and low rainfall mean conditions may worsen until the weekend, with hopes of improvement in air quality from Monday (Jul. 20) onward.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a statement saying: “We’re in a very serious health situation right now [and it’s] very unhealthy to be outdoors.”

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