As the World Health Organization declares the 2020 COviD 19 outbreak as a pandemic,  according to a report by Business News channel CNBC last March 12, many countries, private institutions, and even music agencies ordered the cancellation or postponement of mass gatherings, especially concerts. In the United States, many concerts from east to west were cancelled due to the pandemic.

COViD-19 Pandemic

The pandemic, which started in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China last December, crippled everything including the music industry in the United States as governments are now taking steps to contain the virus.

Some of the largest music festivals announced that they were cancelling or moving their events to another date just to contain the virus since these concerts need a large crowd, a favorite sport for the virus to spread fast.

Concert Cancellations

According to Global News, Coachella and South by Southwest postponed their events, which are supposed to be held on March 10 and 13 respectively according to their announcements in their tweets.

Some the big names in the world of music also cancelled their concerts amid the outbreak to prevent what happened to their fellow celebrities that contracted the virus like Tom Hanks and Idris Elba.

This month, according to local newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Wells Fargo Center announced that they will cancel all their events, including the concert tour of pop star Billie Ellish.

Pop star Ciara, who is also a composer, cancelled her March 19 event in Fort Worth TX for the opening of the United Service Organization as her doctor adviced her to limit her movements due to the virus outbreak and its effects to her pregnancy. Ciara also messaged everyone to stay home to prevent the virus from spreading.

Mariah Carey also postponed her concert in Hawaii due to the travel restrictions that are in place, and she moved her concert on November 28 instead. The concert will take place in Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.

Rock bands, which also create a lot of spectators, announced the cancellations of their concerts and world tours due to the pandemic. 

Seattle-based band Pearl Jam cancelled all their tours in North America for the same reason. All these to avoid crowds from building up in a single location. 

Heavy metal Kiss also announced the cancellation of their tours after their meeting, according to their manager Doc McGhee, and moved their tours in the country to October. The band also planned to have tours in South America and Europe, but canceled said tours as well. 

COVID-19 Update

According to a new update, there are now 168,019 cases with 6,610 deaths in 148 countries, and 1678 cases were in the US with 41 deaths. So far, Hanks' wife Rita Wilson is the only reported musician from the USA that has been struck by the virus.

As the virus continues to spread all over the world, it is the best to stop cancel all music events until the coast is clear.

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