Rock band Rage Against the Machine postponed their much-awaited "Public Service Announcement" reunion tour until June 2021.
A statement on the band's Instagram page declares, "Rage Against the Machine will commence our tour at such a time when we are confident it will be safe for our fans." The band then assured that tickets for postponed shows would be honored.
Tentative "rerouted dates" for the PSA reunion tour are available on the RATM website, starting on June 3 at the Don Haskins Center in El Paso, Texas.
Aside from the June 2021 schedule, the statement also extends the band's intent to honor refunds from "fans who want their ticket money back," adding that the band has requested and confirmed that refunds can be processed at the point of purchase.
"We sincerely hope that each one of you and your families and friends stay safe and well and that music is bringing you solace and inspiration. We look forward to seeing you," the statement concludes.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Rage Against The Machine (@rageagainstthemachine) on May 1, 2020 at 1:13pm PDT
This announcement follows the initial postponement of Rage Against the Machine reunion tour, pushing the first leg of their highly-publicized reunion back to May this year.
Rage Against the Machine was first formed in 1991 by Zack de la Rocha, Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, and Tom Morello and has been recognized for their songs' politically-charged messages delivered in alternative and nu-metal rock genres. Their "Public Service Announcement" tour was supposed to be their first show together in nine years.
Music and Livelihood Under the Pandemic
Rage Against the Machine is among many performers who had to call off scheduled 2020 performances due to the global coronavirus pandemic. Other postponed events are from Bon Jovi, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, Justin Bieber, Queen + Adam Lambert, Elton John, and many more.
Also, in an attempt to weather the brunt of canceled music events, ticket sales and distribution company Ticketmaster has recently moved to temporarily furlough hundreds of its workers as a part of its $500 million cost reduction plan for the rest of the year. Ticketmaster president Jared Smith explained that they have stayed to the company philosophy of "taking care of our own" by continuing to provide for their employees' salaries through March and April, even after the show cancellations.
However, the Live Nation-owned company assured its employees that their still benefits will be shouldered by the company, one to two weeks worth of payout and that they will bring back employees as soon as possible.
The widespread cancellation of concerts, tours, and festivals is just one facet of the economic setbacks plaguing the United States following the COVID-19 outbreak. With more than one million confirmed positives, leading to more than 66,000 deaths and leaving 26 million more Americans unemployed, the coronavirus has forced the government to pass the largest stimulus bill in history. The $2 trillion Coronavirus Stimulus Bill will pump money to keep the national economy up and running through loans and grants of about $1,200 for adults and $500 for children.
Music industry workers, such as independent songwriters, crew, and roadies, are included in the bill, thanks to the cooperation between congressional leaders and industry groups, including the Songwriters of North America and Nashville Songwriters Association International.
