Summer and live music. What could be more Australian?
With the weather hotting up, this is usually the time of year where punters stock up on tickets to festivals, stadium shows and other gigs big and small.
But in a year like no other, we’re heading for a summer like no other, a summer of missed opportunities and what-could-have-beens. With COVID-19 still wreaking havoc around the world, big-name festivals, tours and concerts are being cancelled across Australia.
Harry Styles took it to social media to announce that his Australian tour will not be going ahead, leaving One Direction fans heartbroken.
The Pussycat Dolls, Jesse McCartney and Busta Rhymes were supposed to perform early this year in Australia and New Zealand at the So Pop Tour.
Due to strict measures taking place regarding Covid-19 the event was cancelled and tickets were refunded.
So Pop announced on Instagram that they will not continue with their tour:
“To our So Pop fans 💜 It is with a heavy heart that Frontier Touring and Arena Touring announce that So Pop 2020 will not proceed as planned due to COVID-19… “
By mid-March, the outbreak led to the federal government to announce a ban on all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people outdoors and 100 people indoors.
Ticketek released a statement on its website.
“The safety of fans, artists and staff is always our top priority and we will continue to monitor advice from the local state Government regarding mass gatherings.”
Although many artists have simply cancelled upcoming events, some have postponed instead in the hopes that large gatherings will be possible by early next year.
Here are a list of upcoming concerts and festivals.
Postponed:
5 Seconds of Summer
The Australian pop-rock band postponed their tour until March 2021.
Groovin in the Moo
Rescheduled 23rd April – 8 May 2021
Short Stack
The Australian pop punk bands tour has been postponed to April 2021
Backstreet Boys
The iconic boy band is rescheduled to tour Australia in May 2021
Splendour in the Grass
The Music & Arts festival was supposed to run from 23-25th October has been postponed to 23-25th July 2021
Tame Impala
The psychedelic musican Kevin Parker had an upcoming in December 2020 has now been rescheduled for December 2021
KOTA the friend
Brooklyn rapper was set to tour Australia early this year in February but had now postponed his tour to December 2020
To Be Confirmed:
Harry Styles
The British artists tour has been cancelled, new dates are yet to be confirmed.
Stormzy
The British rapper was to tour Australia this November but has now been postponed, the rescheduled date is yet to be confirmed.