Surging floodwaters cancel Halsey concert in ‘unreal’ scene at MD venue, videos show
Halsey lashed out at a Maryland music venue after surging floodwaters shut down her show planned for Wednesday, June 8.
Fans of the pop singer waited in the pouring rain and ankle-deep water for Halsey to appear at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, but by 10 p.m. the outdoor venue announced the performance would be canceled “due to weather-related technical difficulties.”
Videos shared on Twitter show surging floodwaters flowing down into the pit of the venue, which has a capacity of just under 20,000 people.
Merriweather said earlier in the day “the show is still happening rain or shine.” It delayed the start of the concert multiple times before ultimately canceling it.
The disastrous conditions before the planned show were referred to on social media as “unreal.” One video shows a member of Halsey’s crew kicking a squirrel off the stage as it tried to escape the flood waters.
Halsey said on Twitter she was “heartbroken” over the decision to cancel the concert.
“I promise I wanted to (take the stage) more than anything,” she said. “But I couldn’t because it would have been SO unsafe if I went out there and people rushed the stage during or after the storm. A lot of things were out of my control tonight but I promise everything I COULD choose, I choose your safety.”
She said in an Instagram Live video “there was some unexpected and unpredictable weather” that “immediately became dangerous.” Attendees were advised to shelter in place because it would not have been safe for everyone to leave at once.
When Halsey returns to the Washington, D.C. area, it will not be at Merriweather. She said she was “disappointed” with how the venue handled the situation and a rescheduled concert date will happen elsewhere.
Merriweather Post Pavilion is considered the premier outdoor music and entertainment venue in the D.C. area. Other acts who are scheduled to perform there this year include Jimmy Buffett, Phish, Kenny Chesney, John Mulaney and Maren Morris.
The venue did not say if fans will receive a refund from Wednesday’s canceled show, but it told attendees they will receive an email from Ticketmaster.
This story was originally published June 9, 2022 at 8:27 AM with the headline "Surging floodwaters cancel Halsey concert in ‘unreal’ scene at MD venue, videos show."