Ed Sheeran Postpones Las Vegas Show at the Last Minute Due to ‘Technical Issues’
Ed Sheeran’s Saturday night concert in Las Vegas was postponed at the last minute due to “technical issues,” leaving thousands of fans in the sweltering heat outside the city’s Allegiant Stadium.
“I can’t believe I’m typing this but there’s been some challenges encountered during the load in of our vegas show,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram as the concert approached showtime. “It’s impossible to go forward with the show. I’m so sorry. I know everyone has travelled in for this and I wish I could change it. The gig will be postponed to Saturday October 28th and all purchased tickets will be valid for that date. I’m so, so sorry.”
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On Sunday afternoon, Sheeran shared more information on what happened to cause the postponement. His Instagram post included a snippet of a report from The Sun, which said there was a “flooring problem.”
“Rubber tiling had become unstuck — causing two tall towers to slip overnight by about a foot each,” The Sun reports. “Engineers tore the rig apart and reinforced the towers but both were still found to be shifting at the Allegiant Stadium in Nevada, leading to Saturday’s late cancellation.”
“A little bit more context on the cancellation yesterday. It was a safety issue, and we really tried to do the best we could to make the show happen but I’m not gonna risk the safety of my fans for anything,” Sheeran added in his caption. Fans may get refunds or return for the Oct. 28 rescheduled date.
“Nothing will take away from the effort people went to to get to vegas though and I’m sorry it wasn’t communicated sooner to the people waiting outside,” he continued. “We really thought the show was going to happen up until the very last moment but it just couldn’t for safety reasons. Sorry again to everyone affected, and hopefully see you in October x.”
Before the last-minute postponement, thousands of Sheeran fans — many of whom traveled from other cities, as people flew in specifically for the Vegas show — had already descended on the Allegiant Stadium, lining up for hours outside the venue. With temperatures over 90 degrees, some fans required medical attention for heat-related issues, the Clark County Fire Department told 8 News Now, with one person transported to a local hospital.
“We were just worried about safety and communication,” one fan told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Us having to be the ones who had to carry the people to medics, having to tell people it was canceled, it was unacceptable.” (Fans didn’t learn that the show had been postponed until 5:30 p.m., when Sheeran posted his Instagram statement.)
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, stadium employees were told that 65,000 tickets for the Sheeran show were sold, making it the biggest concert ever at Allegiant Stadium. However, Sheeran’s complex stage setup — a 360 video screen, sound towers — created “production issues” that delayed and then ultimately postponed the show. (Sheeran reportedly signed autographs for those who made it inside the venue amid the delays.)
Citing “technical issues,” Allegiant Stadium said in a statement, “We are sorry for the delays and inconvenience caused to all the Ed Sheeran fans who were expecting a concert tonight. Updates were communicated as quickly as possible to those waiting outside and via our social channels, website, and venue app. Stadium doors were opened at 5:05 PM to get fans out of the heat and we have ensured that anyone requiring assistance has received it.”
This article was updated at 7:02 p.m. to include further explanation about the technical issues that forced the postponement of Saturday’s show.
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