Rough Weather Cancels Oceans Calling Festival’s Opening Day

Dave Matthews Band, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Ludacris were among the canceled performances

A nor’easter expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain, and flooding as it moves up the East Coast led festival organizers to cancel Friday’s performances at Oceans Calling.

Dave Matthews Band, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Ludacris were among the nixed acts along with Yellowcard, Liz Phair, Shaggy, O.A.R., and more.

In a statement posted to the festival’s website, organizers said that the week’s weather and beach erosion that affected the event’s location “have made it impossible to safely complete the build in time for Friday.”

The message added, “The safety of our fans, artists, crew, and community must come first.” One-day tickets for Friday and 33 percent of 3-day tickets purchased directly through Front Gate Tickets will be automatically refunded in less than 30 days to the original method of payment.

At the moment, Saturday and Sunday’s performances are still scheduled to take place. “We are working very hard to get the show up for the remainder of the weekend, and hoping the conditions improve,” wrote fest organizers.

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As climate change intensifies, the weather has led to the several events cancelling this year. Earlier this month, Santa Monica’s inaugural Ocean Way Festival was scrapped amid dangerous high surf and flooding caused by Hurricane Marie across Southern California. In August, Bonnaroo, the beloved Tennessee festival, was canceled to take a break and fortify the grounds after back to back years of heavy storms.

And in July, as wildfires raged across swaths of the northeastern United States and southern Canada, many artists — including the Black Keys, Creed, War and Treaty, John Mellencamp, and Mavis Staples — were forced to either postpone or cancel their concerts due to the hazardous air quality.