Cancellations, Refunds: The Vegas Effect

The inevitable cancellations because of the Las Vegas festival shooting are beginning, while the Austin City Limits Festival is taking the unprecedented gesture of offering refunds for those feeling uncomfortable attending outdoor events.

Jennifer Lopez has called off this week’s Vegas residency shows at The Axis At Planet Hollywood, citing Sunday’s mass shooting.  

“Out of respect to victims and families of the tragedy in Las Vegas, Jennifer Lopez will be postponing the “Jennifer Lopez: All I Have” performances planned for Wednesday, Oct. 4, Friday, Oct. 6 and Saturday Oct. 7 inside The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Jennifer is heartbroken that such a senseless tragedy occurred.  Her thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” Lopez’s representatives said in a statement.  

Lopez’s residency is set to resume in February.

A representative at Caesars Palace told Pollstar that everyone at the company is “safe and accounted for.”  

Chris Carlson/AP – Remembering The Fallen
A woman looks over a makeshift memorial site on Las Vegas Boulevard in Las Vegas.

Austin City Limits music festival initially responded to the shooting by releasing a statement saying that “our thoughts and prayers are with our colleagues and everyone in Las Vegas who was affected by this terrible tragedy,” in addition to reassuring attendees that safety is a top priority at ACL.

Festival spokeswoman Sandee Fenton said today that the festival is offering refunds to fans “who no longer wish to attend” the event, which takes place over two weekends Oct. 6-8 and Oct. 13-15 at Austin’s Zilker Park.

Pollstar reached out to the festival for more details but hadn’t received a reply at press time.

The C3 Presents event features Jay-Z, Foster The People, Martin Garrix, Ryan Adams and more.

“Safety has always been our top priority,” the festival said in a statement posted on social media Oct. 2. “Our staff and security team works year-round with the Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, Austin-Travis County EMS, and other authorities to plan and rehearse security and response plans. Over the years, tighter security measures have been implemented at ACL including a layered security plan that includes elements that are seen and unseen, as well as pat-downs, bag searches and size limits, and an enhanced security and law enforcement presence inside and outside the festival.”

Sunday’s massacre at the Route 91 Harvest festival killed at least 59 and injured more than 525 people – the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. The gunman opened fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on an estimated 22,000 people in the Las Vegas Village festival grounds as Jason Aldean performed.

Aldean postponed his weekend shows, starting with Friday’s gig at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. followed by Oct. 7 at the Mattress Firm Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, and Oct. 8 at the Honda Center in Anaheim.

The announcement came hours after Aldean posted a philosophical statement via social media that could have been foreshadowing.

“Over the last 24 hrs I have gone through lots of emotions. Scared, Anger, Heartache, Compassion and many others. I truely dont understand why a person would want to take the life of another. Something has changed in this country and in this world lately that is scary to see. This world is becoming the kind of place i am afraid to raise my children in. At the end of the day we arent Democrats or Republicans, Whites or Blacks, Men or Women. We are all humans and we are all Americans and its time to start acting like it and stand together as ONE! That is the only way we will ever get this Country to be better than it has ever been, but we have a long way to go and we have to start now. My heart aches for the Victims and their families of this Senseless act. I am so sorry for the hurt and pain everyone is feeling right now and there are no words i can say to to take that pain away. Just know u all are in my heart and my prayers as we all go through this together. Time to come together and stop the hate! #stopthehate #prayforlasvegas”

Al Wagner / Invision / AP – jason Aldean
CMA Music Festival, LP Field, Nashville, Tenn.

The shooting has also affected the film industry, with the Monday premiere of “Marshall” canceled and the red carpet portion of Tuesday’s premiere of “Blade Runner 2049” nixed. Both events were scheduled in Los Angeles.

Estee Lauder also called off a breast cancer awareness event that was supposed to take place in New York with Elizabeth Hurley on Monday. A statement said the event was canceled out of respect for the families of the victims.

Pollstar previously reported that all of Monday’s Cirque Du Soleil events, including Blue Man Group performances, were canceled in Las Vegas.