Miley Cyrus Latest To Pull Out Of Woodstock 50

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Major artists continue to announce they won’t be participating in the latest version of the ever-changing Woodstock 50, with Imagine Dragons and The Killers the only headliners yet to pull out of the apparently relocated version to take place at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Md.

Variety reports that Miley Cyrus is the latest headliner to publicly bow out, joining the Lumineers, the Raconteurs and Woodstock ’69 alum John Sebastian and Country Joe McDonald, as well as John Fogerty and Jay-Z who pulled out last week. Rolling Stone has reported Santana, who is playing Bethel Woods Aug. 17 along with The Doobie Brothers as part of a somewhat unofficial Woodstock anniversary, is also out of Woodstock 50.

Multiple sources tell Pollstar still say they still aren’t sure what’s happening after organizers announced a relocation from upstate New York to Merriweather Post Pavilion, inviting artists to play the new event (which may now be a benefit concert) and reportedly releasing artists from their previous agreements (as first reported by Billboard). That news followed the event being denied a site permit four times at Watkins Glen International speedway, presumably left for dead with no venue.

Seth Hurwitz: We Are Ready To Do A Show If They Have One

Portugal. The Man’s manager, Rich Holtzman, told Pollstar the band, which was part of the original lineup announcement, is upset at the situation.

“It is really a shame that this festival has become such a mess.,” Holtzman wrote to Pollstar via email. “I am sure there is enough blame to pass around but the name, the mystique and all that are the victims. Portugal The Man named their record after the festival and sampled music from it so they are especially upset. “

While news continues to come regarding artists that are not playing, a source involved with multiple artists tells Pollstar Ninet Tayeb, Hollis Brown and The Zombies are committed to Woodstock 50.

Variety reports organizers have reached out for a broadcast partner for a single-day event, suggesting it would be either Aug. 16 (Friday with 20,000 capacity) or Aug. 18 a Sunday with a larger capacity at 32,000, as the Smashing Pumpkins already have a gig at the amphitheatre Aug. 17.

It’s a far cry from an event that was hoping to host more than 100,000 and had around 75 major artists on its bill, including Jay-Z, John Fogerty, Santana, Robert Plant, Brandi Carlile, Run the Jewels, Maggie Rogers, Greta Van Fleet, Leon Bridges, Portugal The Man, Margo Price, David Crosby, Janelle Monae, Courtney Barnett, Canned Heat. The Head & The Heart and Vince Staples among others.

After the announced relocation to Merrwieather Post Pavilion, Seth Hurwitz, chairman of I.M.P. which operates the venue, told Pollstar, “My role is merely as the venue. And we would help obviously produce the show in-house for them if they bring us the show but as far as the content is concerned, we have nothing to do with that, that’s all them.”

According to a source with legal knowledge of the situation, moving the location some 270 miles south to the D.C. area is a material breach of contract with its relative distance from the original site. The move causes other problems including Cage The Elephant being scheduled to play the same venue just weeks later.

“If I represented any one of those artists scheduled to play … depending on the contract and its terms, I would argue that moving the site over 250 miles away is a hardship and material breach and the artist should not be required to play. I would also make an argument to keep all or some of the money,” says Dina LaPolt, founder and owner of LaPolt Law, P.C. “What we would do is put together an analysis of the money it’s costing the artist to move the crew to a distant location and also show that the artist gave up other dates to play this show which ultimately caused them damages.”

As rumors abound of the event now being a free-entry benefit show, Hurwitz over the weekend responded to Pollstar’s inquiries with the following; “That was the last thing we heard too,” he said. “We’re still waiting to hear who is playing, but that’s not our job. They do still have a venue if they have a show.”