The concert industry had hoped that this summer would mark its high-decibel rebound after being shut down for more than a year by the pandemic. It started promisingly, with restrictions being eased and fans snapping up tickets, but as the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant has accelerated in recent weeks, an ominous cancellation blotter has begun to build up, the New York Times reported. Foo Fighters and Fall Out Boy have missed high-profile shows. Stevie Nicks and Limp Bizkit have scuttled tours. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, planned for October, was canceled amid high infection rates in Louisiana. The pileup of bad news, along with fearful chatter among artists and touring workers on industry back channels, has led to what many in the business describe as a confusing and even chaotic situation over whether — and how — to proceed. For those moving forward, a loose consensus has taken shape that fans must provide proof of vaccination, or at least a negative test. But anecdotal reports suggest that the rigor of vaccine checks can be lacking, and the question of who bears responsibility for setting and enforcing those rules — especially when governments in major markets like Texas and Florida oppose such mandates — remains a matter of debate.
