Creed and The Black Keys forced to cancel shows due to wildfire smoke
The Black Keys and Creed are among the latest bands forced to postpone their shows due to weather conditions, as climate change continues to ravage all parts of the globe.
Health concerns about hazardous air quality in the United States and Canada have led a growing number of artists to postpone or cancel live appearances.
Rock band Creed was due to play on July 16th in Minnesota, but was forced to push the date back due to “unsafe air conditions resulting from the ongoing Canadian wildfires”.
Via the band’s Instagram account, it was shared that, though band members “Scott, Mark, Brian and Flip were incredibly excited to perform for the sold-out crowd,” the smoky conditions were less than ideal.
Therefore, due to the “challenges [the conditions] create for the band, crew, venue, staff and attendees, the decision has been made to move the performance.” The show has been moved to September 5th.
Just over 500 miles away, The Black Keys were also forced to postpone their Chicago show due to the weather.
Their Instagram post read, “Upon advisement from the city of Chicago and for the safety of our fans, we are postponing tonight’s show due to the increasing wildfire smoke in the city.”
As a result, their concerts have been rescheduled to take place indoors at the Salt Shed on October 20th and 21st.
Over in New York, Mavis Staples’ performance at the Summer Stage in Central Park, also set to take place on July 16th, was also cancelled due to the unsafe air quality index.
The live event shake-up comes as over 800 wildfires continue to burn across Canada, with air quality alerts pushing into several US states. Many are being advised to stay indoors or, in some cases, are being evacuated from their local communities.
Poor weather conditions have been a huge trend on the live music scene throughout 2026, as key music festivals, such as Barcelona’s Primavera Sound and Belgium’s Werchter Boutique, faced set cancellations due to dangerous conditions.
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