“For the first time in 30 years SummerStage was required to stop a concert in progress for a non-weather related issue,” said SummerStage’s Heather Lubov.
Juanes performs onstage at YouTube Theater on Oct. 2, 2021 in Inglewood, California.
JC Olivera/GI
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On Wednesday (Jul. 12) evening, Juanes took SummerStage as part of the LAMC (Latin Alternative Music Conference) summer series to perform in front of an overzealous crowd in a free, outdoor venue that was well-beyond capacity. However, just two songs in, the concert was halted due to “excessive crowds.”
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“Tonight, the Juanes show at SummerStage in Central Park drew a capacity crowd of 5,000 attendees inside the venue with an estimated overflow of 12,000 additional fans outside the gates,” Heather Lubov, executive director at City Parks Foundation SummerStage, said in an official statement sent to Billboard Español. “During the performance of his second song, with continued crowds at the gates and out of an abundance of caution, the show was halted and fans were asked to leave the venue.”
It was the “first time in 30 years SummerStage was required to stop a concert in progress for a non-weather related issue,” she continued. “SummerStage, LAMC and Juanes all agreed that the safety of fans and concert goers was of paramount concern and at the request of the NYPD, made the decision to cancel the show.”
The Colombian rockstar, who arrived clad in all black, opened up with his latest single “Gris” and followed up with mega hit “Mala Gente” to the thrill of thousands. As the excitement began to build, the show got abruptly canceled to everyone’s disappointment.
“Inside and outside [the venue] we have to be calm, guys,” exclaimed Juanes after wrapping up his second song. “If we are not calm, they are going to stop the concert. Many people were left outside without being able to enter. We want to continue with the show. It’s possible, right?”, he said, turning around to a staff member near the stage.
Unfortunately, it was not. “Thanks for coming out, we’re sorry, we have to ask everyone to please vacate the venue immediately,” announced a staff member at SummerStage.
Outside, over ten thousand people snaked around Rumsey Playfield with a line that seemed about a mile long.
“The safety within the venue was getting compromised because of the number of people that pushed their way in,” said a staffer backstage.
“I’m sad because I was very eager to play,” Juanes told Billboard Español moments before its sudden cancellation. Although clearly disappointed, the Latin juggernaut still took the time to take photos with his fans and thank those for coming.
Moments before making it inside the venue, it was clear that the intensity was high. Cops began to swarm by outside, and an ambulance was on the scene. At the time of this report, Billboard Español is unaware of any injuries.
The LAMC and Summerstage headlining performance was going to be Juanes’ first live U.S. show of songs from Vida Cotidiana, his tenth studio album, released in May.
Throughout his prolific and highly successful career, Juanes has earned three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and seven titles on the Billboard 200. He has has won 24 Latin Grammy Awards and three Grammy Awards.
Watch the moment Juanes finds out about the cancellation below:
