Bad Religion are the True Heroes We Need, CANCEL, Not Postpone, All Touring for 2020 So Fans Can Get Refunds
Bad Religion, as dedicated now to their punk rock roots as at the beginning of their 40-year career as a band, have thrown a giant middle finger up in the air to greedy ticketing agencies and concert promoters by proactively canceling, not postponing, all of their touring plans for the remainder of 2020.
Why is this an issue? Ticketmaster came under intense fire a couple of weeks ago for retroactively changing their refund policy to only cover fully canceled events instead of those that have been postponed or rescheduled (even if new dates haven’t been announced yet), leaving ticket holders in limbo at a time when unemployment is soaring and folks could surely use that money back. The company, as well as concert behemoths Live Nation and AEG Live, eventually walked back that policy, but the updated system is far from ideal, requiring fans to pay close attention to a concert’s status and follow specific instructions within a limited amount of time to get their money back.
By outright canceling all of their 2020 shows, Bad Religion have ensured their fans can get their money back right away, no questions asked. They also surely see the writing on the wall that concerts are not coming back this year, so rather than toy around with rescheduled dates they’ve just scrapped it all.
The band hasn’t outright stated as much, likely to avoid the wrath of concert promoters. But the opening line of a press release makes their intentions very clear: “Bad Religion has chosen to cancel, not reschedule all touring commitments for the foreseeable future.” As does the band’s statement:
“We are grateful and humbled by the unwavering support from all our fans, every venue and festival that invited us to play, and especially those who have invested resources to see us perform live all over the world this year. As everyone is well aware, the ongoing hazard of Covid-19 has made it unsafe to gather in large groups. Therefore, to maintain the health of our fans, crew, and ourselves, Bad Religion will not be playing any shows in 2020. You may claim refunds or vouchers depending on the market; please check in with your local promoter and point of purchase.
“We will carefully monitor how this pandemic progresses; when it is safe for all of us to gather together, we will return. Until then, be safe, and take care of each other.”
Fuck yes, Bad Religion! Heroes. We love you!
