Phoebe Bridgers relocates, Low Cut Connie cancels as COVID concert worries rise

Rising COVID-19 concerns in the concert industry are reshaping some upcoming shows in the Twin Cities, including Phoebe Bridgers' two sold-out nights at the Palace Theatre and this weekend's Music-on-a-Stick concert at the Minnesota State Fair grandstand.

Bridgers' Sept. 11-12 dates at the Palace are being turned into a one-night-only affair outside Surly Brewing Company on Sept. 11 — "outside" being the key word. The singer is rearranging her entire tour to move indoor dates outside and add requirements for proof of vaccine or negative test results, including canceling in some cities where these options weren't available.

"Let's try this again…," Bridgers wrote in a Twitter thread that spelled out these changes. She added, "And please wear a mask. I love you. See you soon."

All tickets to both of her Palace shows will now be automatically refunded via AXS.com, and fans will have to line up again to get new tickets to the Sept. 11 gig at Surly. Ticketholders for the Palace shows get early access starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. The rest of the tickets go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. As for the safety policies at the show: All attendees must show proof of vaccine; negative test results will not be a backup option in this case.

Meanwhile, the Current's Music-on-a-Stick concert Saturday at the Minnesota State Fairground grandstand is down one of its three performers: The middle-slot act Low Cut Connie dropped off the show citing the lack of a mask or vaccine mandate at the fair.

LCC frontman Adam Weiner issued a statement that read:

"Sometimes you gotta make tough calls, and this was a tough one. I've decided to pull out of our show on the Grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair this weekend. Now that I understand that there will be no mask or vaccine mandate in place for the event, I don't feel comfortable moving forward with the show."

"I know that everyone has to make difficult decisions during this public health crisis, and I want to thank the Minnesota State Fair and our pals at The Current for understanding and supporting ours. We will be back in the Twin Cities very soon, stand by for info."

Let's all keep working together to make live entertainment a healing power in the Covid era."

A source at the Current said there are no plans to add a replacement act for Saturday's Music-on-a-Stick lineup, which also features Lake Street Dive and local openers Kiss the Tiger. Nothing wrong with letting the latter band — which is having a breakout year locally — play a longer set. Refunds will also be available in this case via eTix.

The fair also already lost one of its headliners on the Leinie Lodge Bandshell this upcoming weekend: The Dire Straits-affiliated band DSL Legacy canceled its U.S. tour dates due to COVID issues. In that case, though, a replacement was quickly found, and a mighty good one at that: Minnesota's own Gear Daddies will now play the Bandshell on Saturday and Sunday.

These are just some of the many cases of dates and lineups being reshuffled throughout the concert biz. Ani DiFranco's First Ave show over the weekend had to be postponed after she and other members of her crew were exposed to COVID. Charley Crockett had to drop off the Blue Ox schedule in Eau Claire on Saturday for the same reason. Downtown Minneapolis' live music mainstay Bunker's announced a temporary closure last week after members of its staff tested positive for the virus.

On Monday, Neil Young confirmed he wouldn't play Farm Aid in late September for the first time ever. Nine Inch Nails dropped off the lineup of next month's Riot Fest in Chicago and were replaced by Slipknot — whose singer Corey Taylor just announced on Twitter that he is currently "very, very sick" from the virus even though he was vaccinated.

Chris Riemenschneider • 612-673-4658

@ChrisRstrib