Kid Rock was forced to step out of his appearance at the North Dakota State Fair Friday, July 22. The “Cowboy” singer explained via Twitter that harsh weather conditions were the cause of his sudden cancellation.
“So P —ED OFF we could not play for a sold-out crowd tonight in Minot, ND (because of high winds) – I know it sucks, but none of us can control mother nature. Please be safe leaving and take care of each other. – Kid Rock,” the chart-topping artist wrote on social media.
SO PISSED OFF we could not play for a sold out crowd tonight in Minot, ND (because of high winds) – I know it sucks but none of us can control mother nature. Please be safe leaving and take care of each other. -Kid Rock
— KidRock (@KidRock) July 23, 2022
Kid Rock was expected to take center stage at 9:30 P.M. after his opening act, Night Ranger. The anticipated storm delayed the concert and kept eager fans waiting for nearly two hours. It wasn’t until 11:00 P.M. when the Ward Country Sheriff’s Department declared that the show would not go on.
Following the news, a riot broke out among disappointed concertgoers. According to a video obtained by TMZ, angry ticketholders began chucking cans. As one fan was tackled by security after climbing on the stage, another was escorted out of the venue handcuffed by the police.
The North Dakota State Fair issued a statement acknowledging the threatening environment. They also confirmed that all fans in attendance would receive a refund.
“Due to the safety concerns of the high winds, lightning, and severe weather in the area, the Kid Rock concert had to be canceled. The North Dakota State Fair will be issuing refunds to all ticket purchasers,” said the social media post.
Disappointed fans began to point out the lack of communication that occurred during the affair.
CRINGETOPIA: Kid Rock fans absolutely lose their minds after he cancels his concert in North Dakota. Trash the stage. pic.twitter.com/mBoxkV4huW
— Def Noodles (@defnoodles) July 23, 2022
“If the weather was so bad, why did they not warn us about the tornado warning? No service in there to get phone alerts, and people were told they couldn’t go out of the concert gates because they wouldn’t let them back in,” shared an audience member. “This decision put thousands of drunk drivers onto the road and angry people into the livestock barns. Very frightening situation,” said a fan.
After managing the uproar, law enforcement on-site made it clear that it was not their decision to cancel the act.
“The Sheriff’s Department would like to clarify to tonight’s concert fans that the decision to cancel that Kid Rock concert was not made by the Sheriff’s Department,” the unit revealed on Facebook. “The Sheriff simply announced the cancellation. We did not cancel the show.”
This is not the first time Kid Rock received backlash from a concert, as the 51-year-old got himself in hot water after using a homophobic slur during a Tennessee gig last year. Robert Ritchie, also known as Kid Rock also confirmed that he would not adhere to COVID-19 protocols and play at venues with mask mandates on his Bad Reputation tour.
Kid Rock is currently touring the nation on his headlining trek, which will wrap in early October.