Foo Fighters cancel Abu Dhabi Grand Prix show due to “medical circumstances”
A member of the band was reportedly "rushed to a hospital in Chicago"
Foo Fighters’ planned performance at yesterday’s Formula 1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi was cancelled due to “unforeseen medical circumstances.”
Organisers for the event said in a statement that the band were “unable to travel” to the United Arab Emirates for the show.
“The band apologizes for any inconvenience or disappointment caused by this unexpected turn of events,” the statement from Flash Entertainment added. Rolling Stone UK has reached out to Foo Fighters for comment.
Speaking to UAE state-affiliated newspaper The National, concert promoter John Lickrish said: “It was the band’s management telling me that once the plane landed a member of the band had to be rushed to a hospital in Chicago,” he said.
“My immediate reaction was to see if the person and the band were OK. Then the situation really hit me because the advance team from the Foo Fighters were already here in Abu Dhabi. The show was being set up, even the band’s gear had arrived.”
EDM stars DJ Martin Garrix and DJ Snake replaced the band for the show at Yas Island off the East Coast of Abu Dhabi, which closed this year’s Formula 1 season, after an urgent search for a replacement.
“We reached out directly to Coldplay who said they would love to come but with the whole Covid-19 thing in London it was difficult. I messaged Drake‘s manager directly and he wrote back one word: impossible,” Lickrish said.
“We were close to getting Liam Gallagher as well, but the lack of flights available and preparation time was also a challenge.”
The closing stages of the Formula 1 season have seen a series of high-profile live shows. Justin Bieber, A$AP Rocky, Tiesto, David Guetta and Jason Derulo performed at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix last week, despite campaigns for them to cancel on human rights grounds.
Max Verstappen clinched the F1 Title at yesterday’s race, after a contentious victory over Lewis Hamilton.