Hate it!:Musicians Who Cancel Their Concerts

 Hate it! Musicians Who Cancel Their Concerts

I feel I am entitled to use the word Hate to describe my sentiment for musicians who cancel their concerts. I am still reeling from the bitter pangs of a musician I adore who did just that. He is one Mr. Justin Timberlake. I never thought he could disappoint me.

They say that the measure of a musician—an artist, as they call themselves—lies in the scope of their professionalism. What then of the countless artists who have flubbed and flaked and bailed altogether? Listen up, entertainers: Your fans buy hotel rooms, book limos, and, if they are as smart as me, plan their concert-appropriate attire ahead of time. Canceling tour dates cannot be the new black.

Keith Urban claimed that “prior commitments” kept him from finishing the European leg of his tour. Isn’t the European leg of your tour the real commitment, Keith? Meg White sited “acute anxiety” as the reason for canceling the entire upcoming White Stripes tour. Your cancellation caused me “acute anxiety”, Meg. Britney ducked out of a landmark show with Cyndi Lauper, someone she once called her idol, because Cyndi wouldn’t allow her to lip-sync. (In the divinely vague language of publicists-speak, that’s “producers of Cyndi’s show never heard from Britney.” ) And hell, we all know nobody can depend on Amy Winehouse to take stage because she’s simply too busy shooting up in her hotel room. (In all fairness, she should get points for honestly).

And most recently, my future husband/Justin Timberlake, cancelled his post-VMA performance, telling us that his doctor suggested he rest his vocal chords for several days, as his MTV Video Music Awards performance had strained them considerably. Justin, I speak hungover. Why you gotta play me like that?

Everyone’s gotta call in sick to work once a while, I suppose. But shouldn’t famous musicians subscribe to a different sick-day policy than CPA’s? The only one that suffers if I’m not at work is the Starbucks barista I verbally spar with each morning.