Garth Brooks announced on Wednesday (August 18) that he is canceling five upcoming Stadium Tour shows due to concerns about the surge in COVID-19 cases across the country.

The canceled shows were supposed to take place at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati (Sept. 18), Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte (Sept. 25), M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore (Oct. 2) and Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (Oct.9). A show at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, which was rained out last month and has not been rescheduled, has also been called off.

Brooks said refunds will be offered on the approximately 350,000 tickets that were sold for stadium gigs in the five cities.

“In July, I sincerely thought the pandemic was falling behind us. Now, watching this new wave, I realize we are still in the fight and I must do my part,” Brooks said in a statement. “I have asked the wonderful cities of Cincinnati and Charlotte to wait too long and I don’t want to now do that same thing to the great folks in Boston and Baltimore.”

“As far as Nashville, we are looking for a make up date from the July rain out and though this is not COVID related, to make them wait makes me sad, as well,” he added. “So, it is with a heavy heart we announce the decision to cancel all five shows but with a hopeful heart, we will reschedule and start over when this wave seems to be behind us.”

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