Chris Brown is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actor who has had a tumultuous career filled with both accolades and controversies. He was scheduled to perform a concert on a certain date, but ended up having to reschedule it. In this article, we will look at the original date of the concert, why he had to postpone it, and what date it was ultimately rescheduled to.
Original Concert Date
Chris Brown was originally slated to perform a concert on March 14, 2020 in Sunrise, Florida at the BB&T Center. The concert was part of Brown’s “Indigoat Tour” in support of his 2019 album Indigo. Other stops on the tour included Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Toronto and more.
The March 14 show in Sunrise was scheduled to feature opening acts 6lack, Tory Lanez and Ty Dolla $ign. Brown had been heavily promoting the concert date on his social media channels and ticket presales were strong. The BB&T Center has a capacity of around 20,000 seats, so it was expected to be a high-energy, packed show.
Reason for Rescheduling
Unfortunately, Chris Brown was forced to postpone the March 14 concert date in Sunrise due to the coronavirus pandemic sweeping across the nation.
Concerts, sports events, festivals and other large public gatherings started getting cancelled across the U.S. in March as health officials warned about limiting attendance to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Venues like the BB&T Center in Sunrise closed their doors to prevent the virus from spreading through crowds. As a result, Chris Brown’s concert date was cancelled out of an abundance of caution.
It was no doubt a huge disappointment for Chris Brown and his fans alike. But postponing the show was the responsible thing to do as the virus posed too dangerous of a threat if the concert were to go on as originally planned.
Rescheduled Concert Date
After postponing the March 14, 2020 show in Sunrise, Chris Brown was able to reschedule the concert for August 5, 2020 at the same venue.
Fans who already purchased tickets were able to use them for the new August date. And Brown kept the same lineup of supporting acts – 6lack, Tory Lanez and Ty Dolla $ign were still scheduled to open the show.
Unfortunately, as the pandemic continued to affect live events throughout 2020, the August 5 date also had to be postponed. Nearly all major concerts were cancelled last year due to COVID-19.
Latest Rescheduled Date
As of now, Chris Brown’s concert at BB&T Center in Sunrise has been rescheduled once again for September 18, 2021.
Barring any new issues, the long-awaited show should finally happen on this date. By the fall of 2021, health experts are optimistic that COVID-19 will be under control enough for large concerts to safely take place again.
Chris Brown has expressed excitement on social media about being able to get back out on the road and perform for his fans again starting in summer 2021. So fingers crossed the Sunrise show will happen as planned on the latest rescheduled date of September 18.
Impact of Rescheduling on Chris Brown
Having to postpone his 2020 “Indigoat Tour” several times no doubt had a major financial impact on Chris Brown. He lost out on a significant amount of revenue by not being able to complete the original tour dates.
In addition to the financial losses, the cancellations also represented missed opportunities in terms of momentum and promotion. Live performances are a key way for musical artists to connect with fans, generate buzz and keep their name out there.
However, Brown has taken the concert postponements in stride. He understands it was necessary for health and safety reasons.
In the meantime, he’s been adapting by promoting his music and brand in creative new ways online. This has included special livestreams, TikTok performances, Instagram concerts and more. So his brand remains strong despite the touring setbacks.
Fan Reactions
Unsurprisingly, Chris Brown fans were very disappointed when his March 2020 concert was first postponed. They had been so excited to see their idol live in concert, only to have those plans dashed just days before the event.
Many fans voiced frustration and sadness across social media when the show was pushed back. Concert tickets and travel arrangements had already been paid for, so there was also a financial toll for some disenchanted fans.
However, most understood that postponing the show was necessary for health reasons given the rapidly worsening coronavirus crisis. Public safety needed to come first.
In the end, fans were patient and simply transferred their excitement for the original date to the newly rescheduled August 2020 date. Of course, when that August show then got postponed as well, fans had to go through another cycle of disappointment and anticipation.
But now that the Sunrise concert has been pushed all the way back to September 2021, fans seem cautiously optimistic that the third time will be the charm. They are eager to finally experience the high-energy performance Chris Brown is known for.
Other Chris Brown Concert Dates Impacted
The March 2020 Sunrise, Florida concert was not the only Chris Brown date affected by coronavirus cancellations. His whole “Indigoat Tour” ended up being pushed back significantly.
Other shows that had to be rescheduled included:
- March 13 in Orlando, now scheduled for August 4, 2021
- March 19 in Atlanta, now scheduled for August 20, 2021
- March 21 in Mashantucket, now scheduled for September 2, 2021
- March 27 in Brooklyn, now scheduled for August 28, 2021
Dozens more tour dates spanning into spring 2020 were all postponed and in various stages of being rescheduled. Even shows as far out as July 2020 in London and Paris had to eventually be cancelled and postponed as it became clear the pandemic’s impact would last well beyond just a few weeks.
Chris Brown took things a month at a time, cautiously rescheduling shows to late summer 2020, then fall 2020, then finally spring and summer 2021. Each new rescheduling triggered its own wave of fan disappointment, but with vaccines now being distributed, the tour should be able to launch for real come mid-2021.
How Other Artists Have Been Impacted
Chris Brown is far from the only musician who has had touring plans ruined by the pandemic. COVID-19 changed the live music landscape for every artist, all over the world.
Huge, highly-anticipated tours by artists like The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Taylor Swift, Celine Dion, Madonna, and many more were postponed. Iconic festivals including Coachella, Stagecoach, Glastonbury, SXSW and more were cancelled outright.
Newer acts like Billie Eilish and Harry Styles saw their first world tours derailed. Legends like Carlos Santana, Kenny Chesney, and Pearl Jam suddenly had empty calendars. Music fans everywhere were disappointed.
Billions in revenue have been lost across the recorded music industry as a whole. The numbers are projected to be even more grim when it comes to the live music sector.
The extent of the cancellations just goes to show how devastating the pandemic has been to the arts and entertainment world. But like Chris Brown, other musicians are trying to take it in stride and reschedule rather than cancel altogether.
Will Fans Get Refunds?
For cancelled and rescheduled shows, refund policies have varied. Each artist, promoter and venue had their own rules about refunds.
In many cases, fans could get full refunds if they wanted. But promoters encouraged holding onto tickets to use for the new rescheduled dates rather than getting your money back. That way, venues and artists would have some cash flow preserved amidst the crisis.
Chris Brown’s team offered refunds but also made it easy for fans to keep their seats and transfer tickets to the new dates. As is common practice, they likely had to completely restart the refund process each time the shows got postponed to a new date though.
It’s created a tricky situation for many big tours. Promoters want to make sure fans are satisfied with how refunds and exchanges are handled. But the financial losses are staggering, so they also need to conserve as much revenue as possible in the near-term.
How Refunds Impact the Artist
Mass concert refunds have the potential to be catastrophic for musicians like Chris Brown who rely on touring as a major source of income. That’s why refund policies have generally been structured to motivate fans keeping their tickets if possible.
Artists receive large advances from promoters to book shows in the first place. All of the upfront tour planning costs also get deducted from those advances.
If a huge portion of fans ask for refunds instead of transferring their tickets to new dates, that leaves artists in a big hole financially. They have to pay back unrecouped advance money, but also cover all the sunk planning costs. Most touring artists operate on thin margins as it is.
That’s why Chris Brown and most others have been focused on rescheduling rather than outright cancelling dates. It gives them more time to recoup costs and avoid mass refunds.
In the end though, fans needing refunds for lost income during the pandemic is understandable. Artists just hope they can avoid taking a bath on various shows.
Could Chris Brown Do a Livestream Instead?
With so much uncertainty around when concerts might safely resume, some artists started exploring livestream shows in 2020 as an alternative.
Major artists like Post Malone, Dua Lipa, KISS, Norah Jones and more began broadcasting live performances from remote locations straight to fan’s devices. No in-person audience was required.
It allowed them to still perform “live” and generate some revenue without traditional touring. The ticket prices for livestreams were much lower, but the profit margins were likely higher since overhead costs were minimal.
Chris Brown certainly could have gone this route as well. But most bigger artists have still preferred to postpone fully-produced arena shows rather than pivot to virtual concerts long-term.
Livestream performances feel more disconnected and generally don’t offer the complete experience both the artist and fans are looking for. So while helpful as a temporary fix, they aren’t seen as a viable substitute for real, in-person concerts by most major acts.
How Long Tours May Be Impacted
Even though Chris Brown has tentatively rescheduled his tour for 2021, experts warn live music disruptions could last deep into 2022 or beyond.
There are still many unknowns about COVID-19 vaccination logistics and timing, new variants, and whether cases will rebound again. Experts say packed concerts without social distancing could be one of the very last things to fully return to normal after this pandemic.
Just because concert dates are booked again doesn’t guarantee things will go off without a hitch. Chris Brown, like others in the live music business, will likely have to keep playing things by ear month by month.
But there is growing hope on the horizon that large concerts will become feasible again later in 2021. Chris Brown and his fans have to stay optimistic that his long-awaited tour can successfully be rescheduled without any further interruptions.
Conclusion
Chris Brown has experienced the same whirlwind of concert cancellations and postponements that almost every musician faced in 2020 due to COVID-19. It’s been a real rollercoaster trying to reschedule his “Indigoat Tour” to new dates that work for all parties involved.
Fans were initially disappointed to miss out on the March 2020 Florida show they had been so pumped for. But public health had to come first given the rapid spread of the virus.
Despite multiple reschedulings and continued uncertainty, most fans have hung onto their tickets in hopes the shows will eventually happen safely. Chris Brown has assured them he is raring to get back on stage when the time comes.
For now, he’s been promoting his brand online and working on new music behind the scenes. But his goal remains getting back out on the road to perform live in 2021. Although tours and concerts may not fully bounce back right away even after the pandemic, performers like Chris Brown remain resilient.