Getting tickets to see your favorite musician or band perform live can be thrilling. However, despite your best efforts and planning, sometimes unforeseen events lead to concerts being postponed or canceled altogether. This can be disappointing and frustrating if you were looking forward to the show. Here’s a quick look at some of the key things that can happen if the concert you planned to attend gets canceled.
You May Get a Refund
If the concert is canceled altogether, the venue or promoter will likely offer refunds for the ticket price. This allows you to get your money back if you can no longer attend the show on a rescheduled date. Refund policies and timelines vary, but generally you can expect to get your money back if you request a refund within a certain window of the cancellation announcement.
Refund Eligibility and Timelines
Refund eligibility and timelines depend on:
- The vendor you bought tickets from
- The specific refund policy for the event
- When you request the refund
- Whether the event is postponed or canceled entirely
Always carefully review the refund policy details from your ticket vendor when a cancellation occurs to understand the process and timeline to get your money back.
How Refunds Are Issued
Refunds are typically issued to the original payment method used to purchase the tickets. For example:
- Credit card purchases will get refunded to the same credit card
- Debit card purchases get refunded to the same bank account
- Cash purchases may get returned as cash or check
Contact your ticket vendor if you have any trouble getting your refund after a cancellation.
The Event May Be Postponed
Rather than canceling entirely, some concerts get postponed to a future date. Reasons for postponement can include:
- Artist injury or illness
- Production delays
- Weather events
- Scheduling conflicts
If the concert gets postponed, your existing tickets will typically be valid for the new date. You won’t need to do anything except hold onto your tickets and plan to attend on the rescheduled date.
New Date May Not Work For You
While postponed concerts let you attend later, the new date may not work with your schedule. If you can no longer make it on the postponed date, you have a few options:
- Get a refund – Some postponed events allow refunds within a certain window. Check the policy.
- Sell or gift your tickets – Use a resale site or give the tickets to a friend who can attend the new date.
- In rare cases, credit for future events – The promoter may offer credit towards a future concert if you can’t attend the rescheduled one.
You May Get Compensation if the Cancellation is Last Minute
If a concert gets canceled with little notice – such as day-of – you may be eligible for additional compensation besides a basic refund. This occurs rarely but aims to make up for costs incurred like travel and accommodations.
For example, in some cases of last minute cancellations you may receive:
- Refund of convenience fees and other charges beyond the base ticket price
- Free ticket vouchers for a future concert at the venue
- Gift cards, merchandise credits, or other incentives from the artist, promoter, or venue
Compensation depends on the policies and varies event to event. Read all communications carefully if a last minute cancellation happens to understand if you qualify for any additional refunds or credits.
You’ll Need to Change Your Plans
A canceled or postponed concert means changing your plans for that day or night. Besides losing out on the entertainment, other impacts can include:
- Canceling your travel like flights or hotel
- Taking time off work for the new date
- Finding alternative evening plans or things to do
- Coordinating schedules with your group or friends who planned to attend
While inconvenient, try to be flexible and come up with a Plan B if the concert gets nixed. Having backup options for things to do or see can help you still make the most of your time.
The Experience May Be Disappointing
There’s no denying a canceled or rescheduled show can be a major letdown if you were excited. Emotions like frustration, sadness, anger, and disbelief are common. However, try not to let the situation diminish the overall experience:
- Postponement still allows you to see the act later. While delayed, you’ll still get the live experience.
- Cancellations happen to all acts. Even huge stars playing arenas cancel shows on occasion.
- Keep things in perspective. Annoying as it is, it’s not the end of the world.
Remember that artist and fan safety is the top priority. Try to make new fun memories if a concert gets nixed.
You May Want to Resell Your Tickets
If you can no longer attend a rescheduled concert, reselling your tickets through an online resale marketplace can recoup some of your costs. Popular resale sites include:
Resale Site | Details |
---|---|
StubHub | Large ticket marketplace to resell concert, sports, theater tickets. |
Vivid Seats | Buy and sell verified tickets for concerts, sports, and more events. |
Ticketmaster | Official resale site to resell Ticketmaster verified tickets. |
Before reselling, carefully check the venue and artist policies. Some prohibit reselling tickets above face value. Also factor in fees charged by the resale platform which can 15-20% of the ticket price.
How to Get Alerts About Cancellations
To find out right away if an event gets postponed or canceled, sign up for alerts from these sources:
- The official event website – Look for an email newsletter sign-up
- The ticket seller’s website – Create an account to get updates
- The venue website – Venues often email show updates to subscribers
- The artist website and social media accounts
- Sign up for text alerts if available – You’ll get SMS texts if changes occur
Activating alerts is the fastest way to know if the event is affected by any changes so you can respond promptly.
Conclusion
A canceled or postponed concert can certainly be a letdown. However, being aware of the potential impacts and your options if the show gets called off can help you make the best of the situation. Keep the tickets if the event is rescheduled. If it’s canceled completely, request a refund promptly. Consider reselling any extras you can’t use. And most importantly, try to stay positive if an eagerly awaited concert doesn’t go as planned. There’s always more great live music ahead to look forward to.