Halsey 'disappointed' with venue after flash flood drowns out concert
The concert venue found itself in the middle of a flash flood, with ankle-deep water forcing the postponement of the performance.
By
Zachary Rosenthal, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jun 9, 2022 10:43 AM EDT
|
Updated Jun 9, 2022 3:08 PM EDT
The Merriweather Post, which first told concertgoers that the show would resume later in the evening, eventually called the show off as people shared videos of ankle-deep water flowing over stairs.
As heavy rain came down over Columbia, Maryland, and severe storms bubbled in the area, event organizers with the Merriweather Post Pavilion first told concertgoers that a show from 27-year-old American pop singer Halsey, would resume later that evening.
However, as the late-day storms in the Washington, D.C., area continued and water infiltrated the amphitheater, rising to concertgoers' ankles, the venue ended up canceling the concert around 10:00pm due to "weather-related technical difficulties" about two and a half hours after the concert was first delayed.
A flash flood watch had been issued earlier in the day, and as storms moved over the venue, both a tornado warning and a flash flood warning were issued and 2 to 4 inches of rain fell overhead.
While it is still unclear if a tornado touched down, although eerie clouds were spotted by some, the flash flood warning ended up being prescient, with torrents of rain impacting the Merriweather Post Pavilion, flooding the venue.
The concert venue, an amphitheater that is partially open to the outdoors, has a large grassy field that slopes down behind it. As the rain became too heavy for the dirt to absorb, the slope essentially became a slip and slide, with water rushing down the green space into the pavilion.
Water also came pouring in through the roof of the amphitheater, with some on Twitter joking that Halsey and their team "really went all out with the special effects."
With water entering the venue from multiple angles, torrents of water rushed through the venue and found its way into the pit, where diehard Halsey fans found their socks and shoes getting more than a little wet.
At one point, a drenched squirrel seeking refuge from the miserable conditions in the stadium climbed onto the soaked equipment in front of the stage in an attempt to reach dry land before someone on stage kicked it back into the water. According to the Twitter user who posted the video, the squirrel was rescued and taken backstage.
Later that evening after the chaos had died down, Halsey, who was catapulted to fame after collaborating with The Chainsmokers on the song 'Closer' in 2016 before releasing several hits of her own, weighed in on the event's cancelation later that night, promising to reschedule the D.C.-area concert at a different venue in the future.
The Merriweather Post's decision to cancel the event was met with criticism from both sides, with some wondering why the event wasn't called off sooner while others were disappointed that Halsey could not make it back on the stage.
A tweet from the organizers may have added to the disappointment, with Merriweather Post tweeting earlier that day that the Halsey concert would continue "rain or shine."
A little farther north, a Coldplay concert in Philadelphia continued during the rain, though conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, a football stadium in the City of Brotherly Love, were not nearly as wet they were in Columbia.
Other megastars and world-famous bands have hopped back on stage during extreme weather to deliver impressive shows. AccuWeather has compiled a list of some of the best concerts in which artists pushed through difficult weather conditions, including performances by Prince, Taylor Swift and Pearl Jam.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
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News / Weather News
Halsey 'disappointed' with venue after flash flood drowns out concert
The concert venue found itself in the middle of a flash flood, with ankle-deep water forcing the postponement of the performance.
By Zachary Rosenthal, AccuWeather staff writer
Published Jun 9, 2022 10:43 AM EDT | Updated Jun 9, 2022 3:08 PM EDT
The Merriweather Post, which first told concertgoers that the show would resume later in the evening, eventually called the show off as people shared videos of ankle-deep water flowing over stairs.
As heavy rain came down over Columbia, Maryland, and severe storms bubbled in the area, event organizers with the Merriweather Post Pavilion first told concertgoers that a show from 27-year-old American pop singer Halsey, would resume later that evening.
However, as the late-day storms in the Washington, D.C., area continued and water infiltrated the amphitheater, rising to concertgoers' ankles, the venue ended up canceling the concert around 10:00pm due to "weather-related technical difficulties" about two and a half hours after the concert was first delayed.
A flash flood watch had been issued earlier in the day, and as storms moved over the venue, both a tornado warning and a flash flood warning were issued and 2 to 4 inches of rain fell overhead.
While it is still unclear if a tornado touched down, although eerie clouds were spotted by some, the flash flood warning ended up being prescient, with torrents of rain impacting the Merriweather Post Pavilion, flooding the venue.
The concert venue, an amphitheater that is partially open to the outdoors, has a large grassy field that slopes down behind it. As the rain became too heavy for the dirt to absorb, the slope essentially became a slip and slide, with water rushing down the green space into the pavilion.
Water also came pouring in through the roof of the amphitheater, with some on Twitter joking that Halsey and their team "really went all out with the special effects."
With water entering the venue from multiple angles, torrents of water rushed through the venue and found its way into the pit, where diehard Halsey fans found their socks and shoes getting more than a little wet.
At one point, a drenched squirrel seeking refuge from the miserable conditions in the stadium climbed onto the soaked equipment in front of the stage in an attempt to reach dry land before someone on stage kicked it back into the water. According to the Twitter user who posted the video, the squirrel was rescued and taken backstage.
Later that evening after the chaos had died down, Halsey, who was catapulted to fame after collaborating with The Chainsmokers on the song 'Closer' in 2016 before releasing several hits of her own, weighed in on the event's cancelation later that night, promising to reschedule the D.C.-area concert at a different venue in the future.
The Merriweather Post's decision to cancel the event was met with criticism from both sides, with some wondering why the event wasn't called off sooner while others were disappointed that Halsey could not make it back on the stage.
A tweet from the organizers may have added to the disappointment, with Merriweather Post tweeting earlier that day that the Halsey concert would continue "rain or shine."
A little farther north, a Coldplay concert in Philadelphia continued during the rain, though conditions at Lincoln Financial Field, a football stadium in the City of Brotherly Love, were not nearly as wet they were in Columbia.
Other megastars and world-famous bands have hopped back on stage during extreme weather to deliver impressive shows. AccuWeather has compiled a list of some of the best concerts in which artists pushed through difficult weather conditions, including performances by Prince, Taylor Swift and Pearl Jam.
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Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo