Kid Rock could lose “up to six figures” over the cancellation of a planned stop on his upcoming festival tour, according to an industry expert.
Pulling the pin on an arena appearance was a “big financial disaster,” Steve Nixon told The Mirror, and costs would quickly run up.
“In my own experience, opening the doors for a show of this size runs into hundreds of thousands in union labor and venue rental, and we lose the immediate cash flow of merchandise and concessions, which often are the only real money made on a tour.”
The musician, who was branded a “complete and utter embarrassment” over his alternative Super Bowl halftime performance, has found himself in the political crosshairs at the Rock the Country festival.
The tour was scheduled to visit more than a dozen American cities as part of a series of ‘Freedom 250’ events celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, but a number of artists have pulled out amid concerns over being aligned with what has been branded a “MAGA festival” by critics.
The collapsing lineup has forced the cancellation of a performance in Anderson, South Carolina, planned for July 25; those with tickets can either attend a different concert instead and claim a $50 merchandise credit or apply for a complete refund.
Rock the Country had been billed as a unifying event, but the rolling withdrawals suggested other artists would rather avoid association with a musician who has become synonymous with President Trump’s supporters.
Ludacris and Morgan Wade pulled out following initial political criticism, followed by Shinedown, who said they didn’t want to create “further division” by appearing at the festival. Jelly Roll also canceled his performance, giving similar reasons.
The loss of fellow performers left Kid Rock high and dry, with little choice but to cancel the Anderson concert.
“Rock the Country was created to unite people together through music. Our lineups and our crowds reflect that sentiment — a wide range of voices, backgrounds, and stories that make up this country,” organizers said in a statement to The Independent.
“We’re truly disappointed we won’t be bringing the show to Anderson. Our fans work hard for their money, and we refuse to put on a show that doesn’t meet the standard they deserve.”
The cancellation has come as a blow to the area’s local economy, Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns said, yanking tens of thousands of attendees and a multi-million-dollar boost.
"Anderson County has been proud to host Rock the Country for the past two years,” he said in a statement. “Of course, we are disappointed that Rock the Country will not return to Anderson this year."
Nixon flagged the risk of further cancellations on the tour.
"In my experience, even with insurance, the daily burn rate of idle trucks and crews remains constant,” he told The Mirror. “This leaves a gap in the budget that cannot be easily filled by physical ticketing.
"Nightly losses of this magnitude can bankrupt a tour fast."
Kid Rock is both a headliner and a key investor in the festival, meaning he will be directly affected by ticket and concession sales.
The musician faced widespread mockery after he appeared to be caught lip-synching during his Turning Point USA half-time show, held in protest against Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance.
His Rock the Country tour was scheduled to run for two days per venue in eight towns across the U.S. from May 1 to September 21. Now that South Carolina is out of the picture, the tour will stop in seven states before ending on September 12 in Hamburg, New York.
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