Just one day after John Mayer pulled out of Dead and Company’s Playing in the Sand festival, the festival itself is being canceled.
CID, the promotion company putting on the festival, reportedly had more than 20 staffers test positive for COVID-19, according to TMZ.
The event was supposed to take place over two weekends – January 7-10 and January 14-16 – but now both weekends are canceled because they can’t put on the event safely with so many infected staffers.
Pulling out: Just one day after John Mayer pulled out of Dead and Company’s Playing in the Sand festival, the festival itself is being canceled
Event: The event was supposed to take place over two weekends – January 7-10 and January 14-16 – but now both weekends are canceled because they can’t put on the event safely with so many infected staffers
Shortly after the report, the Dead and Company Instagram posted confirmation that the festival will be canceled.
‘With much sadness and after great consideration of every possible scenario, the Playing in the Sand shows in Riviera Cancun on January 7-10 and January 13-16 have now been canceled by CID Presents due to the spiking COVID-19 cases,’ the statement began.
‘Dead & Company and CID Presents tried everything possible to bring normalcy and to deliver a great experience and amazing music, but with each day it became increasingly clear that canceling is the correct thing to do for the fans and for our crew,’ the statement continued.
Sadness: ‘With much sadness and after great consideration of every possible scenario, the Playing in the Sand shows in Riviera Cancun on January 7-10 and January 13-16 have now been canceled by CID Presents due to the spiking COVID-19 cases,’ the statement began
‘Please refer to the Playing in the Sand email that will be sent shortly with all details about refunds. See you soon, hug your loved ones, stay safe and be kind,’ they concluded.
Dead and Company, an offshoot of Grateful Dead, revealed on Wednesday that, just before leaving for Mexico for the event, John Mayer tested positive for COVID-19.
‘Today, just prior to leaving for Mexico, per his physician, @JohnMayer tested positive for COVID-19 and will be unable to perform at the upcoming “Playing in the Sand” event in Riviera Cancun January 7-10,’ the Company’s statement began.
Positive: Dead and Company, an offshoot of Grateful Dead, revealed on Wednesday that, just before leaving for Mexico for the event, John Mayer tested positive for COVID-19
‘The weekend will now feature Dos Hermanos con Amigos: @MickeyHart and @BobWeir with @JeffChimentiMusic and @Oteil_Burbridge, joined by @LuvrsLane, Tom Hamilton @TRHJunior and including special guests and sit ins including @MissMargoPrice and others,’ the statement added.
‘We came down here to have fun. Unfortunately some of our brothers cannot make it but fun is what we’re going to have,’ said Bobby Weir.
‘In these unprecedented times fans should expect many rare and different tunes,’ the statement concluded.
Unprecedented: ‘In these unprecedented times fans should expect many rare and different tunes,’ the statement concluded
Variety confirmed Mayer’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis, though the singer has not yet addressed fans himself on his verified social media platforms at this time.
Mayer is the second Dead and Company member to pull out of the event, with drummer Bill Kreutztmann pulling out on Monday.
‘Playing in the Sand has become my favorite tour stop in recent years and there’s so much about it that’s just so great,’ Kreutztmann said on Instagram.
Confirmed: Variety confirmed Mayer’s positive COVID-19 diagnosis, though the singer has not yet addressed fans himself on his verified social media platforms at this time
‘And thus, it is with a heavy and still recovering heart that I have to relay a note that I received from my doctor this morning, ordering me to sit this one out,’ he added.
The drummer said his doctor ordered him to ‘take it easy’ through the end of January after suffering some heart-related health issues this fall.
The Dead and Company website reveals that fans going to the event in Mexico must adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols.
Heavy heart: ‘And thus, it is with a heavy and still recovering heart that I have to relay a note that I received from my doctor this morning, ordering me to sit this one out,’ he added
Doctor: The drummer said his doctor ordered him to ‘take it easy’ through the end of January after suffering some heart-related health issues this fall
Protocols: The Dead and Company website reveals that fans going to the event in Mexico must adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols
