There will be no Janet Jackson or Lady Antebellum concerts at the Indiana State Fair this week. Fair officials announced Monday that both have been canceled in the wake of the tragedy at the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand on Saturday, when a hulk of stage rigging and equipment was shoved over by a burst of wind, killing five and injuring dozens.
Jackson was scheduled to perform at the fair on Wednesday (Aug. 17) and Lady Antebellum was slotted for Friday (Aug. 19). A third concert, Thursday’s double bill featuring Maroon 5 and Train, will go on but a new location will be announced tomorrow, fair spokesman Andy Klotz said.
Before the announcement was made in Indiana, Maroon 5 guitarist James Valentine told Billboard.com on Monday that he had at least some reservations about playing a rock concert at the fair so soon after the tragedy. “It just doesn’t seem like the right sort of atmosphere, y’know?,” he noted. “It’ll probably take some time to heal. It’s such a tragedy.”
Valentine added that Maroon 5 is also hoping to perform a benefit show at another locale for the families of the Indiana victims, but is still working out those details.
Jackson, born in Gary, Ind., told her Twitter followers on Sunday that she was “heartbroken” by the tragedy and offered her “prayers and love to Indiana.” A request for comment has not been returned from Jackson’s rep.
A memorial service was held Monday to honor the victims of the weekend’s tragedy, when a stage collapsed under the force of 60-70 mph winds, killing five and sending 45 to the hospital, some with critical injuries. The incident occurred 30 minutes after Sara Bareilles’ set and just moments before Sugarland was scheduled to perform.
Governor Mitch Daniels called it a “freakish accident” and the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the State Fire Marshal’s office have begun conducting investigations, the Indianapolis Star reported. The company that erected the stage, Mid-America Sound Corp., released a statement as well saying they were launching an internal investigation “to understand, to the best of our ability, what happened.”
Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland told the AP in a statement that she was “so moved” by the events and the reaction of fans in the stands. “Moved by the grief of those families who lost loved ones. Moved by the pain of those who were injured and the fear of their families. Moved by the great heroism as I watched so many brave Indianapolis fans actually run toward the stage to try and help lift and rescue those injured. Moved by the quickness and organization of the emergency workers who set up the triage and tended to the injured.”
