South Carolina Concert Canceled After Multiple Artists Leave the Tour
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The Rock the Country festival has experienced significant lineup changes this week, leading to the cancellation of its scheduled weekend in Anderson, South Carolina, on July 25-26. Artists, including Shinedown, Ludacris, Morgan Wade, and Carter Faith, have withdrawn from the event.
This South Carolina stop, part of an eight-city tour, has now been removed from Rock the Country’s official website. Billboard has reached out for further clarification regarding the cancellation.
Anderson County officials were notified of the event’s cancellation on February 5, according to a report from the Greenville-based publication The Post and Courier. No specific reasons for the cancellation have been provided.
As of February 7, the remaining seven stops of the tour are still scheduled: Bellville, Texas (May 1-2); Bloomingdale, Georgia (May 29-30); Sioux Falls, South Dakota (June 27-28); Ashland, Kentucky (July 10-11); Hastings, Michigan (August 8-9); Ocala, Florida (August 28-29); and Hamburg, New York (September 11-12).
The lineup for Rock the Country varies by date, featuring prominent artists such as Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert, and many others throughout the tour.
Shinedown, a band set to perform at the South Carolina dates, announced its withdrawal from the festival on February 6, citing backlash from fans regarding their participation.
Although event organizers have not specified any political ties, headliners Aldean and Kid Rock have both publicly supported former President Donald Trump. Kid Rock and Brantley Gilbert are also scheduled to appear at Turning Point USA’s “All-American” alternative halftime show, which will air opposite the NFL’s official Super Bowl Halftime Show.
In a statement posted on social media, Shinedown reflected on their decision: “Shinedown is everyone’s band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song. Our band’s purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock the Country festival.”
The band acknowledged that their choice might prompt differing opinions, stating, “We do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.”
