Post Malone and Billie Eilish Criticized for Playing Arena Shows Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

“We didn’t suspend every major sport to have Post Malone screw this up for us.”

Brandon Friederich

Mar 16, 2020

Days before the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an advisory against gatherings of 50 or more people in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), Post Malone played a sold-out show for more than 18,000 people.

Both the genre-bending rapper and the venue’s staff were criticized on social media for not canceling the gig, which took place at the Pepsi Center in Denver on March 12. Malone’s fans evidently didn’t partake in the “social distancing” lockdown measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Getting more video from inside @pepsicenter. Thought I was seeing empty seats for @PostMalone in the middle of COVID-19 outbreak. Turns out… it’s packed. So much for social distancing. #9News pic.twitter.com/8uPbHN0lEi

— Ryan Haarer (@RyanHaarer) March 13, 2020

Others noted that nearly all professional sports organizations, including the NBA, Major League Baseball, NHL and Major League Soccer, have suspended play indefinitely.

-NBA season suspended
-NCAA tournament cancelled
-NHL Season suspended
-MLB Season postponed
-Denver schools shut down
-CO in state of emergency
-Post Malone concert? Packed. #9News https://t.co/7dzgQ8Aj5o

— Marc Sallinger (@MarcSallinger) March 13, 2020

https://twitter.com/TVietor08/status/1238319551185485826

“We didn’t suspend every major sport to have Post Malone screw this up for us,” tweeted Tommy Veitor, a former spokesperson for the National Security Council. “Get your shit together, Colorado.”

As Billboard notes, Billie Eilish also faced backlash for not postponing or canceling her 20,000-person show in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 12.

So you’re not gonna postpone the one in Raleigh, North Carolina. 🥴Everything else in NC is being cancelled…even on campus college classes.

— Breanna Trivett (@Brebrooke18) March 12, 2020

“So you’re not gonna postpone the one in Raleigh, North Carolina Everything else in NC is being cancelled…even on campus college classes,” one Twitter user noted. Many universities across the state and country have extended spring breaks and switched to online classes only.

All tours promoted by Live Nation and AEG—including Malone’s and Eilish’s—have since been canceled.

For more information on the coronavirus, visit the WHO’s website.