Kenny Chesney postpones Heinz Field concert, 2020 tour

Kenny Chesney’s May 30 concert at Heinz Field will have to wait.

The popular country music star officially announced Thursday that his 2020 “Chillaxification Tour” is postponed until next year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“With so many tours needing to move and wanting to make sure we are in the best possible circumstances for No Shoes Nation, I think – and I hate saying this – it’s best to move everything into 2021,” Chesney said in a statement. “In the best interest of everyone … we have decided to quit moving the dates around on the calendar, trying to make a chunk of this year work and go to where we believe we can roll out the entire Chillaxification Tour.”

New tour dates have not been scheduled.

Tickets will be valid for rescheduled shows. Additionally, refund options will be available when rescheduled show dates are announced, tour officials said.

When we postponed our first wave of shows, no one imagined we’d be here today.
Still wondering, still uncertain. And I still will not take chances with people I care about.

Click below for more info pic.twitter.com/K6OIyWekK9

— Kenny Chesney (@kennychesney) May 14, 2020

Earlier Thursday, state Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, said thousands of people packing the North Shore stadium to see the country music star would be in conflict with Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh guidelines for public gatherings under the yellow-phase easing of pandemic restrictions in Allegheny County.

“We’re under yellow and that would be a direct violation of the yellow guidelines,” Fontana said. “I don’t see how they can do that.”

Fontana chairs the Sports and Exhibition Authority, which owns Heinz Field.

Through Thursday morning, Ticketmaster continued to accept online ticket orders for the concert.

Yellow guidelines issued by Gov. Tom Wolf, which start Friday, prohibit public gatherings of more than 25 people. Heinz Field has 68,400 seats, but can hold more during concerts, and Chesney has drawn capacity crowds for previous Pittsburgh events.

Chesney concerts in Pittsburgh have generated tons of garbage in the North Shore and numerous police citations and arrests for underage drinking and rowdy behavior.

Chesney’s “Chillaxification 2020 Tour” would have been his 11th performance in Pittsburgh. The concert was scheduled to feature Florida Georgia Line, Old Dominion and Michael Franti & Spearhead.