Noah Kahan’s Citi Field show washed out by Queens storm threat

Noah Kahan’s Saturday night at Citi Field ended before it could begin, with the Queens stadium canceling the concert after weather made the outdoor show unsafe.

The call came at the last minute as heavy rain, severe thunderstorms and strong winds were expected across the tristate area. Kahan’s team and Citi Field officials first tried to save the night by delaying doors until 7:30 p.m. and cutting the opening acts from the lineup, according to Rolling Stone.

That backup plan did not hold. Stadium officials canceled the concert after some fans had already made it to the ballpark, Rolling Stone reported.

“The show tonight at Citi Field has been canceled due to inclement weather. This was a very difficult decision to make, but the first priority is always to keep everyone safe,” Citi Field said in its announcement.

Kahan apologized to fans on social media Saturday, saying the team had waited as long as possible to see if conditions would improve.

“I am so incredibly sorry,” Kahan wrote. “We waited as long as we possibly could in hopes that the weather would clear, but it became clear that it wasn’t safe for us, the crew or all of you.”

The singer said he had “exhausted every option to make this happen,” and acknowledged the fans who had built their weekend around the stadium date.

“I know so many of you travelled, made plans and have been looking forward to this night for a long time,” Kahan wrote. “I’m devastated. We’ll do everything we can to come back and make this right. Thank you for understanding, and I’m so sorry.”

Why the show was canceled, not postponed

Rolling Stone reported that the concert was canceled rather than rescheduled because Kahan’s sold-out tour is already booked through December. The Citi Field date was an outdoor performance, leaving the show at the mercy of the weekend forecast.

Kahan is still scheduled to perform Sunday night at Citi Field, weather permitting. That show is the second of two sold-out concerts he had booked at the home of the New York Mets, according to Rolling Stone.

The bad weather also hit another Queens concert on Saturday. Zeds Dead had been due to play nearby Forest Hills Stadium, but that show was postponed until August.

In a statement, Zeds Dead said the weather had made the production setup impossible after rain delays and another incoming storm.

“The weather is just being too difficult,” the act wrote. “There’s another storm that’s supposed to move in and we can’t even build our production anyway with all the delays from the rain already.”

Zeds Dead said the team had hoped wind and lightning would hold off long enough for a rain-soaked show, but safety won out.

“Once again very sorry but we have to be on the side of safety here,” the statement said.

This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.