Cover Story: the cost of event cancellations

As rising costs, unpredictable weather and ageing headliners make putting on a show riskier than ever, IQ catches up with the insurers protecting promoters from disaster

Cardi B cancelled performances at Primavera Sound and Parklife last year © Atlantic Records

From Kanye West to Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Cardi B and a host of festivals, the tail end of the 2010s has seen no shortage of big-name cancellations and postponements – with illness, civil disorder and, especially, severe weather all doing their part to torpedo major live music events in recent years.

All touring productions are team efforts, and when it becomes clear a show won’t go ahead, the first person to receive a call is a stakeholder that’s otherwise largely…

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