Jhené Aiko, Clairo, and, more recently, FKA twigs, the Toronto concert curse still hasn’t met its match. Fans are left frustrated and disappointed as long-awaited shows are scheduled and then cancelled at the last minute. These repeated letdowns have sparked growing skepticism among concert-goers who now hesitate to get their hopes up when tour dates are announced.
This phenomenon has come to be known as the “Toronto curse,” a term that gained traction after a string of high-profile cancellations in the city, including Justin Bieber who scrapped his tour stop amid health concerns and The Weeknd, who cancelled his Rogers Centre concert in the summer of 2022 right as fans were taking their seats due to a widespread Rogers network outage.
These are by far not the only examples. In November 2023, Paul Stanley’s illness forced the rock band KISS to abruptly cancel their Toronto performance. Just one month later, American singer-songwriter SZA cancelled her Toronto show after postponing it at the last minute in October. The following year, the hip hop festival Hot in Toronto postponed its events after headliner Lil Wayne cancelled his appearance with no clear reason why.
While every cancellation or delay comes with its own circumstances, Toronto has seen a disproportionate number in recent years. The pattern raises a bigger question: why is the city so vulnerable to last-minute show drops?
Travelling to Toronto and Canada in general involves crossing an international border, which adds costs and logistical hurdles. These challenges have only intensified in the post-pandemic era of touring. An article by Exclaim! reports how inflation, fuel prices, staffing shortages, and supply chain delays have all made touring more expensive and unpredictable, especially for major acts.
Even when artists manage to overcome these logistical barriers, they’re often met with a high-cost environment once they arrive. A large number of artists are cancelling Canadian tour dates, citing vague explanations like “production issues,” “unforeseen circumstances,” or “scheduling conflicts.” However, behind PR-friendly language often lie deeper concerns, such as budget overruns, crew shortages, or complicated border logistics. When time and money are limited, non-U.S. dates, such as those in Canada, are usually the first to be cut.
Cancellations have only intensified with the rising cost of tickets. When fans travel, pay for gas, hotels, and take time off work, last-minute cancellations are more than just a loss of experience; they’re a significant financial blow. With inflation tightening budgets, people have less room for error when it comes to spending money on leisure.
Adding to the challenge is declining ticket demand. According to Exclaim!, many artists are struggling to match the ticket sales they saw during a brief “golden era” of touring. Large-scale productions are not easy to scale down, and unless they can fill big venues, the economics simply don’t work.
However, the biggest issue on the horizon for this “Toronto curse” is still developing, as economic tensions between Canada and the U.S. persist.
In recent global headlines, U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping tariffs on many Canadian exports, resulting in significant economic fallout. Even before the tariffs were officially announced, anticipation alone drove the Canadian dollar down, and it continued to drop further once the measures were in place.
This unfavourable exchange rate means American artists could see significantly reduced earnings from their Canadian shows while touring, resulting in fewer tour dates. On the other hand, these tariffs pose a threat to touring opportunities for Canadian musicians wanting to enter America.
Travelling across the broader has always been a high-stakes, physically demanding operation. Every element, from transporting gear to securing venues and paying staff, now costs more and comes with added risks, especially since the pandemic. In this fragile environment, international stops like Toronto often become the first casualties of a reshuffled tour.
So while it’s easy to point to a mysterious “curse,” the reality is far more complex than it seems. Despite being one of North America’s biggest music markets, Toronto continues to bear the brunt of these challenges. Unless the live music industry becomes more transparent and better regulated, fans in the city may continue to be overlooked.