Jack F.K. Bungart: Arrogant cancellation

Bruce Springsteen’s decision to cancel a concert in North Carolina for political reasons was more than just disappointing to longtime fans like myself. It was arrogant, and it was rude.

Springsteen knows full well that fans make expensive travel plans and complicated vacation plans from their jobs to attend shows all over the country. He benefits quite well from this devotion.

Yet he canceled his appearance in North Carolina just two days prior to the show date, leaving thousands of us in difficult situations. I found out just as I was boarding a flight for North Carolina from California.

Making this more exasperating is that Springsteen pulled the plug on the show with such short notice, when the controversy over the law he objected to so strenuously was at least a week old.

Springsteen said, “Some things are bigger than a rock show.” Yes, some things are. Like a man’s word – and the contract he implies with devoted fans when he takes their money and says he will appear in a certain city on a certain date.

This story was originally published April 20, 2016 at 5:09 PM with the headline "Jack F.K. Bungart: Arrogant cancellation."