Woodstock 50 Releases All Artists from Contracts After Venue Change: Report

JAY-Z and John Fogerty had reportedly dropped off the lineup earlier today

BY Calum SlingerlandPublished Jul 26, 2019

A day after Woodstock 50 organizers finally locked down a venue with under a month to go until their event, a pair of big names have reportedly dropped off the lineup.

UPDATE (7/26, 2:15 p.m. EDT): Billboard reports that Woodstock 50 has now formally released all artists scheduled to play the festival from their contracts. The site reports festival organizers emailed talent agents yesterday (July 25) to inform them they would not try to enforce the contracts. Agents representing acts in the lineup said that moving the festival venue to Merriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland was a breach of the performance contract. Billboard adds that Woodstock 50 organizers are now trying to book new artists for a possible event at the venue.

The Associated Press reports that JAY-Z will no longer perform at Woodstock 50, citing a "person familiar with the situation" who spoke under the condition of anonymity. In addition to that news, TMZ reports that John Fogerty will also no longer play the festival.

Yesterday (July 25), Woodstock 50 organizers confirmed to the New York Times that they had secured Maryland venue Merriweather Post Pavilion to host the event, which is still set to run from August 16 to 18.

The Times also reported that the Woodstock 50 lineup — which boasted the likes of Chance the Rapper, the Raconteurs, Sturgill Simpson and the Killers — still has yet to be confirmed. A sale date for festival tickets has yet to be revealed as well.

As previously reported, Woodstock 50 attempted to host the event at the New York "racino" Vernon Downs, but that plan was rejected by officials.

That location change happened in the wake of the festival losing its much larger original venue. Earlier this year, Woodstock 50 also lost its main financier, which announced the festival was cancelled.

Latest Coverage