Sugarland has canceled their scheduled concert at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday (Aug. 14) because an investigation prevented the band from salvaging any live equipment involved in Saturday's deadly stage collapse in Indianapolis.
"Aside from coping with the magnitude of the accident, the ongoing investigation prevents the band from getting what may remain of their stage equipment," a statement on iowastatefair.orgreads.
The Iowa date will not be rescheduled and fans will be given refunds for the show, which was to include opening act Dara Bareilles. The Iowa State Fair will hold a moment of silence Monday morning to honor the victims. Sugarland's next concert date, according to its website, is at The Pavillion located at the Hard Rock Casino in Albuquerque, NM on Aug. 18.
Five people are confirmed dead and at least 45 injured in Saturday's accident, which happened around 9 p.m. when the fair's rigging and Sugarland's equipment buckled under the pressure of strong winds at the Indiana State Fair. A source on the ground explains to Billboard.com that the stage is a concrete slab with a rigging framework rising above it that is used throughout the length of the fair. Live acts, such as Sugarland, attach their own gear (sound and lighting) to the rig. Both the fair's rig and the band's gear collapsed on Saturday night.
Governor Mitch Daniels called it a "freakish accident" and the Indiana Occupational Health and Safety Administration and the State Fire Marshal's office have begun conducting investigations, the Indianapolis Staris reporting. The company that erected the stage, Mid-America Sound Corp., released a statement as well saying they were launching an internal investigation "to understand, to the best of our ability, what happened."
Another chief concern is the initial response by concert promoters to signs that bad weather was approaching. According to published accounts, fans were warned that the weather could turn bad but were told the concert would go on as planned. When the wind storm kicked up, many began leaving but most fans stuck around. Four people died on the scene and a fifth -- a member of the lighting crew -- was pronounced dead Sunday morning.
It is not clear how long it will take to clean up the collapsed rigging. The Hoosier Lottery Grandstand is the sight of most major live acts at the Indiana State Fair and Janet Jackson is scheduled to perform there on Wednesday (Aug. 17). A spokesman for the fair has not responded to questions on whether Jackson's or any other future shows (Maroon 5/Train performs Aug. 18) will be postponed or moved to another venue.
Jackson, a native Hoosier from Gary, told fans on Sundayshe was "heartbroken" by the tragedy. "Prayers and love to Indiana."
UPDATE| State Fair spokesman Andy Klotz has confirmed a fifth person has died. Governor Mitch Daniels on Sunday called the deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair a "freakish accident" as officials cancel the day's activities to assess what happened.
-- Earlier Report From Saturday Night Below --
Powerful gusts of wind brought down the stage rigging at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis Saturday night, resulting in at least four deaths and scores of injuries during a country music concert that was set to feature the act Sugarland.
An Indiana State Police official confirmed four deaths and at least 40 injuries to the Indianapolis Star. Later at a press conference, state police Sgt. Dave Bursten warned, "I want to be very frank that there could be other deaths."
According to reports and video footage, parts of the grandstand stage swayed and collapsed shortly before 9 p.m., about 30 minutes after "Love Song" singer Sara Bareillesfinished her opening set. Star reporter Dave Lindquist, on Twitter, noted that he saw threatening clouds "rolling in from the west" and moments later reported, "Tragedy at fair concert. Entire stage collapses on track."
It happened quickly and dramatically as thousands of fans watched in horror.
"The gust of wind came, there was no rain yet and the production fell from left to right," Lindquist recounts in the IndyStar.com report. "And you could see, you could clearly see people were under the footprint of the rigging."
Rescue crews and fairgoers swarmed the scene of the stage collapse and began working to save those trapped in the wreckage. Complicating matters, heavy rain and winds estimated as high as 60 mph hit the area immediately following the collapse. At a press conference from the grounds, an official said that crowd was warned around 8:45 p.m. that rough weather was approaching and that they were to move from the Hoosier Lottery Grandstand to the nearby Pepsi Coliseum.
Hours after the tragedy, officials announced the fair would be closed Sunday but hopefully reopen on Monday. "Our prayers are with the families of all affected," the state fair said in an earlier message.
According to reports, there were about 12,000 people there to see Sugarland perform. The band quickly tweeted a message to fans telling them they were safe.
"We are all right," the band said in statement. "We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you'll join us. They need your strength."
Opener Bareilles responded with shock on Twitter, saying, "I'm speechless and feel so helpless. Please send love and prayers to Indianapolis tonight. My heart aches for the lives lost."
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