NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – Popular Rock / Emo band Weezer was scheduled to play a Broadway residency at the Broadway Theatre from September 13-18 but canceled every show. According to lead singer, guitarist, and primary writer, Rivers Cuomo – the concerts were canceled due to meager ticket sales and high operating expenses.
Reportedly costs were $250K upfront and $15,000 per operating hour, as reported by Broadway World. Tickets first went on sale on June 24 but are no longer listed, and the small number of tickets purchased has since been refunded.
Recent Broadway shows like David Byrne’s American Utopia and The Boss’s solo show Springsteen on Broadway ran to much critical acclaim and high ticket sales. Audiences shelled out big money for both concert musical theatre hybrids, which were also streamed on HBO Max and Netflix.
The American punk group planned to celebrate its seasonal EP series SZNZ as the occasion for the Broadway residency.
Each night’s show was supposed to correspond with one of the four seasons from SZNZ and some of the band’s classic songs. The final night was to be a mix of the songs from each EP plus highlights from their entire song catalog.
Spring and Summer, two of the seasonal EPs, are currently out. Winter and Autumn have yet to be released.
For the Broadway shows, they were working with a writer and experienced producers like Vivek J. Tiwary (Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill, American Idiot) to create a distinctive theatrical experience for its fans and theatre lovers alike.
Weezer continues to perform throughout the summer, and they expressed hope to resurrect their vision at some point in the future.
