Several stops on Usher and Chris Brown’s R&B Tour have been canceled, including shows at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium on Oct. 24 and Columbia, South Carolina’s Williams-Brice Stadium on Oct. 29. Ticketmaster told buyers Friday, Oct. 9, that the event organizer had to cancel, and refunds are on the way.
No reason was given. The timing, though, has fans connecting the dots. Brown is scheduled to be sentenced in London on Oct. 26 after pleading guilty in a 2023 nightclub attack, and the canceled dates sit right around that court date.
Which Usher and Chris Brown shows were canceled?
The Cincinnati and Columbia shows are off, and Ticketmaster also lists the Indianapolis stop as canceled. WIS in Columbia reported that a Baltimore date was removed from the tour’s website as well.
Other dates remain on the tour site for now, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Houston and Miami. Neither Ticketmaster nor the tour has explained why some dates were dropped and others were not.
Why is Chris Brown being sentenced in London?
On July 24, Brown pleaded guilty at London’s Southwark Crown Court to affray, a charge involving violence or threats of violence that make someone fear for their safety. The case stems from a February 2023 incident at a London nightclub in which music producer Abe Diaw was struck in the head with a bottle. Prosecutors dropped more serious charges, including assault and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, in exchange for the plea.
Affray carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. Brown, 37, has been free on bail, which allowed him to keep touring, but reports said he must return to the United Kingdom by Oct. 25, the day before his sentencing.
Could more R&B Tour dates be affected?
That is the question hanging over the rest of the tour. After Brown’s guilty plea, reports noted that a prison sentence could affect as many as 12 shows scheduled after Oct. 26, including four planned concerts in Atlanta and stops in Inglewood, New Orleans, Houston, Miami Gardens and Tampa.
The canceled Cincinnati show was set for Oct. 24, one day before Brown is required to be back in London, which lines up with that deadline. No official has confirmed the cancellations are connected to the court case.
How do refunds work for canceled shows?
Ticketmaster says no action is needed. Refunds go back to the original payment method and should appear within 14 to 21 days after the company receives funds from the organizer.
Here is the detail that could catch fans off guard. If your tickets were transferred to you, the refund goes to the person who originally bought them from Ticketmaster, not to you. Anyone who bought tickets through a friend, a family member or an informal transfer should reach out to that person now. Fans who used a resale platform should check that platform’s own refund policy.
What does this mean for R&B fans?
The R&B Tour pairs two of the genre’s biggest stars, and for many fans it was a rare chance to see a full night of the sound they grew up on. Losing those dates stings, especially for fans in cities like Cincinnati and Columbia who may have planned travel, hotels and time off around the show.
Brown’s legal history has long divided listeners, dating back to his 2009 felony assault conviction. This latest case puts Usher, who has kept his own reputation largely clean, in an uncomfortable spot as the tour’s future rests partly on a courtroom decision overseas.
Fans holding tickets for November and December shows will likely have to wait until after Oct. 26 for any clarity.
