Jewish singer Matisyahu blames venue staffers after 2 shows are canceled amid Israel-Hamas war fervor
Jewish American singer Matisyahu is accusing music venues in Tucson, Arizona, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, of canceling his scheduled performances at the last minute due to issues involving the Israel-Hamas war, but the venues said the shows were axed over safety concerns and staff shortages.
Jewish American singer Matisyahu is accusing music venues in Tucson, Arizona, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, of canceling his scheduled performances at the last minute due to issues involving the Israel-Hamas war, but the venues said the shows were axed over safety concerns and staff shortages.
In his statement on X, the 44-year-old singer, known for blending reggae and hip hop, says “they do this because they are either anti-Semitic or have confused their empathy for the Palestinian people with hatred for someone like me who holds empathy for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
Matisyahu was scheduled to play at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson on Thursday and at Meow Wolf in Santa Fe on Wednesday.
The Rialto announced that the show was canceled “due to safety concerns and staff shortage,” hours before the show’s 8:30 p.m. start time.
The Rialto’s executive director, Cathy Rivers, told NBC News that the decision to cancel was “not made about politics or religion; this decision was made based on safety.”
Rating: 5