Hail injures dozens of concertgoers and forces cancellation of Louis Tomlinson show near Denver

By Beatrice Dupuy And Colleen Slevin, The Associated Press on June 22, 2023.

DENVER (AP) – A storm pummeled concertgoers at Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver with golf ball-sized hail, sending them scurrying for cover, injuring dozens and forcing the cancellation of the show’s headliner, former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson.

Up to 90 people were treated for non-life-threatening injuries caused by Wednesday night’s storm, including seven who were taken to a hospital, West Metro Fire Rescue said. Some were hurt by the hail and others were hurt while trying to get away from the storm, sustaining injuries such as lacerations, bruises and broken bones, spokesperson Ronda Scholting said Thursday.

The hail piled up like snow in some spots in the amphitheater. The show was initially delayed because of the weather, with fans told to take shelter in their vehicles, according to tweets from the venue, which was carved out of a sedimentary rock formation in the foothills. It was later canceled.

Beth Nabi, 44, had flown to Denver from Dublin to watch one of her favorite musicians perform at the iconic venue. At around 7:15 p.m., she said could see lightning and thunder approaching in the distance. As the weather worsened, concertgoers were encouraged to seek shelter, but not wanting to give up hope on seeing Tomlinson, Nabi stuck around. She said the hail started falling while she was in a bathroom and that the space quickly filled up with other concertgoers who were trying to escape the falling ice.

“I came out of the bathroom stall to a bathroom filled with as many people who could cram in there, all seeking shelter from the hail,” she said.

The storm lasted about 10 minutes before she could leave the bathroom and see all the hail covering the ground.

“The hailstorm was just crazy. It was apocalyptic. It was fast,” she said.

To cap things off, she returned to her rental car to find its windshield cracked in several places and the hood dented. Nabi said she is anxiously waiting to hear on when the concert will be rescheduled.

“I am gutted it didn’t go on,” she said. “‘I’m hoping we get some news on when it can be rescheduled, and I hope I can make it because I was so looking forward for the experience at that venue.”

Tomlinson tweeted that he was “devastated” about the cancellation and promised to return.

“Even though we didn’t play the show I felt all of your passion! Sending you all love!,” he said.

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Dupuy reported from New York.

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