EDMONTON — Producers of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival hope something compares to Sinead O’Connor as they race to fill the singer’s spot in their line-up.
The festival received confirmation late Wednesday morning that the Irish singer was pulling out of the show “due to health concerns.”
Terry Wickham with the Edmonton Folk Fest said his team thought the cancellation was likely after hearing word of other concert cancellations on Tuesday.
“We are, naturally, disappointed that she is unable to perform,” said Wickham, “but she’s ill so we’ll move on.”
O’Connor was scheduled to perform on Friday, Aug. 7 at 9 p.m. on the main stage.
Refunds are being offered for Friday night ticket holders until July 31 through the venue they purchased the tickets.
READ MORE: Brandi Carlile, Sinead O’Connor to play at sold-out Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Wickham told Global News the festival is trying to find an artist to fill the main stage spot but said, with two weeks until show time, it’s a “long shot.”
On Monday, Wickham said Frazey Ford – who was already scheduled to perform – had been bumped to the main stage.
“It’ll still be a great night of music,” said Wickham. “I’ve got about six artists that are of world class stature in the folk world that I could easily put on stage, probably more than that actually.”
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The Wind and the Wave also cancelled their scheduled appearance at the festival “due to a conflict with their recording schedule,” Edmonton Folk Fest said.
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival runs from August 6 to August 9.
READ MORE: Sinead O’Connor may not be appearing at Regina Folk Festival
O’Connor was also set to appear at the Regina Folk Festival and Winnipeg’s Interstellar Rodeo this year. Sarah McLachlan is said to be taking O’Connor’s spot headlining the Winnipeg event in August.
According to a billboard.com report, the Irish singer has cancelled all of her summer concerts due to exhaustion from an existing unresolved medical condition.
On July 26, O’Connor posted a message on her Facebook page explaining the cancellations.
“My child has been suffering with a life-threatening medical condition since early March 2015. It is the type of condition my child will definitely survive, if correct care is taken and is supervised by myself. Otherwise there is no guarantee,” the post reads.
“That is the plain truth.
“Needless to say, this has been and remains a severe family crisis.”
The post also touched on chronic health problems the singer has been dealing with herself.
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