CINCINNATI — Cincinnati is about to see its biggest concert since the pandemic hit a year and a half ago: Billy Joel at Great American Ballpark, Friday, Sept. 10.
But some fans of the piano man now say they are worried about going due to the potential spread of the COVID delta variant and would like a way out.
Amy Lovelace and her husband, Jeff, are among them.
They are two lifelong Billy Joel fans who were looking forward to bringing their children to his comeback concert in Cincinnati to see him perform songs like You May be Right, She's Always a Woman, Uptown Girl and the ultimate lighters-in-the-air singalong, Piano Man.
Until the past week, when they grew more and more concerned with the COVID headlines.
"We just aren't feeling as safe as we were three or four weeks ago, when we got the notice that the concert indeed was going to be on," Amy Lovelace said.
No vaccine certificate required
Beginning in October, many concerts, including future shows at Riverbend Music Center and Heritage Bank Arena in Cincinnati, are going to require a negative COVID test or a vaccine card to get in the gate.
This stadium concert is not one of those shows, though, and the Lovelaces said they are just not comfortable attending with their young children.
"I'm most worried about attending a large venue where social distancing is not possible, and bringing an unvaccinated child," she said.
She is not alone.On the Billy Joel fan forum, a dozen people have asked him to reschedule the show, or offer refunds, saying, "It's too big of a risk," and "Keep us safe, Billy."
Jeff Lovelace said he would like refunds, or at least credits toward a future show or Reds games.
But both Great American Ball Park and Ticketmaster said it was too late to trade in their tickets.
"We emailed Ticketmaster and they said the window has closed for refunds for these tickets," Amy Lovelace said.
We have contacted both Ticketmaster and the Cincinnati Reds to see if there is any way ticket holders can get refunds or credit.
Right now, the only hope for nervous fans is to try to resell the tickets on sites like StubHub.
As always, don't waste your money.
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