Legendary singer Paul Anka has confirmed the show – er, shows – will go on despite concerns about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
During an appearance on TMZ Live earlier this week, the musician revealed that he has every intention of moving ahead with his tour that’s set to kick off on October 21, 2021, in New York. The tour was originally planned to debut last year but was postponed due to the pandemic. However, all of the rescheduled dates are already sold-out.
Even though various things remain uncertain, as many states re-introduce social distancing precautions while others lift them, the singer says his team is hoping for the best but planning for the worst. They’re taking as many precautions as possible to ensure the shows can happen as planned.
Paul declined to detail exactly what measures his team is taking, but it may vary between shows. TMZ points out that many venues across the United States (and the world, for that matter) have introduced rules requiring proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test.
For instance, several music festivals have received backlash after announcing proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test will be required to attend their events. This includes Firefly music festival, which recently announced attendees will need to provide proof within 72 hours of the concert, CBS Baltimore reports.
It’s not just in the United States, either. Many venues and entertainment agencies across the globe have introduced similar regulations, or are expected to in coming weeks as much of the world enters a fourth wave of the pandemic. Earlier this week, Live Nation Canada announced it will require proof of vaccination or a negative test result at all concerts moving forward. They have not released details about what this will look like.
These recent reports are a likely indication of what concerts, musical festivals, and other events similar in scale and nature will look like moving forward as the world tries to resume normalcy while the pandemic wages on. More details about upcoming concerts, including Paul Anka’s fall shows, are expected to be made public in the coming weeks.
Despite uncertainty, Paul made it clear he’s not worrying about what’s not in his control. Rather, he’s channelling his energy into his upcoming album Paul Anka: My Christmas 2021, which is expected to be released later this year in time for the holiday season.
For fans who can’t wait that long, TMZ notes that Paul recently released Making Memories album earlier this month, which debuted only weeks after his 80th birthday on July 30th, 2021. The highly anticipated album features duets with other famous voices like Andrea Bocelli and Michael Bublé.
Sources: TMZ, CBS Baltimore, CBC, California News Times,