Benson Boone Forced to Cancel Birmingham Concert Less Than 1 Hour Before Taking Stage

Look, we’ve all had those days where our bodies refuse to cooperate. But when you’re a chart-topping artist minutes away from performing for thousands of fans, a scratchy throat becomes a full-blown crisis. That’s precisely what happened to Benson Boone on Saturday, Nov. 1, when he had to pull the plug on his Birmingham concert at the last possible second.

Benson Boone Cancels Show Due to Vocal Issues

Less than an hour before he was supposed to hit the stage at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena, Benson Boone took to his Instagram Stories with news nobody wanted to hear. People reported him saying, “I am so sorry, but I will not be able to perform tonight,” he wrote. “I have tried everything I can to revive my voice, but I cannot give you the show I’d like to be able to give you with the condition of my throat right now.”

The timing couldn’t have been worse. Fans were already at the venue, probably buying overpriced merch and settling into their seats, when the bombshell dropped. According to the Birmingham Utilita Arena’s statement on X (formerly Twitter), “We’re sorry to share that Benson Boone’s show tonight… has been cancelled due to artist illness.”The 23-year-old singer didn’t hide his disappointment either. “This is genuinely the crappiest feeling,” Benson Boone continued in his message to fans.

He promised he’s already working with his team to reschedule the concert as soon as possible, adding, “I promise you I will do everything in my power to make it up to you.” Here’s where things get interesting. Eric Vetro, Benson Boone’s vocal coach, jumped into the comments with some much-needed perspective that honestly makes a lot of sense.

His Vocal Coach Weighs In

Vetro left his response on Benson Boone’s Instagram post, as reported by Parade, saying, “Benson, you totally made the right decision!” Vetro wrote. “Not only would you have disappointed your audience because your voice is hoarse from being sick, but you would’ve run the risk of possibly damaging your vocal cords and even creating a vocal hemorrhage by trying to force sound out. Then you would’ve had to cancel a lot of future shows.”

Vetro didn’t stop there. He pointed out that if Benson Boone had pushed through, he “would’ve had to cancel a lot of future shows.” The coach also noted that this is entirely out of character for the singer: “He has never canceled before,” proving that the choice “wasn’t made lightly.” It’s a fair point. Benson Boone is known for his high-energy performances, complete with his signature backflips—not exactly something you want to attempt when you can barely speak, let alone sing.

The response from fans was pretty much what you’d expect—a mixture of genuine concern and understandable frustration. Most people rallied behind Benson Boone’s decision to prioritize his health over the show. “That’s what I’m worried about the most for him—long-term damage to his vocal cords if he forces himself to perform,” one fan wrote on X. “He needs to rest and get the best care possible right now.”

Another fan added, “Absolutely right, a voice is precious—you have to take care of it.” But not everyone was so understanding about the timing. Some concertgoers who were already at the venue expressed disappointment that the cancellation came so late. “Should’ve canceled in the a.m.! Not when fans were outside the venue,” one person posted. “This is poor from Benson and his team.” It’s hard to blame either side here. Yes, the last-minute cancellation is rough for fans who’d already made the trip. But vocal issues can deteriorate quickly, and sometimes you don’t realize how bad things are until you’re about to perform.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, Benson Boone made the right call, even if the timing was less than ideal. Pushing through a vocal injury might seem noble, but it could have resulted in severe damage that would’ve forced him to cancel multiple shows instead of just one. The Birmingham show will be rescheduled, and fans will eventually get their moment. In the meantime, Benson Boone needs to rest up because his tour schedule isn’t slowing down anytime soon.