Advertisement
Australian pop-rock band 5 Seconds of Summer, often abbreviated as 5SOS, left fans in dismay at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Sunday night after one of their members walked off stage mid-concert and canceled the show.
The band took the stage for their Sunday set at 8:40pm after a performance by English indie rock band Pale Waves. After a few songs, 27-year-old drummer Ashton Irwin, one of four members of the band, was reportedly escorted off stage halfway through the concert.
5SOS issued a statement via Instagram Story on Monday afternoon, confirming that Irwin was indeed taken to a local hospital where he was treated for heat exhaustion. “As you may have heard, the show ended early last night due to a medical incident occurring during the show,” the statement said. “After experiencing physical symptoms, Ashton was taken to a local hospital for test results and a medical evaluation. As a result, Ashton was informed that he was suffering from extreme heat exhaustion.”
5SOS provided an update on drummer Ashton Irwin’s condition via Instagram after the band canceled their Woodlands concert on Sunday.
Instagram/@5SOSThe band said Irwin is doing well and recovering well. “We apologize to all fans in attendance for the disruption to the show,” read the statement, which also advised ticket holders to check their email for updates as they receive more information. It is still unclear whether the concert will be rescheduled at a later date. The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion has not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Videos posted online by fans show the moment a crew member announced the cancellation. “Unfortunately, the show cannot continue tonight,” he said. “Hold on to your tickets. We’ll get back to you with more information soon.” In the video, shocked fans can be heard shouting and yelling expletives in response.
*Warning: Video contains NSFW language*
Some fans reported seeing an ambulance leaving the venue. one Video showed a crew member running to Irwin with what appeared to be an oxygen tank. The Lone Star State was hit by a sustained heatwave in June. Temperatures in the Woodlands hit highs of 97 degrees on Sunday.
A 5SOS fan page wrote: “5SOS are taking a break from the show while Ashton receives medical attention – probably for heat exhaustion or just general exhaustion. Apparently the venue has also run out of water for the pit.” Thousands of 5SOS fans wrote messages of support online and posted Irwin’s name in trending topics on Twitter on Monday.
“Fuck the Texas heat why would you do that to 5SOS?” one disappointed fan tweeted along with a meme showing a gun pointed at the sun. “Respect 5SOS. Especially Ashton. They have been playing in extreme heat for the past few days. There is no reason for anyone to be mad at them for not finishing this show,” wrote another.
“I’ll keep Ashton, Luke, Michael and Calum on my mind tonight.” tweeted another fan. “I hope you are well Ash, we love you so much. As much as we love watching 5SOS, their health is more important.”
The Woodlands show was part of 5SOS’ 2022 Take My Hand North American Tour, which just kicked off this month. The band previously performed in Austin on Friday and in Irving, Texas on Saturday. Her next performance is scheduled for Tuesday in Rogers, Arkansas.
5SOS has released four studio albums and several EPs since inception in 2011. The band has amassed more than 22 million followers on Instagram and Twitter.
