At the Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Poppy‘s band took the stage and performed a nearly hour-long set without her. The unexpected development left fans wondering about the singer’s status, but the situation was quickly clarified as a safety precaution regarding local environmental conditions.
In the video below, Poppy’s backing band can be seen wearing respirator masks beneath their theatrical stage masks, which are commonly used to filter particulate matter in the air. The respirator mask bears a “3M” mark across the mouth, similar to the product readily listed at several hardware stores.
Poppy Explains Upheaval Festival Absence
In an Instagram Story post, Poppy shared the reason her band performed without her at Upheaval Festival. Her statement reads:
Due to ‘hazardous’ AQI [Air Quality Index] reaching 350+ around our set time I was unable to join my band on stage. I was unable to breathe in those conditions. You might’ve noticed our set was instrumental only. For those who braved the conditions – I applaud you.
Weather Update Issued by Upheaval Festival Before Kickoff
The location of Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is one of many areas that has experienced reduced air quality as a result of the blazing wildfires in Canada. Prior to opening doors at the event, which is headlined by Gojira and Papa Roach, the festival issued a weather alert, informing attendees that they were working with local officials to monitor the ongoing air quality situation.
The statement from festival organizers read:
WEATHER UPDATE:
Doors are opening on time!Our staff and crew has been amazing this week. Please thank them throughout the weekend! Your safety is our number one concern. We encourage you all to pace yourselves today and look out for each other.
We are still working with our local officials to monitor the ongoing Air Quality situation that is passing through. Current information shows the Air Quality will improve throughout the day.
Thank you for your patience! We will keep you updated on social media.
We look forward to seeing you all soon
