It has taken over 30 years but fans still holding tickets for the Who’s cancelled 1979 show in Providence, Rhode Island finally have a chance to use them.
The 1979 Providence show was called off by (then) Mayor Buddy Cianci who cited safety concerns after a stampede at a show in Cincinnati tragically killed 11 people. The Who have not returned to Providence since.
Yesterday, the band announced a 36-date tour kicking off on November 1 in Sunrise, FL and concluding in Providence on February 26 – at the same venue where the show was cancelled in 1979 (now called the Dunkin Donuts Center). General Manager Lawrence Lepore announced today that the venue will honor any outstanding tickets from the cancelled show. Though many ticketholders got refunds back in 1979, Lepore believes that some may have held on to their tickets as memorabilia. “Somewhere, someplace, someone’s got it stashed. The question is, are they willing to give that up? If they are, we’re willing to take it.”
Lepore announced the offer on WPRO-AM, asking listeners to call if they still had a 1979 ticket but, thus far, no one has.
Any redeemed 1979 tickets will be donated to help raise money for the Special Olympics of Rhode Island.