Tears and tantrums as 1D cancel concert... then joy as they add an extra night
THEIR excited smiles turned quickly to bitter tears as the devastating news sunk in.
The cause of the heartache? The cancellation of a One Direction concert 30 minutes before the boy band was due on stage.
After queuing in the rain for hours, the reaction of the 10,000 ‘Directioners’ crammed into the SSE Arena in Belfast was nothing short of hysterical.
The show was called off when Liam Payne, 22, was struck down by a mystery illness that left him unable to perform. When an announcement was made from the stage, it was met with wailing and booing from the emotional crowd.
The fans, having spent £500,000 on tickets, were inconsolable.
After the mostly teenage audience heard the news, parents came in droves to collect their children. Some were seen outside holding each other mournfully. On Twitter they said they were ‘devastated’ and ‘shaking’ from shock.
But the mood can change swiftly in the world of pop. Payne tweeted yesterday that he had recovered from his unspecified ailment – and last night’s and tonight’s concerts would go ahead.
Furthermore, to the delight of Directioners who had been so distraught on Tuesday night, it was announced that the concert had been rescheduled for tomorrow. Payne said: ‘I’m so sorry to everybody I disappointed last night. I’m feeling better now. I really hope everyone can make the rescheduled date on Friday. I really can’t wait to perform and make it up to everyone later.’ Those unable to attend tomorrow’s show can apply to the venue for a refund.
Earlier, television presenter Eamonn Holmes aired his dissatisfaction with the cancellation on Tuesday, tweeting: ‘I don’t care who was sick in One Direction. Rest of them should have had the decency & maturity to appear on stage and explain.’
After an angry reaction from fans, he added: ‘For all of you who can’t read, I didn’t ask for One Direction to sing, I asked for them to apologise in person to fans who turned up.’