Few concerts come to mind that take place without their main vocalist. Maybe one by Morrissey, although in that case it usually doesn’t even start. Poppy’s last one at the Upheaval Festival in Grand Rapids (Michigan), however, did take place… only without Poppy.
Due to the poor air quality caused by smoke from the forest fires that continue to ravage Canada, the singer decided not to go on stage. His band, however, maintained the scheduled schedule and offered a one-hour instrumental set, while its members protected themselves with N95 masks.
The scene disconcerted a good part of the audience: one attendee tells on social networks that, after half an hour of the concert, they were still waiting for Poppy to appear, without fully understanding if that was part of the show or if something had gone wrong.
As expected, not everyone took it the same way. Many understood that it was a health issue, but others criticized that no one warned in advance that Poppy was not going to appear on stage.
Hours later, Poppy took to Instagram to explain the situation: “Due to dangerous levels of air pollution and our schedule, I was unable to join the band on stage. In those conditions it was not safe. Maybe you noticed that our set was only instrumental. To those of you who defied those conditions, I applaud you.
For its part, the Upheaval Festival published a statement insisting that the safety of artists and attendees was the priority, while recommending the use of masks and following the instructions of local authorities while high levels of contamination persisted.
Poppy standing up @UpheavalFest pic.twitter.com/iqoUFBzCID
— Hillydoe (@michiganjamomma) July 17, 2026
