{"id":24562,"date":"2025-07-26T03:14:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-26T03:14:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/24562\/"},"modified":"2025-07-26T03:14:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-26T03:14:07","slug":"from-justin-timberlakes-lackluster-performance-to-coldplays-kiss-cam-scandal-concerts-are-making-headlines-this-summer-but-not-for-the-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/24562\/","title":{"rendered":"From Justin Timberlake’s lackluster performance to Coldplay’s ‘kiss cam’ scandal, concerts are making headlines this summer \u2014 but not for the music"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each year, millions of people purchase tickets<\/a> to see their favorite artists live in concert \u2014 and that number is only growing<\/a>. And while Taylor Swift may not currently be performing, following the end of her nearly two-year Eras Tour, other stars, such as Beyonc\u00e9 and Coldplay, are filling in the gap, attracting massive crowds and making headlines.<\/p>\n

But several recent concerts have made waves this summer for reasons unrelated to the music.<\/p>\n

In fact, some of the biggest pop culture moments of the season so far have taken place at concerts, from a major ‘kiss cam’ scandal to a pop star who doesn\u2019t appear to be singing much.<\/p>\n

Justin Timberlake gets called out for not singing<\/p>\n

Justin Timberlake has been known for his vocal range since his NSync days, which is why many fans were surprised to find that, during his recent world tour, he didn\u2019t seem to be singing all that much<\/a>. Multiple videos posted on social media this month from different shows across the tour show the \u201cSexyBack\u201d artist singing a few bars before holding out the mic for the audience to take the rest of a verse.<\/p>\n

During a July 17 performance at Transylvania\u2019s Electric Castle festival, fans who waited in the rain for JT later accused him of giving a middling performance. In an Instagram post<\/a>, Timberlake thanked fans for attending the \u201cwild show\u201d and \u201crockin\u2019 with me in the rain,\u201d but many fans expressed their disappointment in the comments.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot THAT wild of a show \u2026 and I\u2019m a huge fan,\u201d one wrote. \u201cThe delay I got, I accepted it, but the part with you not singing even your most famous verses.. nope, I did not. Us in the crowd wanted to hear you sing the songs we played at home over and over again and danced on so many times, but unfortunately you did not deliver this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another commenter wrote that they bought tickets to the festival just for Timberlake and \u201cwaited patiently\u201d for the show to start even after a \u201cbig delay.\u201d However, they wrote, \u201csomething happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou did not click with the crowd, the show felt soulless and bored, ended abruptly and earlier,\u201d the commenter continued. \u201cIt was disrespectful towards the many thousands of people waiting for you. Too bad, could have been a nice evening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, others defended Timberlake, arguing that it seemed clear \u2014 at least at the Electric Castle festival performance \u2014 that the Social Network actor was under the weather.<\/p>\n

Katy Perry almost falls out of the air midsong<\/p>\n

Katy Perry\u2019s Lifetimes Tour has been endlessly memed on social media, with fans both delighted and baffled by the futuristic-themed spectacle. Some have called it \u201cmessy<\/a>, while others have found the show emblematic of the campy charm Perry is known for<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But Perry\u2019s performance of \u201cRoar\u201d during her July 18 concert in San Francisco inspired genuine fear from the audience when the mechanical butterfly she was hanging on to dropped unexpectedly. <\/a><\/p>\n

Perry handled the situation like a pro (and fortunately she held tight to the butterfly!), but the reactions made clear that aerial stunts are not for the faint of heart \u2014 whether you\u2019re a performer or just below one in the audience.<\/p>\n

Coldplay sparks a ‘kiss cam’ scandal<\/p>\n

During Coldplay\u2019s July 16 show at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, the band\u2019s frontman, Chris Martin, had some fun with the crowd while performing \u201cThe Jumbotron Song.\u201d When a couple showed up on the “kiss cam<\/a>” and then ducked out of view immediately, Martin joked that they were either \u201chaving an affair\u201d or \u201cjust very shy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Turns out, Martin was correct. The internet did its thing and quickly discovered the identities of the people at the concert, the CEO of tech firm Astronomer, Andy Byron, and his chief people officer, Kristin Cabot. Both are married to other people. The awkward moment sparked endless memes as well as conversations about privacy in today\u2019s digital age<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Beyonc\u00e9 is left hanging after a concert malfunction<\/p>\n

Perry isn\u2019t the only pop star who was left dangling onstage due to a faulty prop. Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s July 28 concert in her hometown of Houston ended abruptly after the flying car prop she was seated in while singing \u201c16 Carriages\u201d malfunctioned<\/a>, leaving her suspended and tilted in midair.<\/p>\n

After stopping the song, Beyonc\u00e9 was eventually lowered and able to get out of the car safely. She even returned to finish performing the hit track from her Cowboy Carter album after a brief pause backstage.<\/p>\n