“Dang, might be a smaller venue but I’d say it more an upgrade than going to Hollywood”: Ginger Root is forced to downgrade LA gig but fans seem relaxed about it

Indie soul musician Cameron Lew better known as Ginger Root has been forced to downgrade a show in his native Los Angeles, but his fans seem to be fairly cool about it.

Lew was to have played the Hollywood Palladium, but announced on his social media platforms that the gig has now been switched to the smaller capacity Wiltern instead.

He said on Twitter/X: “Greetings Los Angeles, Due to the lack of ticket sales, Ginger Root will no longer be performing at the Hollywood Palladium. Instead, we have been informed that the show has been downgraded to The Wiltern,”

He continued: “All previously purchased tickets are still valid but, we are being positive about the situation for this is Ginger Root’s first ever downgraded show. So come celebrate with us. Ginger Root’s first ever downgraded show, the final stop on the Shinbangumi USA tour on November 3 at The Wiltern.”

Many fans were complimentary about Lew’s response – musicians, after all, are rarely this candid when they’re forced into this kind of move. “Dang, might be a smaller venue but I’d say it more an upgrade than going to Hollywood,” posted one commenter while another added: “The Wiltern is cooler tbh. More secret spaces in there!!”

Ginger Root - "Loretta" (Official Music Video) - YouTube

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Having to downgrade gigs is pretty humiliating for any established artist. Usually it’s a last resort. Larger theatres or arenas can disguise poor ticket sales by fencing off portions of the auditorium.

Ginger Root is not the only artist to have done this recently. Back in the spring, The Black Keys pulled a North American arena tour without providing an explanation. In the end they span the rescheduled dates, at smaller venues, as something that “will enable us to offer a similarly exciting, intimate experience for both fans and the band.”

At an admittedly smaller level, Leila Moss was forced to cancel her tour this October because of the “spiralling costs” of shows. The ex-Duke Spirit singer posted a full explanation on Twitter/X, saying: “I understand that money is tight for everyone and there are a lot of other great musicians and bands touring right now. Somewhere down the chain someone takes a hit. I think this year, this is me, sadly,” adding, “this is not only sad for me but totally embarrassing too.”

Maybe, but as Ginger Root’s experience shows, punters admire honesty. And there’s no shame in having to downgrade.